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American Born Chinese Summary, Characters and Themes

“American Born Chinese,” a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, presents a compelling narrative that intertwines three distinct yet connected stories, exploring themes of identity, racism, and assimilation. 

The novel, notable for being the first graphic novel nominated for a National Book Award, weaves its tale through characters spanning from the 16th century to modern America.

Full Summary

The first storyline introduces us to the Monkey King, a deity from Flower-Fruit Mountain. After being denied entry to a heavenly party for being a shoeless monkey, the Monkey King, humiliated, trains in solitude, mastering invulnerability and shape-shifting. 

He renames himself “The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven,” and violently forces the celestial beings to recognize his new title. However, Tze-Yo-Tzuh, the creator, confronts him, leading to the Monkey King’s imprisonment under a mountain for disrespecting his true nature.

Centuries later, the Monkey King is destined to become a disciple of the monk Wong Lai-Tsao. When Wong Lai-Tsao arrives, the Monkey King initially refuses to help but reconsiders after seeing the monk’s plight with demons. 

Abandoning his pretenses and shoes, he reverts to his monkey form and agrees to accompany Wong Lai-Tsao.

Parallel to this ancient story is the life of Jin Wang, a Chinese-American boy grappling with his identity. 

Born in San Francisco’s Chinatown to immigrant parents, Jin’s life changes when his family moves to the suburbs. At his new school, Jin faces racial stereotypes and loneliness, with his only respite being his friendship with Wei-Chen, a boy from Taiwan. 

Jin’s struggle with his cultural identity intensifies as he falls for Amelia, a classmate, and undergoes a series of personal conflicts and transformations in his quest for acceptance and love.

Interspersed with these tales is a satirical sitcom narrative, “Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee.” 

It features Danny, a typical American teenager, whose life is upended by the arrival of his cousin Chin-Kee, a caricature embodying offensive Asian stereotypes. Chin-Kee’s antics embarrass Danny at school, revealing the underlying racial tensions and prejudices in his environment .

The stories converge when Jin, transformed into his alter ego Danny, confronts Chin-Kee, who is revealed to be the Monkey King in disguise. 

The Monkey King imparts wisdom to Jin about embracing one’s true self . Jin, realizing the importance of accepting his heritage, seeks reconciliation with Wei-Chen.

The novel concludes with Jin and Wei-Chen rekindling their friendship over pearl milk tea, symbolizing Jin’s journey towards self-acceptance and the complexities of the Asian-American experience. 

This graphic novel masterfully combines myth, humor, and real-life struggles, offering a poignant commentary on identity and belonging.

Jin Wang/Danny

Jin Wang, the protagonist of the book is a Chinese-American middle schooler whose journey is central to the novel. 

Initially living in Chinatown, San Francisco, Jin is cocooned in his Asian culture until his family moves to the suburbs, exposing him to the stark realities of racism and the feeling of being an “other.” 

This cultural and racial awakening is tumultuous, as Jin struggles with the clash of his American upbringing and Chinese heritage. 

His internal conflict escalates when he transforms into his alter ego, Danny, an idealized White version of himself. 

Through Danny’s experiences, Jin confronts the painful truth that changing his appearance cannot shield him from his internal struggles. 

Jin’s journey towards self-acceptance, reconciling his dual identity, is a poignant reflection of the Asian-American experience.

Wei-Chen Sun/The Monkey King’s Son

Wei-Chen Sun, an immigrant from Taiwan, contrasts Jin with his comfort in his Asian identity. 

His friendship with Jin is a pivotal aspect of the story, providing a lens through which Jin’s identity crisis is further explored. Wei-Chen’s struggle is less about cultural assimilation and more about the personal betrayals and challenges he faces, particularly his fallout with Jin. 

The revelation of Wei-Chen being the Monkey King’s son adds a mythical dimension to his character, symbolizing the interplay of heritage and identity. 

Despite his exposure to American culture, Wei-Chen maintains a stronger connection to his Asian roots, navigating the complexities of cultural integration in his unique way.

The Monkey King/Chin-Kee

The Monkey King, a mythical figure from Chinese folklore, and his alter-ego Chin-Kee represent contrasting attitudes towards cultural identity. 

The Monkey King’s initial shame about his identity and subsequent journey to self-acceptance highlight the internal conflicts arising from cultural pressures. 

