THEDOMINATION OFAMERICAN CULTURE IN THE GLOBAL CULTURE CONSTRUCTION IN AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER

B. THEDOMINATION OFAMERICAN CULTURE IN THE GLOBAL CULTURE CONSTRUCTION IN AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER

The discussion in the previous point shows that the global culture construction is found in the construction of the setting, the characters, and the narration. However, the characters are more noticeablethan the other elements of the animation series. Therefore this point is focused on the analysis of the main characters.

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The characters in the Avatar: the Last Airbenderare more complex, due to influences of both Asian and American culture. This complexity distance characters in the series from other characters in, for example, in the 1990s typical American animation series.

The 90s American animation characters produced by Disney and Nickelodeon have simple characterization. For example, Woody from Toy Story, produced by Disney in 1995, and Arnold from Hey Arnold, produced by Nickelodeon in 1966, are still relatively simply constructed. Woody is constructed to have appearance like an American cowboy. While Arnold has American boy appearance, even the creator creates Arnold‟s appearance with a head similar to the ball used in American football. Their creators, unlike the creators of Avatar: the Last Airbender, do not consider to put the influence of other cultures to them. Therefore, both Woody and Arnold can unarguably be called as American. Every inch of them represents American identity.

The 90s American animation looks more “American” than animations produced today. The character, the setting and the story have a strong American influences. In 90s, American animation is still constructed with strong American

Figure 19 . Woody and Arnold, the 90‟s animation characters

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culture influence, since America has strong influence in that era, especially in cultural influences. People still regard American culture as global culture because back then, global culture is Americanization (Barber in Capcioglu, 2008, p. 11).Under Americanization, people around the globe were exposed to American culture on and on. America back then was the world‟s strongest nation which

tried to hegemonize the world and culture was merely seen as one of their medium to do so. Therefore, in 90s American animation creators did not need to think to include influences of other cultures to their works because they did not see it as necessary.

But, it all changes in the Avatar: the Last Airbender, produced after 90s. Its creators, uniquely, does not show a strong American cultural influence in their series. Even, sometimes people doubt and do not recognize that Avatar: the Last Airbender isis an American animation.

Avatar: the Last Airbender is constructed differently from the 90‟s animation. The series, as has been argued in this thesis, is constructed by combining American culture and Asian culture. The series emphasizesthe Asian culture influence in its construction, especially in the construction of its main character and setting. Therefore, it becomes interesting to know why the series‟ creators bother to include Asian culture in their works.

As can be seen in the previous analysis, the three main characters are constructed with the influences of Asian culture. All three analyzed characters – Aang, Toph and Zuko – have complex characterization. Aang and Toph are constructed to be Asian, based on their physical appearance and costume. Their

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appearance does not show American characteristics. Zuko, to be physically constructed as an American, also exhibits Asian values in his characterization. Therefore, it shows that Asian culture influence plays dominant role in theconstruction of the main character.

The creators of Avatar: the Last Airbender, this thesis argues, decide to mix American and Asian cultures in order to response to a current global culture development, which is now greatly influenced by Asian culture. Simon Tay, in his article America’s Call to Globalization, says Asian culture is rising to be the new global culture nowadays (Tay, n.d.).The product of Asian culture, especially the popular culture, is being widespread all over the world, parallel to the development of Asian economy and industry. The rising of Asian power and influence, therefore, gradually replaces the popularity and influence of American culture. The influences and the product of Asian culture; such as music, fashion, cuisine and especially animation series; can emulate the American popular culture product. The real impact of Asian culture that starts to rise in the world stardom can be seen in the American animation by its popularity declining (Leonard, 2005, p. 282)

The Asian animation, especially Japanese anime, becomes popular in the United States. (Moist and Bartholow, 2007, p. 28) This can be seen by the popularity of Japanese anime in the United States; such as Dragon Ball, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Naruto, and many more. Besides it is supported by the global trend which is influenced by the Asian culture, anime has no age boundaries(ibid). Thus, it means thatanime appeals to anyoneregardless of his

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age. This is why anime can have a large number of fans and it is an advantage which is not owned by American animation.

The creators of Avatar: the Last Airbender, therefore, arguably create their work with a mix of American and Asian culture to appeal to people both from Western background and Eastern background. They create their product to

be so to gain success in the market and bring back the popularity of American animation. The creators try to follow the trend of the society so that their animation product can be accepted by the society all around the world.

Thus, Avatar: the Last Airbenderanimation series can be said as a response to the emergence of the new global culture. Avatar was produced while America was still struggling to keep their dominance in the global market against the rising Asian power. Instead of forcing their American culture, Avatar creators choose to mix the two contrasting cultures to produce a new construction of global culture. Through this way, Avatar still tastes American, but also responds to its Asian viewers globally. This can be regarded as an American‟s effort to preserve its dominance in the world.

