Analysis

The film Bride and Prejudice has a range of stereotypes that are represented and explored from both the American and Indian cultures. The protagonist of the film representing the American culture is William Darcy. He is the typical stereotypical American, as he is wealthy, owning many hotels and comes from a wealthy family. At the beginning of the film, he is shown as an arrogant and disrespectful man as he does not embrace the Indian culture, or India itself, with ease and finds it difficult to fit into this world as many outsiders would experience. He is also very, stereotypically, judgmental of the Indian culture as not only is it different to what he is used to, but he also makes cultural judgments, comparing the luxuries of America to the standards of India which doesn’t seem to meet his.
In the film, we explore the traditional Indian culture, and with a character that is very close to following tradition, is Mrs Bakshi. Mrs Bakshi is the typical, stereotypical Indian mother and fits the category perfectly. All she wants is for her daughters to get married [from order of age that is] and to be with a wealthy man to look after her daughter, so she is not a burden for her family as the women typically receives no wealth. From this film we can also see that the daughters are very respective of their mother, and obedient, understanding her wishes and their culture and this is very stereotypical. There is also Mr Kholi which we are introduced to which is your typical Indian born male who decides to go to America and believes that he has been assimilated into being an American, however, he still holds the initiative of having a traditional Indian wife, and eating with his fingers. It is stereotypical for Mr Kholi to feel that he needs to relate to being American from meeting material needs and support America and also bring down India at the same time. In conclusion, I believe that the Indian culture and its people still cling to traditions, especially with the women and that Americans and other cultures don’t fully understand the Indian culture and stereotypically compare it to their own culture, and find it hard to take anything new on board.

The film Bride and the Prejudice shows a chain of different techniques which present cultural stereotypes through different characters. Mr. Darcy the American illustrates a stereotypical wealthy businessman. As owning many hotels worldwide and living a life with high standards, his ignorance and pride get in the way of him accepting Indian culture. I see Mr. Darcy as an arrogant character that is so caught up with his own life and traditions that he cannot even take a second look and accept another culture. Especially because the Indian culture differs dramatically from the American. I find it unbelievably ironic that when Mr. Darcy complains and puts a judgmental comment towards the ideals of an arranged marriage when his mother is practically arranging his marriage as well. In the film, Mrs. Bakshi the mother of Lalita and her sisters, demonstrates again, another stereotypical figure. It is clearly shown that Mrs. Bakshi still believes and follows thoroughly the Indian traditions. An example she fixes on through the film is marriage. She wants her daughters to be married happily but also believes in the whole "married first, then fall in love". The film illustrates a traditional Indian family settled with following Indian traditions, however I find Lalita's intelligence and opinions far more interesting. My views stand that throughout the world there are many cultures that are just so different and perhaps opposite from our own, that it's hard to actually learn and accept something different.

Through the duration of the film, the responder experiences a variety of varying cultural stereotypes in the film Bride and Prejudice, however the most evident is portrayed through the character of William Darcy. A wealthy business man who somewhat looks down upon people who fail to meet his subjective and hypocritical outlooks on life. It is through his hypocrisy and stereotypical outlooks in which he manages to establish himself as the protagonist character. Which ultimately through his actions will result in a significant downfall or demise. As the film progresses however an evident Eastern and Western cultural clash begins to evolve through the constant insurgent comments, actions and opinions made by both Darcy and Lalita throughout their ongoing quarrels to prove one another wrong. Through the use of the following dialogue “I find this little arranged marriage thing a little strange. How can two people get married when they don’t even know each other? It’s a little backward don’t you think.” Through the following quote Darcy not only manages to create cultural prejudice and judgement against the traditional Eastern Indian customs, specifically arranged marriages. But also manages to emphasize his own cultural misdemeanours and stereotypical personality as he too contradicts a factor which occurs in his own Western family.

The film Bride and Prejudice presents cultural stereotypes, both Indian and American. The protagonist in the film, Will Darcy is a stereotypical rich American man. He is originally presented as arrogant, proud, ignorant of India's cultures, and looks condescendingly upon Indian tradition. I think that presenting Darcy's stereotype in this way is extremely effective in highlighting the change in his attitude toward the end of the film, where it seems he more accepting of Indian culture, even explaining that he didn't buy the hotel in Goa because it wasnt the "real India".
The Indian stereotypes are presented in a comical way through Mr Kholi and Mrs Bakshi. Mr Kholi is a stereotypical Indian who has moved overseas, and despite thinking that he has assimilated, he really hasn't as seen by him coming to India for a bride. Mrs Bakshi also presents cultural stereotypes in a comical way by telling her daughters not to talk unnecessarily or say anything too intelligent to Mr Kholi. While this may be the cultural role that women have to play, I fail to understand why women should not talk too much or say anything that could be conisdered too intelligent. Mrs Bakshi also presents the stereotype of arranged marriages, and of marrying of daughters in order of age. Throughout the movie the daughters always show an utmost respect for their parents and I feel that children in westernised countries do not show such respect for their parents, particularly as they get older, and that in showing the Bakshi girls respecting their parents so absolutely the film could also be a subverted view on the modern western family, whose children, may often disobey parents.