Book Review

American Born Chinese is a graphic novel about a boy who was born in America, and both of his parents were immigrants of China. The book goes through his issues with being Chinese in a predominantly white world. As an immigrant from Honduras, this book speaks to me as I sometimes feel alone in a predominantly white world. I know a lot of people who are trying to hold on to their cultures, but when it seems like your culture won’t “fit in” with everyone else, it’s hard to hold on to it.

            In American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, there are three different stories being told. The first one is about a Monkey, who is king of all the Monkeys in his land, and he has mastered many levels of Kung Fu. After being laughed out of a party in heaven for not wearing shoes, he masters more levels and starts calling himself the “Great Sage, Equal of Heaven” and acts like he’s better than everyone else. A God-like character punishes him by putting him under a rock.

            The second and main story is about a boy named Jin Wang who’s only other friend is an immigrant from Taiwan. Jin likes a girl who is white, and with the help of his Taiwanese friend, Wei Chan, he goes on a date with her. Shortly after, a white boy approaches Jin and basically lets him know that the girl will be made fun of if she continues to date him, and for everybody’s sake it would be best if he stayed away from her.

            The third story is about a Caucasian boy named Danny, who miraculously has a Chinese cousin who comes to visit him once a year, follows him to school, embarrasses Danny with Chinese culture, and then Danny is “forced” to change schools since all people know him as is the cousin of the crazy Chinese boy.

            Each of these stories comes together. The Monkey learns humility and devotes his life to helping others, and his son wants to follow in his footsteps. Jin gets so angry about the fact that he is Asian-American, he betrays Wei Chan and somehow wakes up the next day as a white boy, calling himself Danny. So, Danny and Jin is the same person, and the crazy Asian cousin is the Monkey in disguise. Wei Chan is the Monkey’s son, also in disguise, and because Jin made humans look selfish and unappreciative, Wei Chan turned to a life of pleasure. 

            In a crazy mixed-up way, this book is teaching a lesson. The Monkey has to be his true self in order to be a help to anyone, Jin needed to accept his true self, and in the end, Jin helps Wei Chan accept his true self as well. I have lived in America for 3 years. At home, we keep a Honduran culture as best we can. I speak Spanish with my family and with my other Spanish speaking friends. In these areas, it is easy to keep my culture, but in school especially, it is difficult. They say that America is a salad bowl, with a mix of different cultures. I believe this to be true, in some places, but definitely not in public school. High School is hard enough when you’re different. If you don’t dress the right way, or say the right thing, you are labeled and ridiculed. Add to that not speaking the same language as a lot of your classmates. I am different from them, and some of them make sure to make me feel that way.