Analysis # 7: Orientalism

The above cartoon - racists entitle "Chop Suey" - was released August 24, 1930 and is an example of how the West defines the East. The cartoon embraces several stereotypes about the Asian culture that are presented as fact. In the cartoon the Chinese characters are sinister looking cat-like/mouse-like creatures who slanted eyes, walk, dress, and language is highly exaggerated. There traditional braid worn by Chinese men (queue)and syncopated version of Chinese music is used to poke fun at the Asian culture as a whole and establish their "Otherness".

Said says that historically the West has viewed the Orient as, "irrational, depraved, childlike, different; thus the European is rational, virtuous, mature, normal" (8). The Chinese characters hit each other over the head with mallets and kick which reinforces the stereotype that they are childlike and irrational. When the two rat-like creatures go to a Chinese laundry they get high on opium which is supposed to reflect their depraved nature to sell illegal drugs. "In brief, because of Oriental ism the Orient was not (and is not) a free subject of thought or action [...] It as tries to show that European culture gained in strength and identity by setting itself off against the Orient as a sort of surrogate and even underground self" (Said 1).

The Chinese characters all work at a laundry service that implies that they are only "fit" to wash other people's clothes. The an unusual change of events a "white" woman is introduced into the cartoon. Her facial features are more pleasing to the eye and she does not look as evil and sinister as the other cat/mouse creatures. She takes her clothes to the laundry. To illustrate the total depravity of the Chinese; the "white" woman is assaulted by and iron cat-like claw and evil faces appear around her. The stereotype implies that the Chinese are sexually immoral, vicious, and dangers to the purer female sex.

The woman is saved by a noble and brave "white" man who tips his hat politely at the woman. His appearence is also less threatening and exaggerated. He chases the Chinese cats up the chimney and they retreat into a dragon -another stereotype.
The heroric "white" man ends up with the girl, and the two happily drive down the road together.

Cartoons such as "Chop Suey" created images about the Orient and Asian culture that caused many white Americans to view them as the Other.

Works Cited

Siad, Edward. "Orientalism".Rivkin, Julie. Literary Theory: An Anthology. Blackwell publishing; United Kingdom, 2004.

youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Eczf92kKB4