THE DESTRUCTION OF FAMILY INSTITUTION IN THE FILM Coming Home（归来 Guilai）by Zhang Yimou（张艺谋）

Authors

Nurni Wahyu Wuryandari, Chinese Studies Program, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas IndonesiaFollow
Sonia Ashari, Chinese Studies Program, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas IndonesiaFollow

Abstract

The film Coming Home（归来 Guilai）tells a story about a prisoner, Lu Yanshi, returning home. He returns home twice. Firstly, he returns home by escaping prison because he misses his family. Secondly, Lu comes home after receiving a notice of rehabilitation from the Government. Neither of his coming home makes him happy. He finds his family unable to be whole as it used to be. How did the destruction of Lu Yanshi family happen, and what are the reasons? To answer this question, the film was examined in three ways, by discussing the setting of the story, by revealing the characters and the characterizations in the film, and by uncovering how the story of Guilai was told. These three ways may expose the main story of the film and can help us understand Lu family’s suffering. Essentially, the film was dissected using intrinsic approach; meanwhile, the story and the dialogues presented in the movie would be interpreted to reveal meanings. The findings of the research suggest that the condition suffered by Lu Yanshi family is caused by the policy implemented during Cultural Revolution. Even though the Cultural Revolution is over, Lu Yanshi family cannot be whole and happy as it was before the Cultural Revolution in China.

Recommended Citation

Wuryandari, Nurni Wahyu and Ashari, Sonia (2019) "THE DESTRUCTION OF FAMILY INSTITUTION IN THE FILM Coming Home（归来 Guilai）by Zhang Yimou（张艺谋）," International Review of Humanities Studies: Vol. 4: No. 3, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/irhs/vol4/iss3/5