Cross-Cultural Ethics and Bias in The Farewell (2019)
This paper analyzes the ethical tensions and cultural biases depicted in Lulu Wang's 2019 film The Farewell, which centers on a Chinese family's decision to conceal a terminal cancer diagnosis from their grandmother. Drawing on the contrast between Eastern collectivist values — rooted in Confucian principles of filial piety and familial harmony — and Western individualist ideals of personal autonomy and medical disclosure, the paper traces how the protagonist's bicultural upbringing frames the central moral conflict. The analysis examines how cultural context shapes ethical judgment, how the film portrays female characters as primary bearers of collective responsibility, and how the narrative ultimately challenges Western audiences to reconsider the universality of their own ethical assumptions.
- Introduction: Eastern and Western Ethics in The Farewell: Film's core cultural and ethical conflict introduced
- The Central Ethical Dilemma: Concealing a Terminal Diagnosis: Family hides diagnosis; Eastern compassion vs. disclosure
- Cultural Bias and the Individual vs. Collective Tension: Western protagonist confronts Eastern cultural bias
- Confucian Values and the Role of Female Characters: Confucian ethics shape family decisions and female roles
- Conclusion: Cultural Context and Moral Judgment: Culture's influence on ethics summarized and challenged
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper uses a specific cultural artifact — a contemporary film — as a lens for exploring abstract ethical concepts, grounding philosophical contrasts in concrete narrative examples.
- It maintains a balanced tone, presenting both Eastern and Western ethical frameworks without dismissing either, which strengthens its analytical credibility.
- The observation about the grandmother's continued survival is used effectively as evidence to support the Eastern ethical position, rather than simply describing plot events.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates comparative ethical analysis: it identifies two distinct moral frameworks (collectivist vs. individualist), maps characters onto each framework, and traces how the protagonist's perspective shifts over the course of the narrative. This technique allows the writer to argue for cultural relativism in ethics without making purely abstract claims.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a broad framing of the film's central conflict, then narrows to the specific ethical dilemma of non-disclosure. Subsequent paragraphs examine cultural bias, Confucian principles, and the experience of female characters in turn. The conclusion synthesizes these threads into a broader claim about how cultural context shapes moral judgment. The structure moves logically from description to analysis to generalization.
Introduction: Eastern and Western Ethics in The Farewell
The Farewell (2019) examines the clash between Western and Eastern ideologies and ethics, centering on a family's decision to hide a terminal illness diagnosis from their grandmother. In China, where the film is set, it is customary for the collective to bear the burden — and that is the central idea the film explores. However, one of the main characters grew up in the West and finds this secrecy unethical, as it violates what she sees as the individual's right to know. Throughout the course of the film, she comes to understand Eastern ethics more deeply. The film's ending even suggests that by hiding the illness from the patient, the grandmother never truly believes she is sick, and so continues living as though she is well — and actually keeps on living, for another six years and counting, to everyone's surprise.
Thus, the film gives a Western audience a window into ethical issues embedded in Chinese culture. At the same time, it incorporates elements of Western beliefs, largely due to the protagonist's upbringing in America. This blend of cultural perspectives provides a rich context for the ethical dilemmas presented throughout the movie.
The Central Ethical Dilemma: Concealing a Terminal Diagnosis
At the heart of the film is a controversial ethical issue: a Chinese family faces the impending loss of their grandmother — or so they believe. Upon discovering that she has only a short time left to live, they make a decision emblematic of certain Eastern cultural practices: they choose not to inform the grandmother of her terminal diagnosis. Instead, they orchestrate a family gathering under the pretense of a fake wedding, in order to covertly bid her farewell. This scenario reflects a common belief in some Eastern cultures, where withholding distressing information from terminally ill family members is seen as an act of compassion, intended to shield them from emotional turmoil (Wijdicks, 2020).
This approach raises significant questions about informed consent and the ethics of medical disclosure — questions that resonate beyond the film's specific cultural setting.
Cultural Bias and the Individual vs. Collective Tension
The film reveals the biases shaping these decisions, particularly the cultural belief that protecting a loved one from harsh truths about their health is both a kind and respectful act. This approach starkly contrasts with the more individualistic Western perspective, which typically prioritizes personal autonomy and an individual's right to be informed about their own medical condition. The protagonist, raised in the United States, initially finds herself at odds with this traditional Eastern approach. Over time, however, she begins to understand and even appreciate her family's intentions, illustrating how cultural upbringing can profoundly shape one's perception of what constitutes ethical action.
Conclusion: Cultural Context and Moral Judgment
The Farewell juxtaposes Eastern and Western ethical ideologies through the protagonist's struggle and eventual understanding of her family's choices, offering a unique lens into the complexities of cross-cultural ethics. It demonstrates that ethical decisions are shaped by the cultural and moral frameworks within which individuals are raised and operate. Overall, the film challenges audiences to consider how cultural context influences moral judgment — and to question whether any single ethical framework can claim universal authority.
References
Wijdicks, E. F. (2020). Cinema, MD: A History of Medicine on Screen. Oxford University Press.
Yu, H. (2022). The narrative of female trauma in the American Chinese film The Farewell. Frontiers in Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(2), 6–13.
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