Trish Ladd
11/06/09
INLS 530
American Born Chinese and Adolescent Development
Among other things, adolescence is a search for acceptance. Adolescents constantly seek
validation from their peers, society at large, and, often the most difficult to win over, themselves.
Gene Luen Yang’s award-winning graphic novel American Born Chinese will most appeal to
teens not for its snappy, colorful graphics or realistic dialogue, but for its broader themes of
acceptance: both of others and of self. Yang wraps these themes in appealing though realistically
flawed characters as well as fantastical elements that challenge an adolescent’s newly increased
cognitive abilities1.
These increased cognitive abilities are needed to understand the interwoven aspects of the
novel. Though the book appears at first to be three entirely separate stories set in entirely
different universes, by the end Yang has tightly woven all three into one story through the use of
multiple identities—a common feeling for teens, particularly those coming from different
cultural backgrounds2. The switch between retold Chinese folklore and modern day high school
might be too jarring for younger readers, too confused by the opposing settings to keep reading
to the end or too young to realize the common themes before the stories merge. The third story,
following Danny and his cousin, Chin-Kee, especially exercises these increased cognitive
abilities as well as the adolescent development of a personal value system 3. Chin-Kee’s character
is an extremely offensive Chinese stereotype whose first panel in the story introduces him as
buck-toothed with a long braided ponytail, luggage shaped like giant Chinese food takeout
1
Havighurst, Robert J.
Abad, Neetu S.; Sheldon, Kennon M.
3
Havighurst, Robert J.
2
1
boxes, and liquid consonant confusion (“Harro Amellica!”)4. Beneath all panels where Chin-Kee
speaks or Danny seems embarrassed by him, Yang places large yellow letters saying “HA HA
HA HA” or sometimes “HA HA HA HA CLAP CLAP CLAP” 5 clearly meant to mimic the
laugh tracks commonly heard on sitcom television shows. Adolescents will understand this
cultural reference and (hopefully) realize that Chin-Kee’s over the top appearance and behavior
is all part of Yang’s commentary on stereotypes in our society and not racial commentary or
racist jokes. Once realizing that Chin-Kee is not meant to be taken at face value, adolescent
readers can begin to appreciate the text—and the eventual plot twists—for the wider themes that
they represent.
Naturally any adolescent reader also grappling with being a second generation immigrant
or other problems of cultural identity will read the book on a different level than those teens
going through the more generalized identity affirmation common in adolescence 6. Although the
majority of research in this field has been done on first generation immigrants adapting to a host
culture, what has been studied about second-generation children forming a sense of self between
the often conflicting natal and host cultures mirrors the struggles both Jin and Wei-Chen face in
American Born Chinese. According to Abad and Sheldon, second generation immigrants like Jin
and Wei-Chen often face “more daily hassles, in-group conflict, and lowered self-esteem” and
that “they also receive more frequent diagnoses of internalizing disorders than either first
generation immigrants or U.S. born peers”7. Because of these compounded difficulties with
identity and social and personal acceptance, it would be beneficial if books like American Born
Chinese were available for second generation immigrant teens so that they could recognize
4
Yang, 48
Yang, 50, 203
6
Havighurst, Robert J.
7
Abad and Sheldon
5
2
themselves and their own struggles in literature and retain a sense of validation, a sense that
enmeshing their two cultures is possible and that they are not alone. Research backs up the end
message of the novel that “rejection of either the natal or the host culture may lead to lowered
well-being”8. Both Jin and Wei-Chen reject the culture of their parents and realize over time that
their lives are unfulfilled and empty9. Jin who transforms himself into the average, All-American
Danny, finds himself haunted by the specter of Asian stereotypes, a duality Yang portrays
literally though the characters—as well as teens in reality—face the same metaphoric struggle
earlier in the book with racist peers and adults.
Teens do not have to be struggling with cultural identity to connect with American Born
Chinese, however. Despite its more overt themes of racism and cultural acceptance, the book can
also be taken as a commentary of more general forms of self-acceptance, especially in relation to
authority figures. According to Aaron White, “a natural tendency to be in conflict with adults
helps adolescents find their own paths”10. Even if the adults’ intentions are well-meant—such as
when Jin’s parents forbid him to date so that he will concentrate on school11--adolescents will
always prefer to learn such lessons on their own. This independence is evident in Jin and WeiChen and their separate rebellions, but most detailed in the story of the Monkey King, who
begins the story acting quite childish, denying that he is a monkey and irrationally fighting
anyone who disagrees. This rebellious attitude is typified by his interactions with the Creator,
who tells him: “A monkey I intended you to be. A monkey you are. Please accept this and stop
your foolishness”12. To the Monkey King, just as to the adolescent brain, wired for emotion and
8
Abad and Sheldon
Yang, 223, 229
10
White
11
Yang, 163
12
Yang 81
9
3
independence-seeking, this statement smacks of condescension and adult control. Though the
Monkey King comes to accept that he is a monkey on his own in time, this discovery must come
through his own actions, rather than by trusting an authority’s words. Abad and Sheldon found in
their study of cultural identity formation that children whose parents allowed them to explore
aspects of both cultures were able to internalize their natal culture on their own, while parents
who tried to control their children and curtail this freedom produced adolescents and adults who
had no intrinsic motivation to explore their ethnic identity and so did not as strongly identify
with their natal culture.13 These findings about cultural identity can apply to a broader sense of
self-identity too, as typified by the Monkey King’s struggles with the Creator. Adolescents do
not wish to be told what to be or what to do, especially by adults be they parents, teachers, or
Yang’s mild-mannered Creator; they want and need to discover what to be for themselves.
Like almost any book dealing with adolescent characters, Yang also touches briefly upon
more concrete developmental aspects such as formation of strong and productive peer bonds, like
Jin’s friendship with Wei-Chen. Despite the embarrassment he feels about Wei-Chen’s more
“Chinese” appearance and accent, Jin still befriends him and Wei-Chen in turn is willing to
compromise his values for Jin. Jin’s intense emotions towards Amelia, his first crush, and his
subsequent worries about his appearance and the social hurdles posed by dating will also
resonant with teens near puberty who are first coming to terms with themselves as sexual beings
and managing at times conflicting yet strong emotions. These aspects tie into the larger themes
of acceptance and identity, making American Born Chinese a book of intertwined stories and
intertwined meaning.
13
Abad and Sheldon
4
Bibliography
Abad, Neetu S.; Sheldon, Kennon M.. “Parental Autonomy Support and Ethnic Culture
Identification Among Second-Generation Immigrants” Journal of Family Psychology,
Aug2008, Vol. 22 Issue 4, p652-657
Halpern-Feisher, B. “Adolescent Decision Making: An Overview” [Part of the special issue,
Adolescent decision making]. The Prevention Researcher v. 16 no. 2 (April 2009) p. 3-7
Havighurst, Robert J. Developmental Tasks and Education, McKay: 1972
Sprenger, Marilee. “Inside Amy’s Brain.” Educational Leadership, v. 62, no. 7(April 2005): 2832).
White, Aaron M. “The Changing Adolescent Brain” Education Canada, v45, no2(Spring 2005):
4-6.
Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese, First Second: 2006.
5