The Graphic Novel 'American Born Chinese' By Gene Yang

The graphic novel American Born Chinese, by Gene Yang, tells three stories, which revolve around a main character who has to overcome the pain of being a social outcast, while having a goal to maintain his or her identity. The characters in the novel are too caught up trying to be someone they are not, however in doing so they forget their true identities, which they should not forget. There is first the monkey king who would like to be in heaven. Throughout the novel, the Monkey King is shown just as strong as any other God, by mastering the twelve Kung Fu disciplines. One night, a guard forbids the Monkey King from entering a party, “Yes, yes. I apologize profusely sir, but I cannot let you in…you may be a king- you may even be a deity- but
When Danny feels as if he has fit into his new school, his cousin Chin-Kee comes to visit, making him feeling embarrassed at school. Yang portrays Chin-Kee as the stereotype of a Chinese person; he is smart and does not know how to speak fluent English. For every question the teacher asks, Chin-Kee knows the answer to it. The author emphasizes together the intelligence and the language stereotype, “Ooh ooh! Chin-Kee knows this one”(Yang 111). Yang portrays Chin-Kee as the smartest in his class, illustrating how American-Asians are seen as the smartest people. At the end of the novel Danny turns back into Jin and realizes his mistake in mistreating Chin-Kee. Racial stereotypes have made the characters feel insecure and a social outcast. The visual appearances of the comics play a big role in portraying the racism. In the novel, Chin-Kee is introduced on a “full-page panel arranged to look like the opening title of an old television show”(Song). The full page of the character portrays the stereotypes associated with Chin-Kee. Yang also presents Chin-Kee on his own page with “Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee” written in big letters to depict the racial stereotype of broken English language. Chin-Kee’s image is drawn with yellow skin, bucked teeth, long braided hair, and dressed in traditional Chinese clothing with his pupils nowhere to be seen. The visuals assist in conveying all the stereotypes that the author wants the reader to see. When introduced later in the novel to Chin-Kee he has transformed completely, this time but now as a “ Chinese coolie”(Song). A car beating with music pulls up next to the café. Yang does not depict Chin-Kee coming out of it; however, he is seen on the next page smoking a cigarette. Yang utilizes visuals to accurately illustrate Chin-Kee’s stereotypical