@article{ART001507322},
author={Hwang, Kyu Cheol},
title={Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE},
journal={Journal of Modern English Drama},
issn={1226-3397},
year={2010},
volume={23},
number={3},
pages={101-120}
TY - JOUR
AU - Hwang, Kyu Cheol
TI - Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE
JO - Journal of Modern English Drama
PY - 2010
VL - 23
IS - 3
PB - 한국현대영미드라마학회
SP - 101
EP - 120
SN - 1226-3397
AB - The existing criticism on Julia Cho’s BFE can be divided into three: that of focusing on Asian American themes(John Lahr); that of focusing on the universal themes(Marilyn Stasio, Michael Feingold, Anita Gates, Elyse Sommer, Linda Winer, and Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid); that of focusing on the latter with the former added(Eric Ting, James Tabafunda, and Matthew Murray). As an attempt to correct, complement, and systemize the third, BFE can be viewed as revealing both the lack of confidence in the racial and ethnic identity of three Asian American family members and their failed attempts to keep close relations with other Americans. In relation to the latter, BFE dramatizes that mass media and personality disorder are the factors of the dysfunction of communication between three Asian American family members and their friends or lovers.
The central characters in BFE are Panny, Isabel, and Lefty. Panny’s relationships with Nancy, Hugo, and Hae-Yoon are characterized by their immersion in the blonde-haired beauty myth fabricated by mass media－fashion magazines, the Internet, TV, and American silent and/or sound movies. Nancy, Hugo, and Hae-Yoon fail to understand Panny’s true heart because all of them are brainwashed by the beauty myth. Isabel’s relationship with Jack also fails because of her addiction to TV disseminating the beauty myth and his personality disorder, i.e. paranoia. Moreover, Lefty’s relationship with Evvie fails because of her tendency to be considerably dependent on how-to books on life as well as her stubborn will to self-help.
In conclusion, Julia Cho’s BFE can be viewed as revealing the double distress that how difficult it is to have confidence in Asian American identity and to keep close relations with racially and ethnically different other Americans in America.
KW - double distress;Asian American identity;the dysfunction of communication;mass media;the blonde-haired beauty myth;personality disorder
DO -
UR -
ER -
Hwang, Kyu Cheol. (2010). Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE. Journal of Modern English Drama, 23(3), 101-120.
Hwang, Kyu Cheol. 2010, "Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE", Journal of Modern English Drama, vol.23, no.3 pp.101-120.
Hwang, Kyu Cheol "Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE" Journal of Modern English Drama 23.3 pp.101-120 (2010) : 101.
Hwang, Kyu Cheol. Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE. 2010; 23(3), 101-120.
Hwang, Kyu Cheol. "Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE" Journal of Modern English Drama 23, no.3 (2010) : 101-120.
Hwang, Kyu Cheol. Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE. Journal of Modern English Drama, 23(3), 101-120.
Hwang, Kyu Cheol. Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE. Journal of Modern English Drama. 2010; 23(3) 101-120.
Hwang, Kyu Cheol. Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE. 2010; 23(3), 101-120.
Hwang, Kyu Cheol. "Double Distress of Three Asian American Family Members in Julia Cho’s BFE" Journal of Modern English Drama 23, no.3 (2010) : 101-120.
