What is American born Chinese about?
That's one way to describe American Born Chinese, a graphic novel by Gene Yang. In a book that blends the humor of a comic strip with the multilayered narrative of a novel, Yang merges traditional Chinese culture with the struggle to combat racial stereotypes.
What is the message of American born Chinese by Gene Yang?
In American Born Chinese, a graphic novel written by an Asian American immigrant Gene Luen Yang, the author successfully communicates to the audience of unjustified stereotypes faced by Asian American youth that equally share his cultural background at schools (American).
How do I Track themes in American born Chinese?
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in American Born Chinese, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. On their way to their new house, Jin ’s mother tells Jin a Chinese parable. She says that long ago, a mother lived with her young son near a marketplace.
What influenced American born Chinese?
American Born Chinese is also influenced greatly by Yang’s Christian beliefs, which manifest as the very Christian God-like figure of Tze-Yo-Tzuh. Get the entire American Born Chinese LitChart as a printable PDF. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
What is the author's purpose in American Born Chinese?
In the young adult literature winning graphic novel American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, the authors purpose is to encourage young adults to accept themselves for whom they really are.
What does American Born Chinese talk about?
Jin Wang "struggles to survive exclusion and racist bullying in his search for an identity in a predominantly white suburban school." To deal with his crisis of identity he transforms himself into "Danny," a white boy who is the protagonist of the third narrative of the novel.
What lesson did Danny learn in American Born Chinese?
Danny doesn't want to be comfortable with his Chinese self—that's the whole point of his character. He's white on the outside for a reason; validating his Chinese origins (through Chin-Kee, through self-acceptance) would make it impossible for him to continue the fantasy of being white.
What is the theme of the Monkey King American Born Chinese?
Identity and Prejudice The Monkey king is a Chinese deity who, after being denied entrance to a party in Heaven for not wearing shoes, goes to great lengths to make himself more human.
What does American Born Chinese say about friendship?
In American Born Chinese, Wei-Chen does all sorts of things to support Jin, and that extends to showing Jin what Chinese American culture is all about. Friendship in the novel isn't just about two guys having each other's back: it's about showing your friend who he really is.
What can be learned from the Monkey King and American Born Chinese?
The two stories intertwine when we realize that the Monkey King is Chin-kee in disguise and his son is Wei-Chen Sun. The important quotes about identity show how it is important and, in a way, liberating to find your true identity and that you should never forsake it.
What is the purpose of the parable that Jin's mother tells him at the start of his story pg 23 24 And how does this lesson come to play later in the novel?
The parable that Jin's mother tells shows the reader as well as Jin that she values education above all else. Her story implies that it's not acceptable for Jin to become a salesman or shop owner, or for him to seek a religious life. Instead, he must pursue a career that's academic in nature.
What is the conflict of Danny?
The conflict Danny feels a conflict about being loyal to his father, to Mr. Victor Hazell or to the law.
Which event from American Born Chinese is an example of foreshadowing?
How is foreshadowing used in a story? Which event from American Born Chinese is an example of foreshadowing? a. The Chinese herbalist tells Jin Wang he can become whatever he wants as long as he is willing to give up his soul.
What lesson did the Monkey King learn?
At this point, the Monkey King returns Danny to his true form and shares his story with Jin. He encourages Jin to learn the same lesson that he did: that it's impossible and unfulfilling to be anyone but one's true self.
Why is the Monkey King trying to change himself?
The Monkey King attempts to transform himself to become more human like in regards to his physical appearance as well as his habits. In the process of trying to become someone else, he is neglecting himself. Throughout the story, Jin struggles with maintaining his identity because he tries to fit in with his peers.
What is the conflict in American Born Chinese?
Conflict Pt. The conflict in American Born Chinese was that Jin Wang did not feel accepted because he was Chinese. Wei-Chen Sun move to his school from Taiwan and made him feel accepted. When he got in a fight with Wei-Chen Sun, Jin changed himself physically.
Yang uses humour to make light of experiences that are not so humorous for the immigrants that experience them. Often when reading we laugh at painful experiences of the characters. Have you or anyone you've known had experiences that were funny to others
This is asking for your personal experience.
Why did the monkey king wish to learn this 4 disciplines? (chapter 1)
He wanted immortality. The Monkey King’s kingdom attracted monkeys from across the world. He ruled fairly, and, reading scrolls, he learned Kung-Fu...
What is the significance of the conversation with the herbalist? His response? Her "warning?" How does this work as a foreshadowing device1?
he significance is to show that Jin wants to be like a transformer who can change into something else to fit in. The Herbalist is a wise(sage). He...
What is American Born Chinese about?
The first, a fable, or a story featuring animals full of symbolic meaning that ends with a moral lesson, is about the Monkey King who wants ...
What is Yang's book about?
