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| Photo by: L. Propes |
Identity is a touchy subject. The world around us sees a version of ourselves that can be the opposite of the version we think we project. Identity is at the heart of Gene Luen Yang's brilliant graphic novel American Born Chinese. The book wrestles with the questions of what it means to straddle two cultures -- American and Chinese -- without sublimating one for the other.
The back-of-the-book summary makes the graphic novel sound as if it contains three separate stories. It does. From the beginning of the book, it's clear that each story shares the same theme of trying to fit into a culture that cannot see past the superficial façade. But the three stories are ultimately tied together in a mix of high and low fantasy to bring the story to its resolution.
The Monkey King, after being rejected by the gods, embarks on a quest to make his subjects more like people and himself more god-like in an effort to force the gods to accept him as one of them. He even challenges Tze-Yo-Tzuh, the creator of all existence, to a duel.
Jin Wang was born in San Francisco to immigrant parents from Taiwan, who came to the United States to attend graduate school. When Jin is nine, his parents move to a suburb, and Jin goes from being just another Chinese-American kid in Chinatown to one of only two Asian-American students in his school. (The other Asian-American student is Suzy Nakamura.) In his new school, Jin must confront a litany of humiliating stereotypes from his classmates and even his teachers. The arrival of Wei-Chin Sun reveals the depth to which Jin identifies as an American, even as he embraces his Chinese heritage.
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| Photo by: L. Propes Jin and Wei-Chin, wearing Yao Ming jerseys |
Danny is an All-American teenager. Tall, blonde, good-looking. He plays a mean game of basketball and girls admire him. The blot on his existence is his cousin Chin-Kee's annual visit from China. Chin-Kee's extraordinarily disruptive visits damage Danny's reputation to the point where he must transfer to a new school for the next year.
While it might seem as if each storyline is a separate story, bound by a common theme, the plot lines intersect in a way that seem believable in the low fantasy world Yang has created. Jin's story is central to the overall novel, illustrating the maze that he must navigate in American culture with his Chinese background. Jin's cultural traditions are often at odds with the image he desires to project in school. His struggles to fit into his desired social scene are echoed in the stories of the Monkey King and Danny. Jin travels from pride and a common identity in Chinatown to outside status in his suburban schools and back to an understanding of what his heritage means to him.
The main characters -- Jin, Wei-Chin, the Monkey King, and Danny -- are all distinctive, intricate characters, which is quite a feat, given the short time we spend with each of them. Yang lets them evolve with skill and complexity. Chin-Kee is a grotesque caricature, reminiscent of the stereotype of a Chinese immigrant from the late nineteenth century, and Yang uses this for a clear purpose, forcing Danny to confront why he represses his Chinese identity and to fight back against every indignity Danny has been subjected to from people who cannot see Danny beyond the color of his skin, name, or facial features. Danny, it turns out, isn't the blonde All-American high school student as portrayed in the novel. Years ago, Danny gave up his soul to become what he thinks he wants to be. Who he really is neatly ties the three stories together into a satisfying conclusion.
Yang also remembers to infuse just enough comedy to balance the achingly poignant search for identity. There are a few moments that bring a smile to the reader's lips. Most are brief, almost throwaway moments, but they provide just enough of a break in the tension to prevent the story from becoming a study in abject misery. Even Jin's struggles with his identity are subject to a humorous poke from Yang: when waiting for Wei-Chin at a Chinese bakery, Jin, who can speak Mandarin, but not read it, tries to order from a menu written in Chinese, only to have to waitress scoff at his lack of Chinese literacy when Jin points to the words, "cash only".
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| Photo by: L. Propes From left: Jin Wang, Suzy Nakamura, and Wei-Chin Sun |
American Born Chinese could be used in conjunction with many of Laurence Yep's books about growing up as a Chinese-American to study one facet of the immigrant experience. The book can also provide the impetus to begin a discussion of racial stereotypes, and why Yang chose to appropriate one of the more monstrous stereotypes in an act of satire to make his point.
American Born Chinese won the 2007 Printz Award and was a finalist for the 2006 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. It also won the Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album -- New.
Other graphic novels by Yang include: Level Up, and the acclaimed series Boxers & Saints, a graphic novel set during the Boxer Rebellion, telling both sides of the story, which was also a National Book Award finalist in 2013.
Students may also want to read one of Laurence Yep's novels about the Chinese-American experience, particularly Dragonwings.
You can view more about Yang and American Born Chinese here. You can also find Yang's remarks at the 2013 National Book Awards, a book trailer for Boxers & Saints, and an interview with Yang.
Yang has a website with more information about his graphic novels and a blog. He also includes the online version of his M.Ed. final project proposal about using comics in education.
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"This fable stars the mythological Monkey King, realistic youngster Jin Wang of Taiwanese parentage, and TV sitcom teen Danny. All three are dogged by an unwanted identity and humiliated by others' prejudice... all three stories suddenly merge to centre on Jin coming to terms with his minority experience and moving beyond his own fear and hostility. Coalescence comes almost too quickly, but the... approach and treatment are unique and moving. The art is simple, colorful, and both attractive and effective." -- Martha Cornog, Library Journal, 2007
"With vibrant colors and visual panache, indie writer-illustrator Yang focuses on three characters in tales that touch on facets of Chinese American life... Each of the the characters is flawed but familiar, and, in a clever postmodern twist, all share a deep, unforeseen connection... The stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects -- shame, racism, and friendship -- receive thoughtful, powerful examination." -- Jesse Karp, Booklist, 2006
"Graphic novels that focus on nonwhite characters are exceedingly rare in American comics. Enter American Born Chinese, a well-crafted work that aptly explores issues of self-image, cultural identity, transformation, and self-acceptance... Yang's crisp line drawings, linear panel arrangement, and muted colours provide a strong visual complement to the textual narrative. Like Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Laurence Yep's Dragonwings, this novel explores the impact of the American dream on those outside the dominant culture in a finely wrought story that is an effective combination of humor and drama." -- Philip Charles Crawford, School Library Journal, 2006_________________________________________________________________________________
Works Cited:
Cornog, Martha. 2007. American born chinese. Library Journal 132 (5) (03/15): 54-, http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2048/login?url=http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2060/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=24382067&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Crawford, Philip Charles. 2006. American born chinese. School Library Journal 52 (9) (09): 240-, http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2048/login?url=http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2060/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=22324532&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
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