Cross-cultural Implications of Surrogate Mother Soap Operas: A Narrative Criticism

• Main Authors: Hui-ting Lin, 林慧婷
• Other Authors: Hong-pi Tsai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/83391533139464764075

碩士 === 南華大學 === 傳播學系碩士班 === 99 === 　　The researcher of this study has discovered that various surrogate mother soap operas from different countries have different interpretation of surrogate mother’s image. With differences between national customs and cultures in different countries, people from European and North American countries have different interpretation of surrogate mother with people from Asian countries, thus the created image of surrogate mother in the surrogate mother soap operas are also different. After understanding the differences between the created image of surrogate mother from different countries and cultures’ soap operas, the researcher of this paper attempts to analyze the cross-cultural implications of three surrogate mother soap operas by rhetoric’s narrative criticism and cross-cultural viewpoint. Through the method of narrative criticism and cross-cultural viewpoint, this study attempts to analyze how the created image of surrogate mother is from the Taiwanese soap opera “Rock baby”, Korean soap opera “Love you 10 million times” and American soap opera “Friends”. What are the same or difference of the created image of surrogate mother from these three TV soap operas? And what are the cross-cultural implications of the created image of surrogate mother from these three surrogate mother soap operas? 　 　　The researcher of this study discovers that storyline’s narrative elements such as roles, scenes and themes are the main constitution elements of a story; after reviewing the storyline and through the description of the role, we can see that the represented image and personality characteristics of the main role “surrogate mother” in the story, which is also the focus of this research paper. Moreover, through the story’s narrative elements such as roles, scenes and themes, we can discover author’s presented life and value of the surrogate mother. In summary, the create image of surrogate mother from these three TV soap operas are as taking pleasure in helping people, help fulfilling others’ dreams and ashamed to see others, respectively. 　 　　From the research results, we also discover that most of the TV soap operas from the conservative Asian culture create the image of surrogate mother as having other people’s baby for money; in contrast, the European and North American soap operas usually create the image of surrogate mother as voluntarily helping infertility couple, instead of doing it for money. This also verifies that different cultural contexts may have different image interpretations of a common subject.