Anthropological Analysis of the Film Not Without My Daughter (Essay Sample)

Anthropological Analysis of the Film Not Without My Daughter
Not Without My Daughter is a film that presents an encounter between the Western and Iranian cultures through the experiences of Betty Mahmoody and her daughter. The most dominant aspect of the film is the culture shock Betty experiences in Iran. She comes to Iran expecting to find cultural codes similar to those in the U.S.A where she has all along lived a life of freedom without restrictions on issues like dress codes and violence against women. However, in Iran she is confronted by a culture that is not only completely alien but barbaric and dictatorial by her standards. She is confronted by a different language she can hardly speak, a religion that permeates every aspect of life, and cannot even collect her daughter from school without her husband. In several scenes Betty can hardly comprehend why Iranian men and women suddenly turn to her with fearful looks whenever she is playing and laughing with her daughter loudly. She does not understand that in the Iranian culture, as portrayed in the movie, women are not allowed to show emotions like happiness in public.
Ethnocentrism is portrayed in the film in two ways. First there is Betty who knows her visit is only for a short while and makes no effort to accept and assimilate to this new way of life. She still retains her American cultural codes, which she believes are the best for anyone anywhere in the world. In a Muslim house hold, she is expected to behave according to the new rules that she considers to be an infringement of her rights as a woman. When her own way of life is not respected she naturally resorts to desperate actions like shouting and screaming which are emotional expressions not allowed among Muslim women. The Iranians are also ethnocentric in the way they refuse to understand that Betty is from a different culture and needs to be given time to learn the rules and what the society expects of a woman. For example, her attempts to explain herself to her husband’s family through a translator are not successful and her point of view is hardly understood. The Iranians in the movie are portrayed as being very xenocentric. It is almost impossible for Moody’s family to accept Betty as a member of their household because she comes from a different culture.
Cultural representation in the movie relies heavily on a stereotypical portrayal of Iranians by western standards. The movie assigns negative roles like domestic violence and fear to the Iranian culture. It is not like these negative qualities occur in other cultures too. From Betty’s point of view it seems like barbaric actions like domestic violence, lack of respect for human dignity, and abuse of women are acceptable norms among Muslim communities. The Iranians are portrayed as cruel religious fanatics. Islam is reflected as a religion that does not respect human dignity and individual freedom, especially in women. Iran is depicted as a country with a male dominated culture that sanctions physical abuse of women. All these are stereo...