• The danger of Nationalism in a newly independence country
  
  
• The representations of children in TV commercial
  
  
• The Differences of Social Values and Beliefs in Classical Thai novels; A Child of Northeast and The Diary of Buageow

Hotel Rwanda is directed by Terry George in 2004. It is a conflict between two groups of people; Hutu and Tutsi, within the same country, Rwanda. It tells the story of Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager at the Les Milles Collines in Kigali in 1994. During that time the majority Hutu kill hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsi who had been given power by  German colonists result of the president of the Hutu dominated government is killed after singing a peace accord with the Tutsi rebels. The writer and the director seem to send the message to the audience in a way how  racism, division and ethnic are created in Rwanda. However one issue is found is nationalism. After the colonizers had gone, colonism does not completely disappear, colonial power is left in a country and system of power still works.  

The main character, Paul, a successful house manager the Les Milles Collines, is an active character. Paul’s character is strong and quick thinking. In the second scene when he thinks of a new menu “fresh lobster in a cassava and tapali crust”, it can be said that he can solve an unexpected problem in only a few seconds. And it can be thought that he has his own way to think or his own style to do as he says to his friend, Dube, about “style” in a previous scene.  He is encouraged by his wife and neighbors who are Tutsis, which puts them at odds with the rising Hutu nationalism all around them, so he becomes a mediator and rescuer. 

The title Hotel Rwanda also has its own meaning. In the beginning of the film there are many foreigners come and visit to the Les Milles Collines. After that they all go out there because of the conflict. There is only the Tutsis left at the hotel and it becomes a shelter for refugees. Thus “hotel” is represented as a nation of Rwanda where a unity happens because there is not only Tutsis but also Hutu, Paul and General  Buzimungu. 

The starting point of the conflict is from the history. In the beginning of the story the Hutu says on the radio station “ When people ask me, good listeners, why do I hate the Tutsi, I say, “ Read our story.” The Tutsis were collaborations for Belgian………..Stay alert. Watch your neighbors.” Back to the history Rwanda was colonized by Germany. By 1899 the Germans helped the Tutsis put down a rebellion of Hutus in the northern part of Rwanda. During World War I, 1916 Germany lost the war for Belgium so the Belgian colonizers controlled the country. They still accepted the old rules Germans set. However the Belgians finally helped Hutus to bring the northwest Hutu Kingdoms back. After Belgians left Rwanda by giving independence, Hutus were also given a power by the colonizers thus in 1994 the Hutus thought it was a time to revenge the Tutsis because the Hutus had the power to fight for their nation. Furthermore  “..Stay alert. Watch your neighbors” is an interesting point. It can be interpreted that “you have to keep an eye on your neighbor as yourself as long as your neighbor is your nation. Otherwise, you may kill your neighbor if he or she gets in the way or our nation greatness.” The country is divided into two sides ; word “we” and “they”. There is a danger even people who live next door.  

            From the movie, scene 6, the Hutu says on the radio station “President is murdered by the Tutsi cockroaches by shooting the plane from the sky. It is time to clear the brush, good Hutus of

Rwanda. We must cut the tall trees. Cut the tall trees Now!”  From the sentence, the tall trees refer to the Tutsi. According to the legend introduced by the first European colonists, the Hutu group arrived in Rwanda from Congo basin while the Tutsi arrived from Ethiopia. The differences between them are the Tutsis are narrow noses and tall. Thus this is the reason the Tutsis are called the tall trees. 

After the colonizers left Rwanda but colonialism still appears in the country. The middle class people try to be a powerful group and take benefits from the poor. They believe that business is very important and benefit is more important.  For example in the first scene when Paul is at George Rutaganda’s place to get foods and drinks, while Paul and George are talking to each other, a big carton of  knives fall down. George says it is only ten francs each but he earns benefit from the Hutus nearly fifty. It means that as he is a merchant, a middle class, so that he can do any activities to get income without awareness for whom he is going to pay for, the Belgians? Moreover, corruption and money is an important thing in a society. There are many scenes show audience that corruption is a common thing in a society. Paul gives two bottles of whiskies to General Buzimungu to protect all Tutsis who are at the Hotel in the second and twenty-first scenes. General Buzimungu says to Paul in that scene “no money, no protection.” Then in the seventh scene Paul offers a sum of money and his neighbors also give their accessories they have to a soldier in order to let them free. Besides “Heineken” and Cohiba cigar are things Rwanda people appreciate. It means that they still have the idea that westerners are powerful and superior so that they would like to imitate their ways. 

