Changes in Story Structures and Cultural Language Patterns in Chinese and American Hero Films: From "Transcendence" to "Transgression"

Abstract

This study compares how hero stories have changed over time in Chinese and American movies. It does this by using Deleuze's affect theory and Rancière's idea of the distribution of the sensible to look at paradigm changes and how cultural discourse works. The study shows that American superhero films have moved away from the "transcendence" paradigm and toward self-deconstruction, supporting individualistic values while criticising the systems that support them. On the other hand, Chinese hero films have moved from a "sublime" to a "transgressive" style. By disrupting the established conventions of traditional collectivist narratives and the preexisting order of the sensible, they explore diverse possibilities in the relationship between the individual and the community. However, these kinds of investigations are often limited by certain culturally-specific discourse boundaries. The way stories are told in Chinese and American heroic films has changed over time. This changes not only the way films look, but it also shows how cultural power is shifting and how dialogue can happen in a globalised world. This research gives us a fresh way to think about how Chinese and American films reflect cultural exchange and helps us understand how the heroic story is changing in modern times.