Actually, this kind of construction is not a new model for the product of American popular culture since it has been applied in many American popular culture products. Stuart J. Hall argues that global culture does not produce mini versions of being American but it adopts the differences from another culture and puts these differences within a product of culture that includes American culture influences (as cited in Capcioglu, 2008, p. 13). An example for the adoption of another culture in an American culture product, especially American animation,

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can be found in the 90‟s animation such as Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella which are adapted from European folk tales or The Lion Kingwhich is adapted from an African story (Paterno in Artz ,2002, p. 40). However, most of the animations are only an adaptation from another culture. That is the differences of Avatar: the Last Airbender which is the main characters are newly created and constructed by its creator.

The analysis in the previous subchapter shows that the combination of cultures is employed in the construction of the main characters including Aang, Toph and Zuko. The creators present a construction for the main characters that involve a combination of Asian and American culture. The employing of Asian culture influence in the construction makes the main characters become complex characters. The combination of American and Asian culture found in the main characters can be said as the new model of global culture construction used in the animation series.

However, the Asian culture influence constructed in it makes as if the animation series losses its American characteristics. The strong Asian culture influence constructed in the main characters and the setting makes the animation series lack of visible American culture influence. Actually, this is what the creators of the series want to construct. They conceal the American culture influence behind the Asian culture influence.

Therefore, when one sees the series critically and deeply, he will still see how American values are still held dear by its creators eventhough the Asian culture influences dominates the animation series.The preservation of American

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dominance in Avatar: the Last Airbender can be seen in the construction of the main characters.

In the analysis of Zuko, it can be concluded that phyisically he represents the Western world, or the United States. Zuko is constructed similar to prince charming character. The prince charming characterization is given to Zuko to present American influence.The prince charming characteristic constructs a positive image for Zuko‟s character since prince charming is regarded as a

character that will not turn into villain or evil character.This is proven by the construction of Zuko in the story. He is constructed to be a bad guy who changes into a good guy and helps the Avatar. Thus, the construction indirectly gives a positive image to A merican culture influence constructed in Zuko‟s character.

But, at the same time he is also constructed as a person who shares Asian‟s way of thinking and behavior. It is necesssary because the era of Prince Charming alone is in dire. The series‟ creators then imbue him with Asian culture

and therefore, produce a new prince charming who has both American and Asian values.

The preservation of American existence also can be found in the character of Aang.Aang, a Tibetan monk by his appearance, more promotes American values in the series instead of promoting Asian values. American values, like surfing, contradict to his appearance as a monk, who is supposed to be calm and passive. However, in the animation series he becomes nimble, active, and able to tame the wild nature just like the American surfer by the construction of surfing as the American culture influence in his character. The employing of surfer

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behavior to construct American culture influence in Aang is a proper decision from the creator, since it can successfully construct Aang as an American boy. Moreover, surfing is an American popular culture which is familiar for teenager in America and around the world. Surfers simply are more popular than monks. Thus, the character of Aang can appeal to the teenager in America and around the world, which is they are the target audience of Avatar: the Last Airbender.

Moreover, Aang‟s surfing hobby also signifies American culture is still influencing, even to a monk. From the second order semiotic, the scene shows that surfing can be played and enjoyed by anyone who able to play from any age and any group, even a monk can play and enjoy surfing. It signifies the flexibility and hegemony of American culture. It shows the strength of American popular culture, which can be enjoyed by anyone. The combination of monk and surfing is a proper construction made by the creator to preserve the American culture

existence in the animation series. The construction of surfing in Aang‟s behavior covers the Asian culture influence constructed in Aang. This makes the American

culture influence more dominant than the Asian culture influence. Finally, it presents Aang as an American boy who appears with Tibetan monk costume.

American culture is also preserved in Toph. As argued in previous points, she is constructed with Asian culture influence, indicated by her wearing Korean traditional clothes. From her appearance, she is totally Asian but the creators also construct American culture influence in her character. The American culture influence is shown by the construction of Toph as a masculine character. Toph‟s masculinity can be seen by her participation in the Earth Rumble, a wrestling

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competition in the Earth Kingdom. The existence of American culture influence is preserved by constructing boyish girl characteristic in the construction of Toph.

American professional wrestling is employed in the scene of Earth Rumble competition to construct American masculinity in Toph. Moreover, Tophis constructed with boyish girl behavior that is influenced by some American movie characters. Toph always behaves like boyish girl rather than as Asian girl. This construction resultsin the weakening of Asian culture influence in Toph‟s character. It erodes Asian culture influence in her character and on the contrary, strengthens American culture influence. Here, it can be seen that the creator can preserve the American dominance in the construction of Toph.

