American Born Chinese Character Analysis

Final ABC Response Most novels have one story that follows one main character and describe the character’s life and struggles. Even if the novel has more than one story, the author would show clear connections between the stories and explain in great details of the connection to make sure that readers would not get confused. However, on the other hand, in the graphic novel, “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang, the author wrote three stories with the protagonist being Jin Wang, Monkey King, and Danny. The three stories were clear and easy to understand but the three stories showed no connection and appears to be three separate stories that are used to show three separate situations where the different protagonists try to change and

At first, it might be confusing to be reading about one story then it abruptly changes to another story then does the same thing again after giving an insight of the previous story. However, by the second part of the story, the stories show that the protagonist all have some things in common. Monkey King wants to be equal or more than the deities, so he trained, wear shoes, and changed his physical appearance (C%)*. Jin Wang wants to be as similar to other students as possible and not be seen as a foreigner, so he refused to be friends with Wei Chen Sun at first and grouped himself with the other students (%C)*. While Danny, try to fit in by rejecting his cousin, Chin Kee, and transferring schools to start over again because as he told Steve, he feels like Chin-Kee is, “Embarrassing the crap out of me.” (C%)*. All three of the characters are trying to change themselves to fit into the group they desire to be part of. To the characters, nothing is more important than being part of the group they want to be part of, not even their own identity. This is shown when the Monkey King refused to accept that he is a monkey and would fight the other deities to ensure that they know of it, while repeating that, “I am not a monkey.” (C%)*. The author connects the threes stories in the first and second half of the story by pointing out the similarities of the three

By the third section of the story, Danny got tired and anger of his cousin, Chin-Kee, and gets into a fight with him (C%*). During the fight, Danny punches off the mask that Chin- Kee was wearing and revealed that Chin- Kee is the Monkey King (C%*). From there, the Monkey King transform back into his original form and told Danny, “Now that I’ve revealed my true form, perhaps it is time to reveal yours…Jin Wang”, in the next panel, Danny slowly turns back into Jin Wang. (C%*). When Danny turn back into Jin Wang, the dots from the beginning of the story to the end starts to connect and the three stories blends together. Danny is the identity or person that Jin Wang wanted to be or thinks he needs to be, to fit in. The author purposely separates one story into three stories to make it easier for readers to see how each identity of the character deal with not being able to fit in no matter how they change unless they first accept themselves. Just like how the Monkey King finally become equal to the other deities when he completed his journey to the west with his master and how Jin Wang and Wei-Chen became friends again after Jin Wang let go of his identity as