The traditional values and roots of a society hold it together and keep it in a cohesive unit. Many societies carry down traditions from generation to generation, so that a continuous lineage develops that hold the homogeneous characteristics of the society. However, for Jess Bhamra, a teenage Indian girl, she develops an interest for football that is contrary to the role that her family and community want her to become. In the film, ‘Bend it Like Beckham,’ directed by Gurinder Chadha, Jess is confronted with the external conflict of upsetting her strict and traditional Indian parents while engaging in her desire to play football that highlights that one’s turmoil caused by an ambition that is considered unorthodox and dishonorable by a certain
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While Jess and her family are in the living room, Jess states, “I’m joining a girls’ football team, they want me to play in proper matches. The coach said I could go far,” and her mother argues that, “What family will want a daughter-in-law who can run around kicking football all day but can't make round chapattis? Now exams are over, I want you to learn full Indian dinner, meat and vegetarian!...That's it! No more football,” in conjunction with her dad who reiterates, “Jessie, your mother is right. It's not nice. You must start behaving like a proper woman. OK?” Jess is saddened that her parents assume her to be a rebel against their core values. This clear distinction between Jess and her parents show the external cultural conflict of the expected values of the parents and Jess’ own ambition. Jess wishes her parents would see past the traditions of a traditional Indian woman and see her as someone who can express her own individuality rather than be part of a culturally identical group. The conflict is perpetuated because of her strict parents that initially expect high traditional Indian standards upon her. As a result, anything that is considered to be in direct opposition to what the parents see as high moral standards is
While Jess and her family are in the living room, Jess states, “I’m joining a girls’ football team, they want me to play in proper matches. The coach said I could go far,” and her mother argues that, “What family will want a daughter-in-law who can run around kicking football all day but can't make round chapattis? Now exams are over, I want you to learn full Indian dinner, meat and vegetarian!...That's it! No more football,” in conjunction with her dad who reiterates, “Jessie, your mother is right. It's not nice. You must start behaving like a proper woman. OK?” Jess is saddened that her parents assume her to be a rebel against their core values. This clear distinction between Jess and her parents show the external cultural conflict of the expected values of the parents and Jess’ own ambition. Jess wishes her parents would see past the traditions of a traditional Indian woman and see her as someone who can express her own individuality rather than be part of a culturally identical group. The conflict is perpetuated because of her strict parents that initially expect high traditional Indian standards upon her. As a result, anything that is considered to be in direct opposition to what the parents see as high moral standards is