Cross Cultural Theories Based on Bend it Like BECKHAM

CROSS CULTURAL THEORIES BASED ON BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

Cross cultural theories based on bend it like Beckham

Movies are one way in which different issues such as social and cultural backgrounds of different societies are filmed to educate or enlighten the community at large on different life styles as well as cultural diversity. Different films do have different numbers of characters, who act as family members, friends, and business personnel's in order to portray to the different issues to their viewers. With the help of a team comprising of the writer, producer and the directors, the characters are able to follow instructions so as to produce a film with the required themes. Bend it like Beckham, is a comedy-drama film in which the title is derived from a famous England football player David Beckham and his ability to score from free kicks by bending the ball past defenders. The film is directed and produced to show how a young girl is denied a chance to play football by her parent due to her gender, although she still finds her way out to play with the boys. Later the young girl is introduced to a local team where she proves her talent in football and she is selected as a player, but she lied that her parent are ok with her playing football. As the young girl develops her talent in football, she is face with so many challenges based on her talent, friendship as well as her family. The family of the young girl strongly feels and holds a thought that their daughter is breaking a cultural taboo by playing football. By applying the value oriented model of the world as well as counseling theories, the conflict between the young girl, her family, her team mate and the coach can be solved. Showing that gender and traditions should not eliminate anyone from achieving his or her dream in life.

Introduction

Jess an eighteen year daughter of couple in west London is headstrong about football. Her parent strongly believes that it is a cultural taboo for their daughter to play football as it is meant for boys. Despite the objection from her parent, Jess goes on to play football with boys and later she is introduced to a local football team which is interested with her talent. Joe the team coach is attracted to Jess and their relationship develops with time, as they are about to kiss, Jules who is Jess's friend appears and interrupts them. This threatens Jess and Jules friendship as Jules also had a crush on Joe, Jess goes to Jules home to clear the air and Mrs. Paxton thinks that Jess and Jules are engaged in lesbianism.

When Jess parent learn that their daughter have been playing football, they become stricter to the extent that Jess should not even attend any match. Jess's older sister Pinky has a wedding on held the same day as final day of the football tournament in attendance are the American recruiting scout. Joe pleads with Jess's father who refuses to allow her daughter to play the finals, later Tony Jess's friend convinces Jess's father and Jess joins the team just about half an hour remaining. Jess is awarded with a free kick and just like Beckham she bends passed the wall of defenders, give her team the victory. Jess and Jules offered football scholarships which Jess does not discuss with her parents, but on learning about the scholarship her parent allows her to go to America.

Cross-cultural theories have been developed to show communication by people from different cultural backgrounds and how different groups can come to live, work and relate irrespective of their cultural differences (Baruth, 2003). The film explores some themes giving us a wider area of study that is, gender and the British Asian experience (. These areas brought out by looking at some protagonists, Jess, Jules and their families.

The three characters and a family

As shown, Jess is a mature and intelligent young girl, who tries to do all what she can just to be good to her parents but obsessed with playing football. Her parent strongly believes that football will led her to ungodly things and in this case playing football is moving away or breaking the cultural taboo, because she will show her bare legs to boys and she may end up becoming pregnant before marriage. By playing football, Jess does...

This is because she shows no interested in typical teenage girls' activities such as clothes, shopping, boys and make-up. Even when her mother decides to teach her on how to prepare a traditional Indian meal, Jess is keen to learn.
Her parent might not be worried because of their daughter playing football but the fear of their daughter being introduced to western cultures; this is because Jess is an Asian who is brought up in London. Even though she is mature enough to make decision on her own and choose what is right for her, her parent tries everything to stop her from playing football, attending matches as well as buying sports bra simply because they fell that football is making their daughter less feminine and might interfere with her role as a woman in their community. She only comes to realize of her femininity when she joins the local team, when she meets Joe and a relationship develops between them. In this case Joe seems to be handsome and loving bearing in mind that Jules also have a crush on him. And this is the reason why Jess feels the need to clear the air between her and Jules concerning Joe. Mr. Bhamra generous and relates Jess very well because when he first come to Britain, he was keen and talented cricketer. But his concern for Jess is his own experience of racism and rejection to join the team as he was an Asian.

Jules on the other hand faces some objections too and complements jess in a number of ways. Their names are similar despite the fact that Jess is an Indian and Jules is white. Jules also have trouble with her mother who discourages her from playing football and want her to more traditional, by trying to stop her from buying and wearing sports bra. She thinks that is too will make her daughter less feminine and may change her position as a woman. The character of Mrs. Paxton indicates that despite being English, she still holds her tradition and wants her daughter too to follow them.

On the other hand Mr. Paxton feels that it's time to let their daughter do what she want and play football. As if that is not enough, Jules mother accuses her daughter to be involved in lesbian relationship and Jules is not. This is not true because Jules had a crush on Joe and when she meets her best friend Jess about to kiss Joe, she was mad at Jess. This clearly shows that Mrs. Paxton is associating football with same sex relationships and bad behaviors. When Jules and Jess are offered the football scholarship, Jules goes ahead to discuss with her parents. This is because she appreciates the support given by her father who must have a say on it. Tony being a gay is accepted by Jess and he want to marry Jess may be for genetic as well as cultural diversity.

Jess' family is very keen about their traditions; the picture of a holy man hangs on the wall of the front room shows how keen the family is on their tradition. Also the greetings which are done in Indian, style shows that Jess' family carry with them their tradition to Britain. Furthermore the costumes of wearing traditional cloth shows how serious Jess' family is with tradition, her mother willingness to teach Jess how to cook traditional Indian food explains the importance of tradition on this film. Also when Tony tries to kiss Jess she pushes him away and said that her family would object their relationship. This shows that they is disapproval of marriages outside the community in contrast to modern thinking. Jess' parent are not seen to hold same thought this is seen from her father who loves sports and even he first came to Britain he wanted to join a cricket team. As a father he understands her daughters love in sports and feels that time have changed to appreciate the next generational issue of right of freedom.

Value- oriented model of worldviews

Value-oriented model of worldviews, are the most powerful and useful framework used in order to understand differences between individuals as well as groups. In the film Bend it like Beckham, they is need to use these frameworks in order to understand, different cultures, gender identity, racism, issues of teenage sexuality and social implications. Jess has been brought up in Indian family but living in Britain, and have their own way or traditions which she is expected to…