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In America we come to expect a certain level of political or authoritative involvement when things get out of control or start to collapse. I think it’s easy to assume that the same thing happens in all first-world countries because its part of our understanding of a country.  It’s this, which caused a certain level of shock in me when there didn’t seem to be any social relief coming from the government to prevent this lower class from loosing their houses.  I couldn’t imagine what it's like to have to leave home and sacrifice so many things at such a young age to work in an industry that directly profits from that which is forcing me to make that decision and causing such devastation not just to my family, but my community.

I think the differences in story and in the moral characters of Cindy and Jerry work in the film to show how individual motivation and personal situation can effect how you come to deal with situations internally.  Their experiences are diametric opposites, which is also true about their backgrounds. Being on the boat seems a bit more difficult for Cindy in the beginning whens she’s coping with this decision she’s been forced into and more difficult for Jerry at the end when he is realizing that his arrogance and “self conceit” gets him fired.  Their distinctive economic needs inform their behavior on the ship and directly affect their work ethic and how they cope.

Up the Yangtze. Dir. Yung Chang. 2008. DVD. Zeitgeist Films.