Another thing happens in a society excepts the power and inequality between the middle and low class people in Rwanda, is violence. As someone says violence is a useful tool for nationalist to build up a nation. From the story many Tutsis are killed. In the next scene along the road along the river many people are killed and the road full of the body. It is a terrible image. Moreover, women are  raped which is very cruel and barbarian. Many scenes present that kind of violence such as scene fifteen that many women are beaten, raped and killed cruelly and also called as prostitutes. It explains clearly that colonist movement do not give any benefit to women. They are male-dominated and play a passive role in a society which is called double oppression. 

According to the Pitfall of National Consciousness, Frantz Fanon warns that if the middle class elites in a newly independent nation occupy position of power and imitate the colonizers that will be dangerous for the nation. Fanon’s warning really works in Rwanda area. Rwanda is a young and independent nation, people are given the power and they try to be a powerful and play an important role in a society as Belgians. The middle class people get advantages from the poor without awareness to think of the poor. This kind of taking advantage from the poor does not occur only in Rwanda but it also happens in every part of the world. In some place it resulted from colonialism but some does not such as Thailand.

The thing worse than that when it is found that there is a conflict and fighting among people within a nation. It can be noticed from the movie the Hutus kill the Tutsis even they are the same. They live in the same country and they stand in the same land.  The result is that Hutus fight for their nation but finally they get nothing besides bloodlust. It can be concluded that Nationalism within a country will not be succeeded if people who are in the same country have the different tradition, culture and idea.  So it means that cultural consciousness among people in a country is an important aspect to build up a nation.

A television commercial is a form of advertising in which goods, services or organizations, are promoted via the television. Television commercials appear between shows but also interrupt the shows at intervals. The intention is to capture or grab the attention of the audience. For catching attention of consumers, advertisers use many techniques such as humor, music and jingles. Traditionally a high quality TV commercial has been very expensive and time consuming to produce.

(www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_commercial_donut) TV commercial has become well known among audience because it provides images and movement to audience which is more interesting than other kinds of advertising. There are many different techniques advertisers use in order to make TV commercial to be more attractive like presenting something as being a symbol of that particular advertisement. 

Further, signifier is used in order that advertisers call audiences’ attention. One of the main tools advertisers use in TV commercials is signifier. Children are often used in advertisement as a reference of the future, purity and innocence. 

In Dumex TV commercial, children are playing happily and they are having a good time. Thus children are presented as happiness. In the advert song is used as a tool in order to narrate the story. It is a song of a girl and a boy’s voice as given below.

“ boy : แปลกใจจังเธอชอบอะไร ดอกไม้สวยๆก็ไม่ใช่

girl : ฉันชอบนมจืดเพราะมันนั้นมีประโยชน์  ลั้น ลัน ลา มีวิตามิน

boy : ลั้น ลัน ลา  แถมมีแครอท

girl : ลั้น ลัน ลา กินแล้วแก้มแดง

boy : ลั้น ลัน ลา แข็งแรงจริงๆ”

Along the language use, first of all “เธอ” and “ฉัน”,which often used in children’s conversation, appear in the song as reference to show a good relationship between a girl and a boy. They have a good relation.