Chin-Kee, a caricature of Chinese stereotypes, embodies a bold, albeit exaggerated, embrace of cultural identity. 

This duality serves as a critique of how Asian identities are perceived and stereotyped, with the Monkey King’s eventual enlightenment underscoring the novel’s theme of embracing one’s true self.

Suzy Nakamura

Suzy Nakamura, of Japanese descent, is a key figure in Jin’s life, challenging the stereotype that all Asians are alike. 

Her relationship with Wei-Chen and her interaction with Jin, especially after his misguided romantic advance, demonstrate the nuanced dynamics within their Asian-American community. Suzy’s character adds depth to the narrative, reflecting the varied experiences of Asian-Americans in navigating racial and cultural identities.

Amelia, a White classmate and the object of Jin’s affection, represents the complexities of interracial interactions in the novel. Her response to Jin’s advances and the subsequent intervention by Greg add layers to Jin’s struggle with identity and acceptance. 

Amelia’s character, although not deeply explored, acts as a catalyst for Jin’s exploration of his self-worth and the challenges of cross-cultural relationships.

Greg, Jin’s White classmate, initially appears as a potential ally but later complicates Jin’s journey towards self-acceptance. 

His request for Jin to stay away from Amelia, under the guise of protecting her social standing, reflects the subtle nuances of racial dynamics in their school. Greg’s character highlights the often-unspoken barriers and prejudices that exist within seemingly inclusive environments.

Tze-Yo-Tzuh

Tze-Yo-Tzuh, the creator in the novel, represents an omnipotent force, overseeing and influencing the lives of both deities and humans. 

His interactions with the Monkey King, especially in enlightening him about his true nature, are pivotal in the narrative, underscoring themes of destiny, identity, and the power of acceptance.

Wong Lai-Tsao

Wong Lai-Tsao, a humble monk, is a foil to the Monkey King. Despite his flaws, his kindness, compassion, and acceptance of his destiny set him apart. His role in the Monkey King’s transformation from arrogance to enlightenment demonstrates the profound impact of humility and understanding in one’s journey of self-discovery.

1. Identity and Self-Acceptance

At the heart of the book lies the profound exploration of identity and the journey towards self-acceptance. 

The character of Jin Wang personifies this struggle, representing the experiences of many Asian-Americans who grapple with the dual aspects of their identity. Jin’s transition from his life in Chinatown to the predominantly white suburbs highlights his internal conflict between his Chinese heritage and the desire to assimilate into American culture. 

This theme is further exemplified through his transformation into Danny, a physical manifestation of his longing to escape ethnic stereotypes and racial prejudice. Similarly, the Monkey King’s story, paralleling Jin’s, delves into the denial and eventual acceptance of one’s true nature. 

His initial rejection of his monkey form and subsequent punishment serve as a metaphor for the consequences of denying one’s roots and the liberation found in embracing one’s authentic self.

2. Racism and Stereotyping

Gene Luen Yang addresses the poignant issue of racism and the impact of stereotyping in a multi-layered manner. 

Through Jin Wang’s experiences in school, where he faces microaggressions and overt racism from both peers and authority figures, the novel lays bare the everyday realities of racial prejudice faced by Asian-Americans. 

These instances, ranging from misconceptions about cultural practices to outright offensive comments, paint a vivid picture of the challenges in navigating a society where one is constantly seen as the ‘other.’ 

The character of Chin-Kee in the sitcom narrative satirizes racial stereotypes, using exaggeration to critique how Asian-Americans are often portrayed in media and perceived in society. 

This facet of the story provides a stark commentary on the dangers of perpetuating stereotypes and the dehumanizing effect it has on individuals.

3. Assimilation and Cultural Conflict

The book intricately weaves the theme of assimilation and the cultural conflict that arises from trying to blend into a society that is markedly different from one’s cultural heritage. 

Jin’s desire to be like his American classmates, epitomized by changing his hairstyle and his attraction to Amelia, reflects the broader struggle of balancing the expectations and norms of two distinct cultures. 

The pressure to conform and the consequent alienation from one’s roots are poignantly depicted through his character’s emotional turmoil. 

Additionally, the novel portrays the generational gap in attitudes towards assimilation, as seen in the differing perspectives of Jin and his parents, further highlighting the complexity of navigating cultural identity within immigrant families. 

