My Big Fat Greek Wedding Analysis Paper
How My Big Fat Greek Wedding can be viewed in relationship to anthropological concepts of endogamy and family acceptance of marriage to non-Greek partners
Professor Rebecca D. Gorman
People and Cultures of the World - ANT 3212
University of North Florida
By Laurie Kirkland
April 14, 2013
How My Big Fat Greek Wedding can be viewed in relationship to anthropological concepts of endogamy and family acceptance of marriage to non-Greek partners
Introduction My Big Fat Greek Wedding is an ethnographic style film that can be viewed in relationship to the anthropological concepts of endogamy and family acceptance of marriage to non-Greek partners. Anthropological views of this film will be addressed in this paper to assess familial relationships in the Greek culture. The film My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great example of truths and misconceptions of the Greek culture.
Summary of My Big Fat Greek Wedding The film titled My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a Hollywood-style anthropological film. This romantic comedy tells the story of a Greek family who emigrated from Greece to North America and who have three children, one being a daughter who is a bit plain and has never married. The daughter’s name is Toula Portokalos and she is in her thirties. Toula is a socially awkward lady who works long hours in her parents’ restaurant as a waitress. She starts to see her life slipping by and isn’t happy with the direction it is taking. Toula has a large, extended Greek family. Her extended family consists of aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, and one eccentric grandmother. She loves her family tremendously, but at times they can be overbearing and overly opinionated. They view the world through the Greek culture and they have many Greek customs that they practice. One day Toula meets a man named Ian Miller who comes to eat in her family restaurant. Ian Miller is a professor at a college in town. Toula reacts in a very shy manner, but
Professor Rebecca D. Gorman
People and Cultures of the World - ANT 3212
University of North Florida
By Laurie Kirkland
April 14, 2013
How My Big Fat Greek Wedding can be viewed in relationship to anthropological concepts of endogamy and family acceptance of marriage to non-Greek partners
Introduction My Big Fat Greek Wedding is an ethnographic style film that can be viewed in relationship to the anthropological concepts of endogamy and family acceptance of marriage to non-Greek partners. Anthropological views of this film will be addressed in this paper to assess familial relationships in the Greek culture. The film My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great example of truths and misconceptions of the Greek culture.
Summary of My Big Fat Greek Wedding The film titled My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a Hollywood-style anthropological film. This romantic comedy tells the story of a Greek family who emigrated from Greece to North America and who have three children, one being a daughter who is a bit plain and has never married. The daughter’s name is Toula Portokalos and she is in her thirties. Toula is a socially awkward lady who works long hours in her parents’ restaurant as a waitress. She starts to see her life slipping by and isn’t happy with the direction it is taking. Toula has a large, extended Greek family. Her extended family consists of aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, and one eccentric grandmother. She loves her family tremendously, but at times they can be overbearing and overly opinionated. They view the world through the Greek culture and they have many Greek customs that they practice. One day Toula meets a man named Ian Miller who comes to eat in her family restaurant. Ian Miller is a professor at a college in town. Toula reacts in a very shy manner, but
References: Anagnostou, Yiorgos 2012 When “Second Generation” Narratives and Hollywood Meet: Making Ethnicity in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the U.S., 37(4): 139-163. Heider, Karl 2007 Seeing Anthropology – Cultural Anthropology Through Film - Fourth Edition: 237, 266-267. Karapanagiotis, Fay Tsiartsionis 2008 Greek American Couples Examining Acculturation, Egalitarianism and Intimacy. Ph.D. Dissertation, Doctor of Philosophy, Drexel University. Schultz, Sandra L. 1981 Adjusting Marriage Tradition: Greeks to Greek-Americans. Journal of Comparative Family Studies 12(2): 205-218. Vardalos, Nia. 2002 My Big Fat Greek Wedding. DVD. United States: Warner Home Video.