“เพราะ” and “แล้ว” are used here as cause and effect sentence shows the reason how milk is good for children health after they have milk. From the content of the song, a girl would like to be “แก้มแดง” and a boy would like to be “แข็งแรง”. So it means that they are given the idea that if they drink milk they would be lovely, strong and healthy.  It can be noticed that the song is children’s voice which means they are independent enough to express their imagination through the song. However in the end of the advert an adult’s voice appears as the last sentence “เด็กดูโกรยุคนี้ดื่มนมจืด”. Even there is only one sentence spoken by an adult, it is powerful and meaningful. “เด็ก” is a common single word adults use to call children. In Thai language “เด็ก” is used as powerless meaning such as if a man was given a lot of things to do but he says “เด็กๆ” he means it is not difficult to do those kinds of things. So children are expected to be innocent and powerless in the same time according social belief. 

Another part should be regarded is visual part. Most scenes in the advert are low angle technique includes colors which are interpreted that children in this advert are powerful. They are happy and independent during the story. But what is interesting is that in the advert there are girl and boy are presenting. A study “How are children portrayed on TV?” by a group called Children NOW found that African American boys are portrayed as perpetrators of crime and violence while Caucasian girls are shown as victim. It states that girls are weak so they are portrayed as victim which is absolutely different from boys even racism is mentioned, that is not the focal point of this analysis. The boy is taking care of the girl in every scene. The audience may understand that they are innocent and making a wonderful time together but in another point of view, gender has become a part of this advert. In the advert a boy takes care of a girl during the time. They do activities like adult do such as the scene on the boat in a river and the beach. All activities they do are not children’s activities at all yet adults try to plant gender’s role to children’s mind by using advert as a tool.  Even if children are powerful in addition to camera convention, they are under adults’ control because adults set children’s characters in this advert; female is “แก้มแดง” while male is “แข็งแรง” which is an image of gender’s role constructed by society. The ideological meaning of this advert is children who consume the product would be a pretty or “แก้มแดง” and strong or “แข็งแรง”. Moreover they would have a good time with the opposite gender as adults expected them to be.                                                                  

In another analysis is found that children represent as being innocent and learning experience. This TV commercial is from Uniliver Co.Ltd. The theme is children are playing in a field and the sky with happiness. When they are given toys they are happier than they used to be in the past.  “การเล่นมักสร้างการเรียนรู้ที่มองไม่เห็นเสมอ วันนี้บรีสจึงสร้างลานเล่นบรีสเพิ่มพลังการเรียนรู้” is language appears in this TV commercial. In this sentence there is “จึง” as conjunction refers to cause and effect sentence type. It means that this company has enough power to build Fun Park for children in order that children would have more chance to get learning experience. It seems the company very concerns about learning experience of children. However it reflects children need adults support their learning experiences and having a good time. 

Besides the picture also supports how children are powerless. It is shown clearly that children in the advert need to be supported by adult because they do not wear shoes. They wear student suit which means children are expected to be a learner. Moreover the setting is in the field that more specify children group. It means that children especially suburban children need support from adult. Camera technique used here are low anger and bird’s eye view.  Low anger appears in almost every shot which means children are powerful, they are happy during playing and they are powerful in sense of concerning by adults while bird’s eye view appears only one shot. This angle is used to show is being filmed as powerless so in this case children are still powerless in adult’s point of view. It seems to be contrast by using these two camera conventions but it shows the difference between what the advertiser is trying to communicate and what social belief about children is. Thus the ideological meaning of this TV commercial is children need a good time learning experience which depends on adults who give them a chance. Actually it inscribes the stereotype of children as being powerless since needed support by adults. 

Future is another representation of children presented through TV commercial. “โครงการคุณธรรมนำไทย” TV commercial is picked up in this project because it shows clearly about children are looked by adults. The theme is children and parents spend all time together; on a subway, house and car, so children see everything happens around them. So their environment mostly is family.  This advert indicates clearly that children are the future of society according to verbal part which is “อนาคตของชาติกำลังมองคุณอยู่”.                                               

It can be noticed that “อนาคตของชาติ” is used to refer to children in the advert. If it is said without giving picture people also know that “อนาคตของชาติ” is children while “คุณ” refers to parents or people around children which is children. So it divides separately between “อนาคตของชาติ” and   “คุณ” as opposite position. 

