This thesis aims to help people have a better understanding of the differences between Chinese and American cultures and make better cross-cultural communication by analyzing the different attitudes of Chinese and American to homosexuality reflected in The Wedding Banquet. The thesis consists of five chapters: chapter one gives readers a brief introduction of homosexuality and The Wedding Banquet; chapter two describes the review of previous studies on homosexuality and The Wedding Banquet; chapter three analyzes the different attitudes reflected in The Wedding Banquet; chapter four puts forward three influential factors of different attitudes and chapter five summarizes the whole thesis and discusses how to deal with the conflicts caused by different cultures.
2. Literature Review源.自|优尔,-论`文'网www.youerw.com
2.1 Studies on homosexuality
Most previous studies have focused on the psychological cause of homosexuality. Many experts also expressed their views of homosexuality. “The same is a natural property. Physical aspect of fertility make people love the opposite sex while spiritual aspect of fertility make people love the same sex. The essential difference of the two love is that the formal is designed to reproduce the human race while the latter aims to create beauty.” (Zhu Guangqian 2007：81) According to Plato’s point of view, it seems that it is easy to find that homosexuality than heterosexuality for mankind offers more possibilities of love. Foucault said “Homosexuality brings a new way of life and a new mode of existence. It is an aesthetic way of modern life.” (Li Yinhe 2002：455) Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, denied that homosexuality is immoral and he said “homosexuality is the perversion of sexual roles.” (Li Weixia 2013：101) Socrates said “ it could be accepted that two adult men to share the pleasure of sex.” (Li Weixia 2013：213) “The homosexuality is just a different sexual orientation and lifestyle. It is not only the view agreed by some gays, but also should be hold by a large part of other people in modern society.” (Harvey 1997：278)
Yan Youwei and Xu Yongzheng once made a survey about the attitudes to homosexuality. They found that eighty percent of people who were surveyed thought homosexual acts are abnormal(Yan Youwei et al. 2002：645). Another survey made by Tao Lin and Zhou Hong showed that fifty-seven percent of people who were surveyed hold that homosexuality was a kind of disease(Tao Lin et al. 2001：475). This thesis focuses on the study of different attitudes between American and Chinese to homosexuality in order to help people further know the differences of American and Chinese cultures and make better cross-cultural communication.
2.2 Studies on The Wedding Banquet
Many scholars have done some studies on The Wedding Banquet. They also express their own views. “The conflicts of Chinese and American cultures which is expressed in The Wedding Banquet can help readers have a better understanding of the differences of two cultures.” (Yang Lu et al. 2011：47) “The Wedding Banquet not only discusses the homosexuality, but also reflects the conflicts of Chinese and American cultures.” (Yu Dian 2008：40) “Ang Lee presents the tendency of the blending of Chinese and American cultures by The Wedding Banquet.” (Ji Beibei 2008：165) “Every plot the movie reflects Chinese traditional cultures, including the concept of family and marriage.” (Li Youran 2013：92) “The Wedding Banquet explores the differences of the social system, the concept of ethics and relationships between Chinese and American cultures.” (Wei Xiaojun 2012：48) “The movie focuses on the homosexuality which is a widely concerned topic in modern society. As a director, Ang Lee presents the profound histories and cultures of China and America on a broader perspective.” (Li Youran 2013：92) 浅析《喜宴》中西方对同性恋态度的差异(2):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_60014.html