Warm Snow and Setting Sun A Comparison of Male Images in Chinese and British Working-class Images

Abstract

This paper explores the similar predicaments and spiritual qualities of working-class men in China and England during periods of economic transition and social transformation by comparing their representations in cinema from Northeast China and Northern England. Despite the distinct geographical and cultural backgrounds of the Chinese and English working classes, their cinematic male images both emerge as “stragglers” of epochal upheaval: experiencing the collapse of their economic foundation, the dissolution of traditional masculinity, and the erosion of familial authority. The difference lies in the emphasis: British films focus more on individual resistance and conflicts over gender roles, while Chinese films highlight self-discipline under collective memory and national narratives. Beneath these differences, both employ the form of “tragicomedy,” using humor to counterpoint underlying tragedy, thereby revealing the universal plight of the working class amidst the tides of globalization and marketization. This prompts reflection on human resilience in turbulent times.