It is not only verbal but also visual part that should be concerned, so in the advert the advertiser presents five different short events about children. Every single event presents children with parents. Whatever parents do; corrupting, arguing and blaming grandmother, are things children would follow. So the purpose of this advert is to persuade adults behaved well in order to be a good example for children. Further more the size between parents and children is very different. Parents are presented as being bigger and taller while children are smaller. From the size, it can be concluded that children are powerless because they are expected to be a future of society by parents. Or it means that society looks at children as being powerless because they need to be with parents who can support and protect them. As adult’s perception, children need love, warmth and security in order to be an adult in the future. Camera languages used in this advert are mostly long and medium shot. But most important is extreme close-up and oblique line are used in baby’s scene which implies that the baby is in trouble during her parents are arguing. So the use of extreme close-up and oblique line show that baby is the most powerless society through adult’s perspective. More than that children’s eye contact in every scene is very attractive audience to involve children’s feeling. Though children do not seem to communicate with audience, audience especially adults understand that children are showing their powerless though their eyes. Color is an important unit in this advert too. Colorful image does not appear like other adverts but mostly black and white colors are used instead. The advertiser may compare children as if they are black and white colors who wait for someone to paint some colors whatever red, pink or yellow, it depends. Surprisingly in the last scene, a boy is sitting alone backward to audience which is different from other children in other scenes. It implied that he is powerful enough to be alone. Thus adults should practice a good activity in order that being a good example for children who would be a good adult in the future is an ideological meaning of this advertisement.                             

  From all three TV commercials, the purpose of the advertiser is to attract audience’s attention in order to involve with the advertisement and agree with the message they get from the advert. In other word it can be concluded that children are presented in many different characters; happiness, innocent even victim. The advertiser tries to create legitimacy to those who have power. In this case adults have power   to construct image of children to signify corporate moral concern and socially responsible motivations. So it means that children need to be controlled, punished or taught in order to be safe during time they spend in society. In fact that all adults expect children to be are unfair for children because it is the way increase child abuse in society. The more advertising appear on the screen of television, the more children are abused. As a result of media or advertiser reinforce children images in society as being powerless during the century.

 Further more the way adults portray children as being powerless could lead to position or role in society. Refer to positioning theory states the word “role” as used to explain social stereotype of recurring relationship such as teacher – student, employer – employee and mother – son, is concerned as being a relatively thing. It actually represents attitudes, belief and responsibilities of and individual person.

 In addition media is powerful, in psychological, sociological meaning and communication theory, media influence is the way media tries to pull audience’s reaction. In the present time media has grown and appeared in many different forms such as DVD which means now media has over audience’s attitude and belief. It was found that media destroys an individual’s action. Thus according to Lang and Lang claim that “The mass media force attention to certain issue. They build up public images of political figures. They are constantly presenting objects suggesting what individuals in the mass should think about, know about, and have feeling about.” (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_influence)  So it means that media does not influence only consumers but also effects society.

 In conclusion TV commercials present children as many representations; being innocent, good guy, victim or future. Along these perspectives, it depends on how adults treat children in different point of view. The way adults teach children, when children grow up they will treat another generation in the same way they used to be taught.                                    

It means that the way children are taught has become a social value constructed by adults. The result is children are treated that way; they accept what adults order and instruct, but they do not have chance to learn why they are expected to be like this and that. Advertising is created creativity in terms of marketing but why in terms of socialization it is not. Media controls people’s perception so it should be the best idea if it starts to change children’s role into the new concept through every kind of advertisement. 

 A Child of Northeast and The Diary of Buageow

A Child of Northeast and The Diary of Buageow are classical Thai novels which portray Thai ways of living. Both novels are set in Thai communities which include the smallest unit in a community- the family, to the biggest which is society. From the two novels, it is evident that the family which is the smallest but the most important unit, is the foundation for building a good community and providing strong social structure.

