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Essay On Intercultural Communication In The Movie Arrival

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When I was asked to write about an instance of intercultural communication in a movie, Arrival was not the first thing that came to mind. However, once I had thought about it, I could not get it out of my head, and I knew I had to write about it. The reason behind my determination was that though the parties involved in the conflict are unusual—humans versus extraterrestrial beings—, Arrival still addresses very important issues that could arise during any intercultural communication. This paper will look at the reasons behind this conflict, namely our fear of the unknown, and our tendency to rely on stereotypes and to reflect our negative traits onto the other side. While doing so, it will also briefly touch upon the communicational issues within the human community, caused by the different frameworks through which they look …show more content…

More importantly, though, it is a movie that remarks on communicational issues, conflict escalation, and resolution. There are many causes behind the communicational problems that arise in Arrival. One of these causes is humanity’s fear of the unknown—humans in Arrival fear the extraterrestrials because their motives are unknown. Another one is humans’ tendency to rely on stereotypes and project their own negative traits onto the aliens. As a result of this, they believe the Heptapod’s are hostile, and they turn hostile themselves. These issues escalate the conflict into an unwarranted war waged on the aliens. The movie goes on to show how this conflict is solved, and all it takes is a person to take on the role of a bridge between the two cultures and approach the other side with an open mind. Despite being a movie about an interaction between unlikely sides, Arrival has an important message to deliver about any intercultural communication for those who are willing to hear it: Do not let your fears dictate your actions, keep away from preconceived ideas, and keep an open

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