In a book that blends the humor of a comic strip with the multilayered narrative of a novel, Yang merges traditional Chinese culture with the struggle to combat racial stereotypes. The result is a story about a Chinese-American boy learning how to come to terms with his multifaceted identity.
Why does Jim belittle Wei Chen?
Jim belittles Wei-Chen in order to gain the trust of his white classmates. In the process, he sacrifices their friendship.
Why did Tze Yo Tzuh banishe the monkey?
As punishment, the supreme god, Tze-Yo-Tzuh, banishes the monkey in a mountain cave for 500 years to ponder his situation. However, he is saved by a Buddhist monk. The monkey must follow his new master and learn the virtue of humility.
What is the third story in Danny and Chin Kee?
Danny & Chin-Kee. The third story centers on Danny, a white American teenager who's extremely embarrassed by his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee. When he arrives at Danny's house, his luggage is packed in oversized Chinese food takeout boxes.
Who is Jin Wang?
Jin Wang is the titular Chinese-American boy. He and his family have just moved to a new neighborhood where Jin struggles to fit in. His physical appearance, his exotic boxed lunch, and his accent all fall in line with what his classmates expect of a Chinese boy. On his first day of school a classmate, Timmy, says, ''My Momma says Chinese people eat dogs.'' Jin is bullied on the playground. It's a terrible first day.
Who is Wei Chen?
The Monkey King also reveals that Wei-Chen is his son who, having taken human form, escaped to America. At the conclusion, with the Monkey King's help, Jin learns to come to terms with his Chinese-American identity and apologizes to his friend, Wei-Chen. Main Themes.
What is the theme of American Born Chinese?
Transformation is perhaps the most prominent theme in American Born Chinese, as the desire to change form and therefore identity is the trait that unites the Monkey King and Jin and shows how their stories work as parallels. Early in the book, the Monkey King trains himself in Kung-Fu and Taoist disciplines in order to transcend his lowly status as a monkey and become a supreme being whose power rivals the creator of the universe. In Jin's storyline, Jin learns as a child that he can grow up to be a transformer—i.e. the shape-shifting toy he likes to play with—if he sacrifices his soul. Later, he makes good on this advice when he escapes his shameful identity as an American-born Chinese boy and adopts the Danny alter-ego. The two storylines collide when Chin-Kee reveals his true form as the Monkey King and teaches Jin that he could have saved himself five hundred years under a pile of rocks if only he accepted that it is good to live as a monkey. With this lesson, Jin accepts his own true form.
What is the theme of Chin Kee?
The theme of racial discrimination surfaces consistently throughout the novel. Discrimination is usually practiced in the form of casually racist comments directed toward Jin, Wei-Chen, or Suzy, though discrimination is sometimes handled in more overtly. Chin-Kee, for instance, embodies every anti-Chinese caricature America has conjured since the late 1800s, and therefore encapsulates discrimination in an absurd package. Discrimination also functions in the novel in more nuanced ways: using euphemistic and indirect language, Greg intervenes to keep Jin from dating Amelia, as Greg believes they aren't suited for each other. Later, he tells Amelia that Jin is a bit of a "geek"; presumably, this is his coded way of socially excluding Jin because he is Chinese.
What does it mean when Jin meets Wei-Chen?
Through acceptance, Jin overcomes his discontent and meets with Wei-Chen as a symbolic means of reconnecting with Chinese culture and true friendship. Just like the Monkey King, Jin overcomes discontent and finds peace through acceptance.
What does the Monkey King feel about Jin?
The Monkey King feels a social pressure to wear shoes and not to be a monkey, while Jin feels the social pressure to conceal his Chinese cultural background while at school—unless he is comfortable being made an object of humiliation.
What does Jin tell Wei Chen?
Jin later wields social pressure against Wei-Chen: in reaction to the way bullies make Jin feel like an outsider whose culture isn't acceptable, Jin tells Wei-Chen to act less like he is "fresh off the boat.". Study Guide Navigation. About American Born Chinese. American Born Chinese Summary. Character List.
How long did Chin Kee save himself?
The two storylines collide when Chin-Kee reveals his true form as the Monkey King and teaches Jin that he could have saved himself five hundred years under a pile of rocks if only he accepted that it is good to live as a monkey. With this lesson, Jin accepts his own true form.
What is Jin's discontent?
As a parallel, Jin's discontent comes from feeling excluded from the mainstream white majority at his school. This leads Jin to fantasize about transforming into Danny, a popular white boy. Adopting this idealized identity, Jin loses touch with his true identity.
What is the context of American born Chinese?
American Born Chinese draws from the long history of racism and discrimination against Chinese immigrants in the United States. The first major influx of Chinese immigrants occurred during the California Gold Rush beginning in 1848.
What is Yang's most famous work?