In the two novels, there are many themes that present Thai society in the same way, for example the relationship between the villagers and their temple. A Child of Northeast describes that people in Thai communities perform many activities in their temple or wat which is the center of their community. In the past, a temple was a place where people went to study like Koon, whose father expects him to study there. Moreover, all villagers used a temple as an assembling place for a meeting. Thus at that time, people were very close to their temple which is similar to the people in The Diary of Buageow. Buageow, the main character, writes in her diary that when she was seven she went to the wat school. She describes it as a joyful experience as she made friends and had the chance to learn to read and write fluently.

 Another theme found in both novels is the relationships within the family. From the two novels it is clear that family unity is very important and has considerable influence over a member of the family. Both novels present the family unit in Thai society, which include the highest family members- the great-grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles and also the children who are expected to be  good and obedient. For example, Koon and his sister were expected to be good children by listening and following their parents’ wishes. Koon was expected to perform well at school and be a good brother in order to take care of his sister whilst Buageow wants to work in Bangkok because she has to support her parents who live in the countryside. 

Another aspect of these novels which is presented similarly is the way that the authors illustrate the local life style to the reader clearly. Kampoon Boontawee includes many Isan traditions in the novel. For example, the tradition of Isan villagers using a cat in their rain-making procession, a wedding ceremony of  Khamkong and Tid-joon and the supernatural and herbal treatments, which is known as “the maw”. In The Diary of Buageow, Buageow’s describes the scene at the Chiangmai railway station where she was in a train and it was bustling with passengers busy buying sticky rice and roast chicken or pork.

            However the two novels differentiate from each other in one main aspect which is social values and beliefs. These themes can be found throughout both novels and will now be discussed. A Child of Northeast and The Diary of Buageow are set in different time periods; therefore there are differences in people’s opinion and social values.  

            Social values among people in the community from the two novels are not the same. In A Child of Northeast, all the characters- including Koon’s family and his neighbors still remain within the Isan concept. In the beginning of the novel, Koon’s mother was talking to him about finding another place to plant and grow rice when Koon’s father interrupts, “Your grandfather told us to stay in this, son”, “Your grandfather told us to stay here, and we will stay,” and “The village will be deserted soon.”  It is clear that Koon’s grandfather wanted to keep his motherland even it was dry. He wanted the next generation of his family to save the land and remain there.  People in the village could survive even though the land lacked water during the dry season. Koon’s friends, his father and Koon himself go to a field to find something to eat such as ngu sing, cicadas, khoi and jik. They are able to stay in such a bad situation without giving up. On the other hand, in The Diary of Buageow, each character is completely different. All the girls and leave their homes to work in a big city- Chiangmai or Bangkok. They think that they cannot get much of a salary if they remain where they are. Many characters leave home for the city such as Sak, Lynn, Noi, Lek and Buageow. Noi leaves her village to work in a Chiangmai massage parlor to support her son and her parents. While Lek goes to work in a bar in Bangkok because she wants to look for a rich foreigner/ farang man who can take care of her expenses and marry her. It can be concluded from the above that the characters prefer to live in a big city and have a modern lifestyle compared to their old one. When Buageow’s aunt or Mae Khun, who goes to work in Bangkok, comes to visit Buageow’s grandmother, Buageow has decided to live in a sewing disable girl in a Roman Catholic Church which indicates an aspect of western culture which was coming to their community at that time. Buageow feels very happy when she earns a lot of money from making the cross-stitch work in Christmas style. Therefore it seems that Thai style was not as well known or popular as western styles during this time. Further more Khanom and Coca-Cola are mentioned in some parts of the novel, which adds to the sense of modernity.

            In conclusion, the two novels have different ideas concerning social values and beliefs. A Child of Northeast is about a traditional way of life and its main concern is with the relationships within the family- in other words, the characters place great importance on ‘mental practice’. This in comparison to the characters in The Diary of Buageow, who are more worried about money and having a more convenient way of life, therefore they place more emphasis on ‘physical practice’. convenient life or in other word are called physical practice. The characters try to achieve a happy life through modern living, while the characters in A Child of Northeast try to uphold a more traditional lifestyle in order to make themselves happy.