Bibliographic Data
American Born Chinese
By Gene Luen Yang
First Second ©2006
ISBN: 9781596431522
Brief Plot Summary
Three
stories that initially have nothing to do with one another align as one. The
main story is of Jin moving to a new school and facing issues as a Chinese
American. Not only does he face racism, but problems with how he views himself.
Another story is about the fabled Monkey King who wants to be an equal in the
world of gods. To achieve equality he changes who he is to the point of peril.
In the other story Danny is a Caucasian student whose cousin, Chin-Kee ruins
his popularity with his offensive Asian stereotype hijinks.
Critical Analysis
Jin is of
Chinese descent. He moves from San Francisco to a new city with less of an
Asian population. Now as someone who is different the other kids pick on him
and do not befriend him. This in turn makes him ashamed of himself. I think
many teens relate to this scenario, especially if they are an ethnic minority,
and particularly if they are Asian. Jin’s victimization
also makes the reader
feel for him. He is a cool person. It is just in this town he is different.
.JPG)
(Hurtful and hypocritical example of
the racism Jin faced.)
As deep
and emotional as this tale is it’s densely littered with humor. Not only is
this Yang’s style, but also it makes the content relatable. This would be a
good book for the reluctant reader.
(One of many clever and funny moments)
The plot
is indeed an unlikely one, but its unpredictability is what makes it so
engaging. It is absolutely creative, but ties in to real life experience. The
three stories are a melding of genres, fable, fantasy, and realism, just as Jin
is a melding of cultures. The story of the Monkey King does have many journeys
and mission, which is typical of a fantasy story. Though Jin’s story seems
realistic it follows a more fantasy style plot. We see him face many obstacles
and “villains” and the conclusion is not of the real world.
(Transforming plot twists)
Much of
the setting description is visual. This is, after all, a comic book. Colors
convey the mood even if it is not clear where it is taking place.
Identity
is the theme. Jin is an American. His parents are Chinese. People see him and
think he is not an American. They also do not integrate him into their lives as
they would perhaps a Caucasian student. As a victim of prejudice and racism Jin
feels shame about who he is. He tries to look more like the other kids by
changing his hair. He disassociates himself from Chinese culture and the other
Asian students. In the story of the monkey king we see a similar storyline
communicating the same theme. He is a deity of the monkeys and a monkey
himself. When he tries to be with the other deities they shun him for being a
monkey. He changes nearly beyond recognition to be like a deity until one day
he is trapped for hundreds of years under rubble. The story of Danny features
two characters that are supposed to be opposites on Jin’s spectrum, a Caucasian
student and a stereotypically offensive Chinese cousin. At the end of that
story the reader finds that it is symbolic of Jin’s internal judgments.
(Jin’s identity crisis)
Despite
how short this book is it is dense. Gene Luen Yang’s style is subtle allowing
him to do many things at once. For example he denotes Chinese being spoken by
using angle brackets.
(Angle brackets indicating Chinese is
spoken)
In
Danny’s story the reader knows that there is an audience reacting because of
the yellow text at the bottom of the panel. It is supposed to be like a sitcom
with a live studio audience.
.JPG)
(Observe the yellow text)
In Jin’s
story he has a moment where he is so nervous that his memory is like a dream.
The art depicts this through a stylistic choice on the edge of the image.
(Notice the edges are fuzzy, just like
how Jin feels)
Review Excerpt(s)
“Each of
the characters is flawed but familiar, and, in a clever postmodern twist, all
share a deep, unforeseen connection. Yang helps the humor shine by using his
art to exaggerate or contradict the words, creating a synthesis that marks an
accomplished graphic storyteller.” - Jesse Karp (Booklist, Sep. 1, 2006 (Vol. 103, No.
1))
“Yang's
narrative builds to an unforgettable and dazzling series of revelations as the
three storylines surprisingly converge in a book that is eye-opening and
provocative, pushing the boundaries of comfort for readers as it exposes racism
from its most subtle to most overt.” - CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices,
2007)
“Yang
accomplishes the remarkable feat of practicing what he preaches with this book:
accept who you are and you'll already have reached out to others.” - Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly)
Awards
Cybil
Award, 2006 Winner Graphic Novels Ages 13 and Up United States
James
Cook Book Award, 2007 Honorable Book United States
Michael
L. Printz Award, 2007 Winner United States
National
Book Award, 2006 Finalist Young People's Literature United States
Northern
California Book Award, 2007 Finalist Children's Literature United States
Quill
Awards, 2007 Nominee Young Adult/Teen United States
Connections
Use this book to start a discussion about stereotyping. Use the
discussion guide on CBLDF’s website: http://cbldf.org/2013/07/using-graphic-novels-in-education-american-born-chinese/
Discussion questions from Multnomah County Library: https://multcolib.org/american-born-chinese
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