American Born Chinese

Personal Response

The book American Born Chinese is a great example of a graphic novel. It is also a book that I probably wouldn’t have picked up and read without it being assigned. I enjoyed the opportunity to read a graphic novel and appreciate what they have to offer the reader. I have become more familiar with this genre in the last few years, and I want to incorporate examples into my classroom. However, I always question if they are only for reluctant readers. After reading this, I realized that they have a lot to offer a reader.

I definitely think that a reluctant reader would benefit from the use of a graphic novel. It would be a great way to allow a student to gain confidence in their reading. I also was pleasantly surprised that the plot of the story was still so present with fewer words. It was amazing that the pictures told so much of the story. The vivid graphics brought the story to life and allowed the reader to visualize what was happening.

I initially dove right into the book, but considering the title, I found myself confused. I went back and read the inside flap of the book to discover that there were three characters. I assumed as I read that they would all come together, but I didn’t foresee how they would intertwine. I thought that this approach created excitement as I read. I enjoyed the different collection of plots. I really liked how the book had several different elements imbedded within one. The fantasy storyline crossed with the realistic fiction story line reaches a wide range of reading interests. The Monkey King showed us how dedicated he was to be successful, Jin Wang allows us to understand the struggles he felt to fit in, and Chin-Kee provides a stereotypical antagonist character.

I questioned the relationship between Danny and Chin-Kee as I read. My questions were answered when it was revealed that Danny was really Jin Wang.

Critical Response

Gene Luen Yang provides a well thought out story. The three plotlines that end up intertwining at the end provide a strong resolution to the book. Each story follows the plotline and comes alive with the brightly colored artwork. Each plotline was depicted by a different set of graphics, which provided a clear division of each story. Additionally, the blank page with the trademark logo that divided each section allowed the reader to know that the storyline was changing.

The graphics are very clear. The sharp, colorful images create the personalities of the characters. Many of the images don’t have words to accompany them, but they have a series of imaged that explain the details of an event. This was also used to show the passage of time. An example would be when the Monkey King was buried beneath the pile of rock for 500 years.

The language used for each plotline captured the characters completely. For example, we learn from the dialogue that Wei-Chen Sun has just moved to the United States. He speaks a very broken language, leaving out words.

“When I move to America, I was afraid nobody wants to be my friend. I come from a different place. Much, much different.”

Additionally, the character of Chin-Kee is created through his language and the inappropriate things that he says. For example, when he meets Danny’s study partner he says, “Hubba, Hubba, such pletty Amellican girl wiff bountiful Amellican bosom. Must bind feet and bear Chin-Kee’s children.” Through that line alone, the reader has a clear impression of Chin-Kee’s character.

Lastly, Yang provided a strong message of identity in his novel. He used the Monkey King who was determined to be better and bigger than he was as one example. It turned out that the Monkey King could escape his destiny under the mountain of rock by returning to his original form or being himself. Additionally, Jin Wang wanted to fit in and we learn at the end that he had “transformed” himself into Danny. The message is a strong one and one that young adolescents can easily relate to.