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American Born Chinese By Gene Luen Yang

1885 Words8 Pages

In the graphic novel American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, three separate perspectives are told in the same story. The first point of view is about a Monkey King who just wants to fit in with the humans. The next story is about a teenager named Jin Wang who has very few friends, however bonds with a new student named Wei Chen Sun. The final story is about two boys named Danny and Chin Kee. Danny has a love-hate relationship throughout the novel because of Chin Kee’s stereotypes that embarrass him. These parallel storylines illustrate struggles regarding acceptance and identity. Gene Luen Yang exhibits forms of symbolism, exaggerated stereotypes, and complex characters to compel readers to rethink their understanding of cultural identity and self-acceptance. …show more content…

For instance, The Monkey King has trouble with understanding who he is and tries to cover it up with a massive ego and a belief that he is superior to others. Jin feels like an outcast because of his heritage and tries to “fix himself” by changing his hair to appear less Chinese and more like the other kids in his school. Chin-Kee is constantly being avoided by his cousin, Danny, and the kids at school and mock him for his stereotypical Chinese features. One specific quote of symbolism used with a specific character is when the Monkey declares “I was born in the shadow of the mountain, beneath a blood-red moon”. I am Sun Wukong, the Monkey King! I am born from stone, enriched by Heaven and Earth -an immortal of heaven! "(Yang 50)". This quote showcases the MonKings pride and desire to prove himself within his heritage and make himself one with the higher powers. This situation mirrors Jin’s struggle with Chinese heritage mixing with American culture. Both examples symbolize the common theme of wanting to feel accepted while still embracing your true self and your culture. An additional occurrence of symbolism in American Born Chinese is the exaggerated

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