Yang Stereotypes

In this comic book about Yang’s new life in America, it is how two different worlds are facing each other. In this case how Yang’s Chinese background is facing with White Americans at his new school. In the modern world many Whites have different views on Chinese people and have different understanding of their cultures and traditions. For Yang it is difficult for him to decide if he is an American citizens, a Chinese immigrant, Chinese-American citizen or Asian American citizen. In reality many Chinese-American citizens are deciding if they are part of mainstream society or part of the Chinese culture because China is rising up as a superpower and surpassing America. In the comic when Yang’s story of the mystical Monkey King and
other Chinese myths shows how strong Yang’s has to his Chinese heritage. In reality most of Chinese-Americans especially in the older generations still retains some of their cultures’ value and little with America’s value. In the comic I believe that Yang does not know much about America’s value and live like an American. In today’s world many Chinese-American still believe in their values and do not like Americans way of life. In some sense there is a rivalry between China and America because of their way of life. Like the battle between East and West, where the East believes in discipline and respect and the West believes in independence and freedom. Similar China believes in no fun and respect towards the elders and America believes in fun and listening to everyone’s opinions. In the comic, many stereotypes does influences the relationship between Yang and his classmates.
For example when Timmy states that the Chinese eat dog meat. This is one of the most well-known stereotypes of the Chinese. In today’s world many Americans would not eat insects, rats, and other foods that the Chinese would eat. This shows lack of understanding between two cultures. Another stereotype I saw was when Yang was sitting on the lunch table talking to his friend and the rest of the class was playing football. This is similar to “The Tiger Mother” where the Chinese children are not allow to play with other children. In reality there some things that Chinese children would not do. Play in certain sports or date someone. Their parents would still follow Confucianism and not American way of
life. According to Yang these stereotypes are holding the Chinese-Americans back. In the comic when Timmy states a stereotype of the Chinese, Yang feels bad. In does not strengthen the Chinese people. Yang is often bullied by Timmy and other classmates at his school. I also see some sign that these stereotypes are haunting them. Yang for example is not making any new friends with Whites students but with other Asian-Americans students. In playing with sports, Yang would play with Sun and not with Whites. They would play with Asian type toys such as the transformers. In my view I see Yang as a weak Chinese boy that cannot defend himself and is afraid to with other non-Chinese people. He cannot understand anything American way of life. Sun on the other hand is a brave individual and can defend himself and seems to understand American and Chinese way of life. To me, Sun can become part of the American way of life than Yang can. I do not believe that Yang can be strengthen from the different stereotypes of the Chinese people by the White classmates. Sun on the other hand can be strengthen by the different stereotypes and became a better person and be part of the American society. In reality some Chinese-American can become part of American society while others do not become part of American society. Some Chinese people now-a-days are believe that China would become the most powerful country in the world and their way of life would be followed across the globe. Sun represent a new type of Chinese-American where they are smart and intelligent and becoming part of society where smart people are being successful. Yang in the comic book is hurt by the different stereotypes made by the White children and Sun is different, he is stronger than Yang. He does not let the stereotypes from the Whites children affect him. In the comic book at some point, Yang struggles to determine what he is.
He tries to find out if he is a Chinese-American, Chinese, American, or an Asian-American person. In reality majority of the Chinese and Chinese-American would say they are Asian-Americans. At the end I believe he choose to be Asian-American. I think that he made a good decision, because Asian-American has both Chinese and American identity. Yang wears a mask as he wants his classmates to see him as a Chinese or Chinese-American person but really want to be close as possible to be an American. Towards the end of the comics Yang is shifting from being Chinese or Chinese-American to become Asian-American. The author is making a big point to his readers about the identity of the
Chinese-Americans. In reality many Chinese and Chinese-American people want people to see them as part of both worlds of China and America. Some Asian-Americans want to be more Chinese as they believe that the 21st Century to be the century of the Chinese. In the century Chinese government is rising with big economy, military power, and their way of life, like education and there science program becoming equal or greater to America. The author shows that many Chinese children are having an identity crisis. Many children wants to be Americans as they want the same lifestyle as the American children have. But their parents want them to be Chinese to have no fun and to know Chinese culture, traditions, language, and to be isolated from non-Chinese people. The author also is showing from Yang’s character that many non-Chinese students are teasing the Chinese students for being different from them. In the 21st Century many Chinese have problems with their kids. Most kids choose to follow American values and discard Chinese culture are it is seen as old. Many parents wants their kids to follow their culture being better than Americans and this new culture is offensive to many older generations of Chinese-Americans. Finally the author uses Yang’s character to show the types of problems that many Chinese and Chinese-American kids are facing in 21st Century America in schools.