This theme resonates with the universal experience of immigrants and their descendants, who often find themselves at the crossroads of preserving their cultural heritage while seeking acceptance in their new homeland.

Final Thoughts

“American Born Chinese” is a powerful and insightful graphic novel that adeptly tackles complex themes of identity, racism, and self-acceptance. Gene Luen Yang skillfully intertwines mythology with modern-day struggles, offering a unique perspective on the Asian-American experience. 

The novel’s blend of humor, drama, and cultural critique makes it a poignant and engaging read, particularly for young adults navigating their own identities. 

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang: Novel Analysis Essay (Critical Writing)

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The graphic novel American Born Chinese was published by Gene Luen Yang in 2006, and quickly won the author and the colorist who took part in its creation fame. The reason for extreme popularity of the book seems to be in the topics explored by the American Chinese person who gets a deeper insight into what it means to be someone a person really does not represent.

The work is dedicated to the gap drawn between the Chinese and American people, even in case the former are American-born. More than that, the book is also about the gap between Chinese – those residing in China, or coming as immigrants to the USA, as compared to those born in the United States.

As one can see, there are many allegories in the work indicating the discrepancy between self-perception of Chinese, and perception that Americans adopt towards them.

The first allegory used in the book is the one of the Monkey King who was a great person, who was recognized by gods from the very first moment of his birth, and who worked restlessly on the improvement of his skills and strength to build a strong kingdom and to become a deity for his people (Yang 7-9). However, as soon as Monkey King decided to attend the party of gods he was rejected because he was a monkey and had no shoes.

The present story is very educative regarding the stereotypes attitude of one category of people towards others – no matter how great one is, and how much he or she is honored by his own nation, he will never be recognized equally by another society (it may seem an allegory for the Chinese coming to the USA – no matter how educated and intelligent they are, they will still never gain equal recognition and respect from Americans.

Another story is about the boy whose name is Jin Wang; he is a typical representative of the Chinese culture, though he is an American born Chinese – he eats with chopsticks, and the teacher who introduces him to the new class does not even try to find out where he is from, stating that Jin moved to their neighborhood from China, though he actually came from San Francisco (Yang 30).

The stereotypical attitude of the teacher is also felt in the fact that she does not try to dismiss the question about eating dogs from Jin’s classmates, and assumes that Jin’s family has probably seized the practice when moving to the USA (Yang 30).

Finally, Jin reveals the shame he has about being Chinese when the new boy from Taiwan asks him in Chinese, and hears “You are in America. Speak English” (Yang 37). Hence, Jin shows that he has accepted the American style of life (at first he ate dumplings with chopsticks, but then the reader sees him eat a typical American sandwich, after mocking of schoolboys) (Yang 32, 37).

The third story is also a representation of hardships Chinese have in the USA, no matter whether they are American born or not. Jin who experiences constant mispronunciation of his name realizes that he will never be treated well until he replaces a Chinese name with an American one: ““A new face deserved a new name.

I decided to call myself…Danny” (Yang 198). However, the morale of this part is that the name is only a superficial representation of one’s self, and changing the name will never help an individual change his or her essence, still remaining a Chinese. The gap is even wider between Americans and Chinese when the former see how the latter try to resemble them, and reject their effort (returning to the Monkey Kind’s topic – his might and grandeur was never appreciated by deities, as they pointed at his being a monkey).

Drawing a conclusion from the present response paper, one has to pay attention to the central figure introduced by Yang – the supreme deity Tze-Yo-Tzuh. The present deity has a symbolic name meaning ‘he who is’; therefore, the topic of the book becomes transparent – people in the USA have long ago forgotten about getting those they really are, as they try to make an impression on others, they try to be better than they are, as a result losing their identity, their history and culture, as well as their pride.

Being the one a person really is represents a luxury not everyone, but only supreme deities may afford, which is highly allegoric of the American nation refusing to accept immigrants and forgetting that they are actually an initially immigrant nation with the only difference – they came only a couple of centuries earlier.

Works Cited

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese . New York: Square Fish, 2006.

