American Born Chinese

Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel, American Born Chinese, is a story of code switching and cultural identification. It is a book to which any student, or person, can relate. The story begins with the traditional Chinese tale of the Monkey King. The Monkey King wants nothing more than to attain life long fame and importance by being accepted into the world of the gods. Parallel to the story of the Monkey King runs the story of Jin Wang and the story of Danny. Jin Wang is a first generation Chinese-American who is struggling to find his place in his new elementary school. Danny is a seemingly “normal” American teenager who is forced to deal with the fallout of his stereotypical cousin Chin-Kee’s visit. All three stories tell the tale of someone who is struggling to bridge the gap between their culture of birth and the culture in which they want to be accepted.

Yang create three parallel stories and weaves them together not only through the use of a common theme, but also through the use of the graphics that assist in telling the story. When Yang is describing the life of the Monkey King he use bright, bold colors. The Monkey King is surrounded by a clash reds, greens, and yellows. This is a stark contrast to the world of Jin Wang and the world of Danny. These characters, who live in the United States, find themselves in a setting that is made up of mostly muted grays and blues. The difference in the color helps the reader to create the different worlds in which all of the characters find themselves.

While reading American Born Chinese I couldn’t help but think of Sherman Alexie’s young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. In Part Time Indian Junior finds himself learning how to switch between the culture of his reservation and the culture of his predominantly white school. Each of the characters in American Born Chinese also find themselves in a similar situation. Jin Wang and Danny must bridge the gap between home and school. The Monkey King must create a common link between his life on Flower Fruit Mountain and the world of the gods.

This story is one that is similar to most people. I feel as if most, if not all, of my students would be able to relate to Yang’s story. Although many of the students that I work with identify as white or European-American they also must make a shift between their home life and their school life and the cultures that accompany each. Students must learn what norms (language, actions, behavior, etc…) are appropriate at certain time and inappropriate at other times.

When I was first going through my teacher preparation program I remember learning about the bias in traditional American education and standardized tests. Learning about students who have the deck stacked against them before they even begin school breaks my heart. As a teacher I have made every attempt to help these students bridge the gap between their home culture and the culture of school. I don't want a student like Jin Wang and Danny to have to choose between their home and school. Students should be invited to bring their culture into school and use this knowledge to enrich not only their education but also the education of their peers.