1.3 Brief introduction to the thesis

This thesis mainly talks about the different attitudes towards marriage in Chinese and western culture through the film Little Fish. It is pided into five major parts: introduction, literature review, the statement of difference between Chinese and westerners’ marriage values in the movie, the reasons for differences between Chinese and the westerners’ attitudes towards marriage, conclusion. This thesis mainly tells us the difference between Chinese  and westerners’ attitudes towards marriage. They have different views on love and marriage because of their different cultures. This thesis will focus on the comparison on several aspects: different spouse preference, different purpose of marriage and different marriage life. This thesis tells the reasons for the difference between Chinese and westerners’ attitudes towards marriage. This is the purpose and scope of the study.文献综述

2. Literature Review

Western scholars have analyzed the cross-cultural factor which has posed an influence on males’ marriage value. Adam, Jay E talk about Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible.（Adam 3）Marriage is sacred and remarriage is agreed by most of people. As a result, readers can learn Scripture more thoroughly and accept the truth more easily. Chu, G. C, Ju .The Great Wall in Ruins: Communication and Cultural Change in China, has attitudes with “nations”. It is the elites who oppose these rights, not the mass. (Chu 1-2) The rights of self determination of human asserted in the first articles of both of the international human rights and the rights relevant to China. There are some differences between China and West about human rights. We can sum it up as the difference of character. Chen Guoming and William J Starosta are fathers of Intercultural Communication. In their articles, they introduce basic knowledge of cultural perceptions and values; contextual matters of language and nonverbal communication. Besides, there is information about interaction, including development of intercultural relationship, and conflict management, adaption and listening in cultural relationship. Although this thesis talks about the difference between Chinese and westerners’ marriage values in the movie．There is still common thing shared by two cultures. Parrott Leslie raised Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts: Seven Questions to Ask before and After You Marry. Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, created by relationship experts Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, is a comprehensive marriage program designed specifically for today’s couples.（Parrott 6）

And now, in this updated edition, Parrotts’ award-winning approach has become a combination of over ten years’ feedback, research and professional experience. It is more than a book—it’s practically a self-guided premarital counseling course.

Chinese scholars like Xu Hui whose article the male images in Yan Geling’s novels. Men in Yan’s novels can be pided into these groups: vulnerable ones, western ones, those in special period and gay community. There is a common characteristic of these males in her novels: “no ideal”.(Yan 8)

 Su Xinhua was the interpretation of Chinese and western traditional marriage in the movie. (Su 12) In this article, marriage is the basic system and form of the combination of the two sexes in the human society. Marriage life reflects the difference of traditional Chinese culture and western culture which caused by differences in wedding customs. Chinese traditional wedding customs include “the six ceremonies of betrothal and marriage”, while western traditional wedding customs reflect the Christian culture. 

3. Differences between Chinese and Westerners’ Marriage Values in the Movie

This thesis mainly talks about Chinese and westerners’ marriage values in the movie. It analyzes the differences between Chinese and Westerners’ views on choosing a spouse, the purpose of marriage and life of marriage. The life before marriage, it discusses how the lovers get along with each other. The life after marriage, it discusses how the couples live together.