IndexAnalysis through the lens of conflict and structural functionalist theoriesGender inequality: one of the most widespread social issuesFinal thoughtsWorks citedRegarding the different aspects of sociological thought, the 1998 film Mulan provides many illustrations of intriguing social behavior. Mulan is about a young Chinese woman who disguises herself as a man to protect her ailing father, Fa Zhou, from being drafted into another war. China is under attack by a group called the Huns led by Shan Yu. Following this attack, the Chinese army demands that one man from each family serve and help defeat the Huns. Zhou had already served in a previous war which left him in a weaker condition than most. Mulan is afraid that her father might die due to his condition and decides to take his place. During this time period, China was under a patriarchal regime, which meant that Mulan was immediately ignored because she was a woman. Nonetheless, Mulan does whatever it takes to protect her father and her family: she cuts her hair, takes her father's armor, and heads to the training camp. There, Mulan faces many challenges but overcomes them by being resilient and persistent, which leads to her being able to keep up with the other men. Mulan defeats the Hunnic leader Shan Yu and saves all of China in the process. Although she is a woman, she was awarded a sword and the emperor's coat of arms, which is among the highest honors. Mulan returns home to a proud father. In the film Mulan, sociological concepts such as structural functionalism, conflict, gender, and inequality are prevalent and work together to highlight a variety of social interactions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Mulan has been a successful film because it leads viewers to vicariously experience the ways of life through Mulan. The director and screenwriters use powerful imagery as historically accurate illustrations of the characters, their clothing, and the culture. Using this technique, the audience, predominantly of young impressionable ages, is introduced to the cultural distinctions of another country. This allows viewers to temporarily live through Mulan's sociological perspective. While entertaining, the film provided valuable insight into cultural differences. Analysis through the Lens of Conflict and Theories of Structural Functionalism The prevailing sociological theories throughout the film were conflict and structural functionalism. Shan Yu, leader of the Huns, attacks China in an attempt to gain wealth and power. He chooses to go into battle to defeat the Chinese army and show them what a real and powerful leader looks like. Shan Yu represents the poor while Mulan and her village represent the rich. He may vent his frustration of belonging to the lower class of society in the form of retaliation. According to Stein and Ferris, “conflict theory proposes that conflict and tension are fundamental facts of social life and suggests that people have disagreements about goals and values ​​and are involved in struggles over both resources and power.” Mulan also experiences gender role conflict between herself and her male alter ego Ping. When Mulan is herself, her thoughts and actions are dismissed in an instant, but when she is Ping, she experiences the freedoms that come with being a man. When Mulan first personifies Ping, she struggles with the ideology of how men act. For example, in one of the scenes of Mulan a fight breaks out and Mulan attributes it to the fact that it wasIt's just one of those things that men do when they say, "But you know what it's like when you get those manly urges and you just have to kill something." Her rationalization of men behaving rowdy may stem from the fact that she sees men as dominant figures, therefore they have the right to do what they want. Mulan presents structural functionalism as one of its key points to society's expectations. Ferris and Stein define structural functionalism as “a paradigm based on the assumption that society is a unified whole which works thanks to the contributions of its separate structures.” In Mulan, Mulan and her village must abide by the rules established during that time. The society believes that these rules in place work well for their society housewives and mothers, while men are the breadwinners. Mulan focuses heavily on gender and inequality. Throughout the film, its success depends on the gender it displayed at the time. In the film, the gender is displayed as dominant and submissive. Men are dominant and women must seek approval from said men. Throughout the film, Mulan tries to plead her case as to why her father couldn't survive another war to which she was given the response “Silence! You will do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in the presence of a man.” Since Mulan is a woman, her only job is to get married, and the idea of ​​this is conveyed through Belarmino and Roberts' study in which they write: "Five women interviewed believe that family expectations are centered around marriage." According to an article on the effects of gender-based roles, “Despite women's involvement in economic activities, some behaviors considered weak or simple are assigned to the female gender. In an analysis conducted by Melanie Belarmino and Melinda R. Roberts, they express how inequality and patriarchal rule go hand in hand by stating: “Gender inequality stems from long-standing patriarchal societies in which women have higher expectations placed on them and fewer expectations. freedom compared to their male colleagues". This is displayed in Mulan when all the other women wait and prepare to meet the "matchmaker" to find husbands and bring "honor" to their families. Gender Inequality: One of the Most Pervasive Social Problems Difference in treatment based on gender is evident in Mulan from the interactions between the male and female characters. One heartbreaking scene was when Mulan considered herself a failure because she failed to bring honor to her family; In a study conducted by Soltanpanah and her college, “Results from a cross-cultural study examining diverse samples of women supported our prediction that gender role satisfaction is related to overall life satisfaction. Mulan also felt that she could do nothing right in life which, if she were not a strong woman, could have led to her developing depression. Mulan was able to overcome her difficulties and honor her family by being persistent as a woman with little to no voice. Mulan helps you understand the above sociological concepts through the use of visual aids and how the characters interact with each other. Observing sociological principles displayed visually through the life of a young woman from a different culture, time, and country helps me to more objectively see these principles operating in my life. Similarities can be seen in the pressure resulting from social expectations; because for us it can be going to college and getting a degree despite the uncertainty of the professional path while for Mulan it was finding a husband and bringing.