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American Born Chinese Essay | A Topic on Cultural Identity in Gene Luen Yang Novel American Born Chinese

December 3, 2021 by Prasanna

American Born Chinese Essay: ‘American Born Chinese’ is a famous graphic novel authored by Gene Luen Yang. It has a special type of structure where three different stories are related to each other and finally converge in the end. Each story is based on a central character that feels being judged and tries to fit in. The story features many stereotypical ideas and opinions prevalent in America throughout the twentieth century. The American Born Chinese stories represent a combination of humor and reality. Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese focuses on the life of a typical Chinese boy facing challenges of modern-day stereotyping. It gives readers a flavor of the emotional and creative storyline. The author joins three very separate stories very subtly to illustrate the experience of a Chinese-American boy within an environment that is not always very welcoming to his real and perceived differences.

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Long Essay on American Born Chinese Essay

The Storyline

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. When he was advised that he should be content with what he is, the monkey king refuses. He was punished for his poor choices and freed himself back only after hundreds of years by reducing himself to his original size. After that, the monkey king sends his son Wei-Chen on a journey but takes the disguise of Chin-kee to keep a watch on his son and his activities.

In the second plot, Jin is a young Chinese American who can’t find himself fit with the school environment. He made a friendship with Wei-Chen who is also an immigrant and also develops a relationship with Amelia. Then Amelia’s friend Greg insults Jin, which makes him wish he were white. When he wakes up, he finds himself changed as white, and he renames himself Danny, which leads to the third story.

Danny is in high school but decides to change schools every year following the visit of his cousin Chin-kee who completely embarrasses him by his typical Chinese racial stereotype attitude. Danny becomes angry with Chin-kee’s behavior and hits him in the face. This punch breaks the disguise and brings him back to the original figure of the monkey king. The monkey king also reveals Danny’s actual form by turning him back into Jin. The monkey king explains how Wei-Chen had decided not to live a virtuous life any longer and went away. Jin decided to wait every night until finally one night Wei-Chen returned. The two boys became friends once more.

The Underlying Message

Graphic novels can represent stories much better through most genres, because of the format that uses the power of visualization and lighter mode. This book is also not an exception to that. A sensitive topic like racism that would normally be fairly tough to discuss, is done in a manner that it appeals to the readers. There is an inner flow of message passing through all the stories which say there is nothing like a happy ending and life has a continuous movement. However, the characters find a better way of understanding themselves during interaction with others. Chin-Kee could be viewed as problematic to some readers, but the thought process that accompanies his actions makes it clear that he is meant to be a representation of all the negative traits that westerners view of the Chinese. At first, the reader may find the three stories separate, but when these are merged together at the end it creates an impact that makes this novel really interesting.

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.

The novel features strong themes of racial stereotypes, particularly Americans’ perception of the Chinese and other East Asian communities. For example, Monkey King serves as a symbol for minority races particularly those who want to hide their backgrounds to assimilate into the majority culture. He is determined to prove that he is more than just a Monkey and desires to be recognized as powerful as others. The character of Chin-Kee is also an example of a Chinese stereotype who is being discriminated by racial remarks generally used for unskilled Chinese workers.

The Moral of the Story

Anyone who ever felt like they didn’t fit in can relate to the characters of the novel. Jin Wang feels like an outsider at school as he is the only Chinese-American student there. Danny feels embarrassed while dealing with the yearly visit of his cousin Chin-Kee who is a Chinese stereotype. The monkey god finds him inferior in the eyes of the other deities and wants to rise too fast to face recognition from the other gods. But Yung conveys the message in the story that one has to be comfortable with oneself, not to make fun of people due to their communities, and to accept people from all backgrounds as friends. The novel depicts transformations of identity as the theme and the narrative structure helps to establish the characters as the key elements of the way the story is told.

FAQ’s on American Born Chinese Essay

Question 1. How many plots are there in the main novel ‘American Born Chinese’?

Answer: There are three separate stories in the novel that are merged at the conclusion.

Question 2. Who are the protagonists in each of these stories?

Answer: The first story has the monkey god as the leading character, the second story revolves around Jin as the protagonist and the third plot narrates the story of Danny.

Question 3. What is the underlying message in the story ‘American Born Chinese’?

Answer: The message of the story is to be comfortable with who you are, not to bully others due to their ethnicities, and to accept people from all backgrounds in your community.

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American Born Chinese

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Jin Wang/Danny

The monkey king/chin-kee, wei-chen sun, tze-yo-tzuh, wong lai-tsao.

