| The animated film is not only one of the text forms of film, but also the carrier of cultural inheritance. In the trend of globalization, there is no doubt that American animated films obtain the dominant position in the field across the globe, and show great attraction, affinity and appeal to the audience at the same time they inevitably spread American culture over the world. However, with cultural studies flourishing again in the world, a growing number of scholars have been aware that American animated films as an important component of popular culture can not be seen merely as the entertainment for children---a matter of course. Because it is always marked as health and innocence, people usually focus only on its appearance but ignore its essence. However, this kind of popular culture greatly impacts people's thought, values, and ideology unconsciously. Its capability to implement discourse power and cultural hegemony can't be ignored by us. It is actually a discourse form more easily than other forms to impose power on people and control thought of people.This thesis takes culture contained in American animated films as a breakthrough point to the research. Through the investigation to the related works, the author finds that most of studies about the U.S. animated films are concentrated on two aspects. One focuses on its production technology and operational strategy, the other emphasizes the manifestation of American core culture and its artistic characteristics compared with the animated film of other countries. But, until now, the professional study of American animated films, from the perspective of post-colonialism, has not yet developed. This paper aims to do something for making up this theoretic gap. The author thinks that in the context of globalization, to examine the American animated film culture is advantageous in clearly recognizing its cultural essence, and conducive to the current development and exportation of Chinese culture. Therefore, the topic itself has some theoretical and practical significance.In the introduction, after defining the animated film, the author briefly summarizes the degree and actuality of the animated film study. Then the author points out the research object, purpose and its value. This chapter provides the theoretic basis for the farther discussion in the later chapters of the thesis.The main body of this thesis is divided into five parts. Chapter one is about literature review. This chapter discusses the definition of post-colonialism and briefly summarizes its historical development. Then, the author presents the main views of the three representatives of post-colonialism.Chapter two discusses the cultural features of American animated films with post-colonial theories. Firstly, the author sums up the connotation of culture and popular culture. Then, after analyzing the relationship between culture and film, the author points out that the animated film as one part of popular culture, has its cultural influence. Finally, the author discusses the cultural feature of American animated film in post-colonial stage and summarizes it into two points: (1) internationalized theme, (2) Americanized spirit and value standard. American animated films arbitrarily distort other countries'cultures by "take-ism", deeply hide its own culture and value in the films. This just matches the post-colonial cultural criticism.In chapter three, the main topic is the cultural essence of American animated films. To do so, the author takes the representative films--- Pocahontas and Mulan as examples and does thorough, detailed analysis with post-colonial theories. Firstly, through analysis of image design the author reveals American animated films make every effort to set up the image of the Other, that is the representation of their racial discrimination and white-centrism. Secondly, the author discusses the Other's aphasia. American animated films take advantage of the relationship between language and culture to weaken or distort the oriental culture, making the Other loses its culture so as to lose the basis and proof of its self-identity confirmation. In addition, the author analyzes cultural appropriation in this kind of films. By this way Americans make the audiences of the world take the stories narrated in the films for granted and follow the way of Americans. At last, the author concludes the cultural essence of American animated films, which is to propagate American culture and value. In other words, it is American cultural hegemony.Chapter four discusses the causes of American cultural hegemony from the historical, political, economical and cultural aspects. After these explorations, chapter five focuses on the solution that Chinese should do facing American animated films'invasion. As a result, the author proposes some strategies for protecting Chinese culture and strengthening output of Chinese culture.In epilogue, the author arrives at that American animated films are an important token of its cultural hegemony. This research, the author thinks, can be reconsideration to development of Chinese culture. From 1990s, American animated films have changed the taste, thought, lifestyle, and value of our Chinese young audiences. Facing this condition and the context of globalization, the author proposes Chinese should recognize and re-valuate own traditional culture, and then carry on cultural output through all possible channels, no longer be silent, no longer be the nihility, no longer be colonized by the culture of the West. |