Though American Born Chinese is his most famous work, he also wrote the series Avatar: The Last Airbender for Dark Horse Comics, as well as a Chinese character featured in DC Comics’ New Superman. Yang is vocal about the educational value of comics and graphic novels.
What is the message of the novel Chin Kee?
Yang’s primary message of the novel is to persuade students to overcome racial adversities and accept their true identities. He effectively utilizes pathos in the scenes where everyone dislikes Chin-Kee’s “abnormal” behavior and where Jin constantly has to fight against Asian stereotypes to highlight the hardships of acculturation of young generation in America. On the other hand, the implicit message of the novel is to allow educators to notice and seek for solutions on racial discrimination against non-white groups students that discourage their academic motivation and cultural preservation. In light of Yang’s primary and secondary messages, the audience can learn that culture is not static or inherent for anyone. Instead, it is reproduced and learned by young generation as an account of evolving and complex progress through educational experience. Yang appeals to the greatest level of audience with three different genres and demonstrate to them the idea that minority youth culture is shaped and distorted in academic environment through the use of stereotyped behaviors, provocative language and ironic caricatures of Chin-Kee in the novel.
Why did Yang want to draw the attention of Asian American immigrant specifically through the novel?
These words indicate that Yang wants to draw the attention of Asian American immigrant specifically through the novel because of his academic experience. Nonetheless, the book’s increasing popularity successfully brought the attention of educators and critics of American power structures.
Long Essay on American Born Chinese Essay
The first story is about the monkey king who is deprived of some authority and desperate to prove his superiority over others. He practices martial arts to increase his abilities, and to show off his skills. His feelings of superiority lead him to take certain inappropriate steps.
Short Essay on American Born Chinese
American Born Chinese is a famous graphic story written by Gene Luen Yang. It has won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2007, National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature in 2006, the winner of the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album, and Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year.
Unit Summary
In this unit, students continue their year-long interrogation of the American Dream by reading the acclaimed graphic novel American Born Chinese, written by Gene Luen Yang.
Texts and Materials
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Assessment
This assessment accompanies Unit 5 and should be given on the suggested assessment day or after completing the unit.
Common Core Standards
L.7.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
What is the name of the monkey in American Born Chinese?
American Born Chinese contains three apparently separate storylines that eventually intersect. The book begins with the story of the Monkey King ("Sun Wukong" in Chinese), who is one of the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West.
Where did Jin Wang grow up?
Jin Wang 's storyline establishes how he grew up in the U.S. as the first-generation child of Chinese immigrants. After living his early life in San Francisco's Chinatown, Jin moves to a suburb and attends a school where he is one of three Asian students.
Who is Wei Chen?
The Monkey King explains that Wei-Chen is his son, who was tasked with living on Earth in mortal form for forty years and avoiding human vice. Since their falling out, Wei-Chen devoted himself to a life of human pleasures.
What does Tze-Yo-Tzuh learn from the monkey king?
The heavens level an execution order against him, but he learns new Kung-Fu disciplines to make himself invulnerable to attack and capable of shifting his shape. Eventually, Tze-Yo-Tzuh, the creator of everything, approaches the monkey king after hearing much about his rampage.
What is the chapter 2 of American Born Chinese?
American Born Chinese: Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis. American Born Chinese: Chapter 2. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in American Born Chinese, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. On their way to their new house, Jin ’s mother tells Jin a Chinese parable. She says that long ago, a mother lived ...
What does Jin's mother tell Jin?
On their way to their new house, Jin ’s mother tells Jin a Chinese parable. She says that long ago, a mother lived with her young son near a marketplace. The son spent his time pretending to buy and sell sticks and haggled with his friends.
What does Timmy tell Jin to do?
On one of Jin’s first days at school, Timmy and his crew approach and ask Jin what he’s eating. When Jin explains that he has dumplings for lunch, Timmy warns Jin to stay away from his dog. A blond boy with curly hair named Greg tells Timmy to be cool, but Timmy calls Greg a “pansy-boy.”.
What does Jin's mother tell the reader about his new house?
They arrive at their new house. The parable that Jin’s mother tells shows the reader as well as Jin that she values education above all else.
What does Wei Chen look like?
For some reason, Jin wants to beat Wei-Chen up. Wei-Chen looks uncool: he wears huge glasses, a robot shirt, and high-waisted sweatpants. He approaches Jin during lunch and, in Mandarin, asks if he is Chinese.
What does Jin ask Wei-Chen?
Jin spits that Wei-Chen should speak English in America. Wei-Chen struggles to ask his question in English and then asks if they can be friends. Jin insists he has enough friends.
Where is Jin from?
Jin corrects her on his name and that he’s from San Francisco. A boy named Timmy raises his hand and says that according to his mom, Chinese people eat dogs. Mrs. Greeder says that she’s sure Jin doesn’t do that—his family probably stopped as soon as they arrived in the U.S.