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Suzy nakamura, the herbalist’s wife, peter garbinsky, jin’s mother, jin’s father, the emissaries of tze-yo-tzuh, mrs. greeder.

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American Born Chinese

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Exam Answer Key

Consider Yang’s perspective of stereotypes. What are some of the harmful stereotypes represented in the novel? How do the characters react to these stereotypes? Why does the author include these stereotypes, and to what extent are they effectively used? Provide your rationale based on text details.

Teaching Suggestion: Stereotypes are a pervasive motif throughout the novel; in fact, Yang weaves the harmfulness of stereotypes through each of the narratives. In the story of the Monkey King, the protagonist is discriminated against due to his species; in the story of Jin, he experiences discrimination at school from his peers because he is Asian. Finally, the character of “Chin-Kee” is a hyperbolic stereotype through the lens of racist viewpoints. By weaving the theme of Otherness and the Effects of Racism and Discrimination throughout each of these stories, Yang speaks to the effect that stereotypes have on the pervasive discrimination that is passed down through generations.

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American Born Chinese

Racism in "american born chinese" rohan gupta 10th grade.

As much as the public is informed of the efforts to combat racism in today’s world, Gene Luen Yang proves in his graphic novel American Born Chinese that racism exists at considerable strength today. Through three intertwining stories, Yang demonstrates the ostracization and fear alien cultures receive from a so- called “normal” society, where those who blend in are accepted. His goal remains to prove the statement that “Racism detriments ego, degrades the identity of cultures and individuals, and leads to a forced assimilation under the thumb of the so-called normal public.”

The statement above represents the journey of each character in the book, as they experience racism, lose a sense of ego, and undergo a forced assimilation. The Monkey King is perhaps the most ancient protagonist represented in the book, almost a deity, his story resounds most clearly as a personification of the beginning of the theme statement. In the beginning of the story, the Monkey King is detained by a guard under the grounds of being a monkey, and is denied admission to a heavenly party: “You may be a king - you may even be a deity - but you are still a monkey… Have a good evening sir” (Yang 15). The Monkey King subsequently gives in to an...

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — American Born Chinese — American Born Chinese Book Analysis

American Born Chinese Book Analysis

• Categories: American Born Chinese

About this sample

Words: 991 |

Published: Nov 8, 2019

Words: 991 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Prompt examples for the "american born chinese" essays, american born chinese essay example.

• Stereotypes and Their Impact Discuss the role of stereotypes in "American Born Chinese." How do stereotypes affect the characters' lives and relationships? Explore the broader implications of stereotypes in society based on the events in the story.
• Reactions to Chin-Kee Analyze the various reactions of characters in the story to Chin-Kee's presence. How do characters like Danny, Melanie, and others respond to Chin-Kee, and what does this reveal about the influence of stereotypes?
• Chin-Kee's Representation of Asian Culture Examine how Chin-Kee represents and reinforces stereotypes about Asian culture. Explore specific instances in the book where Chin-Kee's behavior and appearance contribute to these stereotypes and their consequences.
• Identity and Denial Explore the theme of identity and denial in "American Born Chinese." How do characters like Jin/Danny grapple with their cultural identity, and what consequences do their attempts at denial have on their lives and relationships?
• Exclusion and Uncomfortable Interactions Discuss how Chin-Kee's behavior leads to feelings of exclusion and discomfort among the American students. How do these interactions shed light on the challenges faced by Asian Americans in dealing with stereotypes and cultural differences?

The Portrayal of Chin-Kee and Stereotypes

The power of subversion and self-identity.

• Yang, G. L. (2006). American Born Chinese. Square Fish.
• Sue, D. W. (2013). Race talk and the conspiracy of silence: Understanding and facilitating difficult dialogues on race. John Wiley & Sons.
• Phan, L. (2008). Making faces: Using literature to explore stereotypes. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(5), 414-423.
• Zhou, M. (2009). Contemporary Chinese America: Immigration , ethnicity, and community transformation. Temple University Press.
• Chan, S. (2015). Asian American children: A historical handbook and guide. ABC-CLIO.
• Lee, S. J. (2010). Unraveling the “model minority” stereotype: Listening to Asian American youth. Teachers College Press.
• Chou, R. S., & Feagin, J. R. (2015). The myth of the model minority: Asian Americans facing racism. Paradigm Publishers.

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