America: Very Niceee!
An Intercultural Look into Borat and Cultural Transitions
Borat:
Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Taking
a comedic spin on what it means to go to a different country, Borat explores how a Kazakhstani
journalist may adapt to an American lifestyle. This of course is a fictitious
comedic extreme. Made in 2006, the film
begins with Borat being sent by the government to make a documentary about
American life. He goes throughout the nation meeting people, experiencing what
it means to be an American, and even attempting to find love (Pereyra, 2006). This
film is a hilarious and stereotypical depiction about how a foreigner may adapt
or live in another country. He comes from a different regional, economic, and
societal background than that of the “typical American,” which proves its
challenges.
Surprisingly, we will discuss the
ideas of intercultural communication and what is means to be a migrant from
this crude comedy. According to Intercultural
Communication in Context by Martin
and Nakayma, we can define a migrant as “an individual who leaves the primary
cultural context in which he or she was raised and moves to a new cultural
context for an extended time” (Martin & Nakayama, 2013). In the instance of
Borat, he goes to America for a specific purpose: to document American life by
partaking in U.S. society. According to the text, this would make Borat, or
anyone like him, a sojourner: someone who “moves into new cultural contexts for
limited period of time and for a specific purpose, such as study or business.”
We will explore how one can integrate two cultures to engage in the process of
cultural adaptation using the film. Because Borat comes to America to document
a different country, he attempts to invest himself in the culture using
assimilation, “a type of cultural adaptation in which
an individual gives up
his or her own cultural heritage and adopts the mainstream cultural identity.”
however, it is clear that he is too attached to his home-habits to truly
assimilate to America. He attempts to participate in activities such as
watching Baywatch or even eating dinner with U.S. government officials, but he
heavily integrates his home-life with the new culture he is experiencing. While
he is slowly developing more and more into an “American,” he is “maintaining
both his original culture with the mainstream culture in his daily
interactions.” We also see the W-curve theory in full swing within the film: “a
theory of cultural adaptation that suggests that sojourners experience another
U curve upon returning home.” This means that a sojourner (like the fictional
Borat) experiences anticipation and cultural shock once they get to a new
place, but also, the same effects when the migrant returns home. The film will
illustrate all of these intercultural communicational ideas.
I will specifically discuss the
W-curve that occurs within Borat during his process of cultural adaptation. In
the first few minutes of the film, we are introduced to Borat’s home in Kazakhstan.
People are angry, yelling, and visibly poor. There is an acceptance of violence,
prostitution, and rape and even the inappropriate kissing of siblings
(Natalia). We also know that Borat is
going to America to learn of another culture, as well as how to handle “the Jew
situation.” This was his life before
his American adventure.
Before arriving in America, Borat
views the U.S. as “the greatest country in the world,” which proves his
anticipation and excitement to be in a new place and to learn new things. We
see within the first few minutes the hatred and anger a foreigner, especially a
Middle-Eastern man, will face after 9/11 (the angry man on the bus screaming at
him.) This is automatic culture shock. He tries integrating American and Kazakhstani
cultures by bartering in sales, kissing cheeks to greet, and offering his
sister to an American news anchor. He soon assimilates little by little,
accepting the mainstream American society. For example, we hear him “talk like
a gangster” because he wants to fit in with America; however, he still stays true
to his beliefs and culture. Even after he meets a nice American Jew family, he
still views them as the closest thing to the devil due to his original beliefs.
His adventure continues throughout the country, attempting to integrate the
conflicting cultures.
It is then time for Borat to get on
a plane homeward bound. He feels sadness in leaving behind After saying his
goodbyes to America and finally meeting Pamela Anderson, he returns to Kazakhstan
to spread Christianity, treat his wife much more lovingly, and to even give out
iPods. He views all of these as improvements to the Kazakhstani society, which
is entirely different to what his home was like before his trip. Not only did
Borat integrate cultures within the United States, he also integrates two
different cultures in Kazakhstan.
everything he
experienced, “the great times, the good times, and the “sh** times… but mainly
the sh** times" (Charles, 2006).
Borat
clearly represents the ideas of integration with conflicting cultures, as well
as the W-curve that can be experience by sojourners: the anticipation and
culture shock before and after a trip abroad.
References
Charles, L.
(Director) (2006). Borat: Cultural
learnings of America for make benefit glorious nation [DVD].
Martin, J.N.,
& Nakayama, T.K. (2013). Intercultural
Communication in Contexts (6th ed.) New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Pereyra, A.
(2006). Plot summary: Borat. IMDb,
Retrieved October 27, 2013, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443453/plotsummary.
Great detail. Very clear connection between chapter 8 concepts and the movie. Love that you choose Borat too!
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