American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

erican Born Chinese

This a cool story about self acceptance. I originally read only two stories not realizing that all three of the stories are inter-related so l had to go back and read the stories in sequence which I didn’t mind because it tied it all together. The first story is about a boy name All Jin Wang who is new to school (Mayflower Elementary) Get It) and his teacher introduces as the kid from China when he is actually from San Francisco. His classmates due to their inbred ignorance right away want to know if he eats dogs; however the teacher with her big mall hair reminds the students that I’m sure his family stops this culinary practice before they got here to USA. All Wang wants to is assimilate and be one the crowd. Then a new Chinese student arrives and sees in Wang a chance for friendship which Wang at first doesn’t want because the new kid is a reminder of his difference. As an African American I can relate to this experience especially if you’re the only one in your class. However I always seen other people of color as comrades not cast offs. They forge a strong bond while playing with transformers. Transformers are toys which appear to be one thing and can be twisted and manipulate into a totally different character.
The author is a genius at using metaphors especially as a tool to segue into the next story. The next is on e I originally skipped over because I didn’t realize he important tie in with the other two stories. This story is about a monkey who tries to crash a dinner arty and he so certain he is on the “It” list that it comes as quite a shock when he told he cant come in because he doesn’t have on any shoes. He proceeds to give all his so called credentials as why he should be accepted but to no avail. Again the theme around fitting in and also learning to love the skin your in is prominent. There is a scene pg 20 when is directly returns to his cave and the smell of monkey is strong and until then he had never notice it. That is how it feels for those I the minority as long as your in your safe, secure enclave of familiar folks you don’t really recognize your difference as a negative. I grew up in a low income housing project and I was surrounding by a great supportive community of people who cared and protective each other. It wasn’t until I went to school and my teachers, peers discovered where l lived that it began to dawn on me that l am different in there eyes. Or as my cousin who grew up poor said “l didn’t know I was poor until the kids at school made fun of my Value Village winter coat, until then I was proud of my coat it had fur and looked good after that I didn’t want to wear it again because of what it symbolized” The same can be said for youth these days and their desire for expensive tennis shoes it means they fit in. The great Monkey King declares everyone must wear shoes and on page 61 there is a very humorous picture of one of the monkeys with shoes on his ears and the Great Monkey Kng struts past and inform “you feet little one your feet”.
The sequence of this GN is that the three stories flow interchangeably… you have story of Wang then Monkey Kind then the story of Chin Kee then back and forth. The Monkey demands an audience with the great Tze-Yo-Tzuh where he challenges him and his authority. This parable reminds me of the stories in the bible. I saw Tze-Yo-Tzuh as God and Monkey King as maybe David. Monkey King tries to out smart Tzuh and he remind him that he formed him it he gives him power. This reminds me of Psalms 139 when God reminds David that before you were born l formed you I know your every thought there is no place you can go from me.
The next story is about two boys names Danny and Chin Kee who are cousins so were led to believe. Danny wants to fit it by any means necessary and he usually does until once a year his cousin Chin Kee arrives. The author made Chin Kee into a painful stereotype of a Chinese with buck teeth, crazy hair and horrendous English. As I was reading it I felt my own stomach quench Chin Kee is so not politically correct and that is exactly the point the author is trying to convey. On one hand you have the American Chinese who if was for his eyes and skin color would fit right no questions asked but then there is always that slanted eyed, dark skinned relative that appears when you least expect them to. Again I can relate to this because l has great aunts who passed for white during the early century. Only one had children but the other married a white man and feared that black blood would rise up sort like Chin Kee and ruin everything. Chin Kee is really Danny’s conscious. It isn’t until later that the reader begins to see how all three stories are linked together. Danny and Chin Kee duke it out and when Danny belts him a good one Chin Kee heads flies off to reveal his true identity the Great Monkey King and Danny is really Jin Wang? the guy from Jr High (follow me? I’m getting confused myself) The Monkey King is the father of Wei-Chen – Danny’s friend from Jr high. Whew! Just trying to explain that sequence confused me even more.
As I end the graphics in this Novel where off the hook, now I know that isn’t an academic term but the split panels and white backgrounds add so much to story line. The author not only is a gifted storyteller but an amazing artist.

The major themes: Self Acceptance and Love thy neighbor became you never who/how you will need that person.

This is a books that can be enjoyed by all age old enough read and grasp a storyline.