Thereby, it shows that the American existence is preserved in the Avatar: the Last Airbender animation series through a global culture construction applied in the main character. The American is can be seen in Zuko‟s appearance or Aang and Tophbehavior. It can be seen that there is no main character who is totally constructed only with American culture influence. The American culture influence is not solely constructed in a character but it is distributed and constructed to all main characters in certain portion. Therefore the American culture influence is not as vi sible as in the 90‟s animation construction. With this global culture construction, the existence of American culture influence can be preserved in Avatar: the Last Airbender. Moreover, it also preserves the people ‟s interest to the American culture. It can be said that the construction of the main character makes the Avatar: the Last Airbender appeal to the American and

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Asian audience. The creator can construct them so that they can appeal to all audience.

The trend of rising Asian is then accommodated by presenting the Asian philosophy in Zuko and Asian influenced appearance in the character of Aang and Toph. Meanwhile, the American culture existence is preserved by constructing Zuko in American influenced appearance and constructing American influenced behavior in the character of Aang and Toph. This global culture construction is not only preserved the American culture influence but also can present the Asian culture influence which becomes a trend of the world lately.

Besides being constructed in the main characters, the American influence is also constructed in the setting and the story of the Avatar: the Last Airbender animation series. The American influence is found in the setting of the Fire Nation. As stated in the previous subchapter, the Fire Nation is constructed to represent United States. It is shown by the construction of the setting which presents American culture influence. For instance, a Fire Nation prison is constructed similar to Alcatraz prison in the United States. Moreover, the Fire Nation is constructed as a modern industrial nation. Fire Nation cities are constructed with industrial atmosphere as can be seen in the construction of Jang Hui city (episode 43, “The Painted Lady”). This city is constructed as a polluted

city with heavy army factory inside. By the construction of the setting, it shows that the Fire Nation is constructed to represent America.

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The construction of American characteristic and stereotype also found in the story of Avatar: the Last Airbender. The story tells that the Fire Nation dominates most of the world of Avatar.It is the strongest and the most modern nation in the world of Avatar. By its largest and advanced army, the Fire Nation invades and dominates the other countries in the reason of sharing their prosperity to the other. Thus, it makes the Fire Nation more superior to the other nations, especially the Air Nomads and the Earth Kingdom which is constructed with Asian culture influence. The domination of the Fire Nation which is constructed with American culture influence toward the other nation which is constructed with Asian culture influence can be said as a signification of the domination of American culture toward the Asian culture.

Moreover, the domination of the Fire Nation still continues until the end of the animation series. It is shown by the coronation of Zuko as the new Fire Lord as can be seen in the episode 61 entitled “Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang”. This episode shows a scene of Zuko‟s coronation which is attended by the people from the four nations. Zuko declares the end of the war and he tells that he want to restore the world and begin a new era of love and peace. This scene shows that Fire Nation is still respected in the world of Avatar although it makes a serious mistake by invading the other nations. It also shows that the Fire Nation, which is constructed as American representation, can preserve its influence in the world of Avatar. By the second order semiotics, this signifies that the American still can preserve its influence and dominance no matter what happens. It can be seen that the creators do not construct the

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American representation as the loser one, they keep constructing America to be dominant and superior.

The American culture influence is also shown in the construction of American pro-wrestling as the Earth Rumble. Besides strengthening the American culture influences in Toph‟s character, the American wrestling also

represents American culture through a combination of culture in the construction of the Earth Rumble Competition. The Earth Rumble competition is a game that combines American pro-wrestling and Japanese sumo. The role of the game is similar to Japanese sumo (as explained in the previous subchapter), but the atmosphere, the setting, and the participants are constructed with American influence. The creators construct the atmosphere of Earth Rumble similar to the American pro-wrestling arena.

Even though Earth Rumble is constructed by combining American‟s wrestling and Japan‟s sumo, the former is more dominant. This is the creator‟s

way to preserve American dominance in the Avatar: the Last Airbender. Moreover, the existence of pro-wrestling as the American culture influence can increase the audiences‟ interest to the Avatar: the Last Airbenderanimation

series. It is possible since pro-wrestling is known as an American popular show that is broadcast in many countries. Therefore, it can be said the usage of pro- wrestling to preserve American dominance is a right decision from the creator since it can represent the American culture and also appeal to broader audience.

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Once again, American proves that they can preserve their domination through their product of culture. It is still successfully preserved even when the Asian culture influence begins to replace American domination as global culture.

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