Self-Acceptance, Racial Stereotypes and Identity in American Born Chinese
American born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, not to mention, is a phenomenal graphic novel touching on the issues of self-hatred gradually leading to self-acceptance, racial stereotyping and identity. The comics is a mix of realistic materials and fiction as it is inspired and developed by both Yang’s true stories and the three imaginative characters whose names are the Monkey King, Jin Wang and Chin Kee.
The Monkey King is the lord of all monkeys, of immense power, nevertheless regarded as a filthy ape by all celestial beings, so wreaking havoc in all realms. Jin Wang, who grew up in San Francisco's Chinatown, has a difficult time adapting to the sea of white faces together with his best friend Wei Chen, the Monkey King's son in mortal form. His other version is Danny, a blond blue-eyed guy whose Chinese cousin is Chin-Kee, the Monkey King in disguise. Chin Kee is the most uncomfortable exaggerated Chinese stereotype who is unsanitary, breaking accented, and flirting with girls.
American born Chinese owes its irresistible appeal to the realest story of the characters who endured self-hate before going on to self-discovery. As one of the two Asian Americans, Jin is a target for bullies at the very first days of schooling. Then another kid appears who is much more outwardly Chinese in mannerisms and looks than Jin, and Jin behaves like a bully himself this time. He discriminates against Wei Chen while yearning for a sense of belonging to the white lads. This is the debasing of minority to minority. As Gene Luen Yang once shared “I’ve been on both sides of bullying”.
Yang’s characters are made to feel self-conscious for what they were born to be. When the Monkey King returns home after being told by the Gods that he will never be anything other than a monkey, he discovers the scent of monkey fur, something he has never seen before. The Monkey King then admits to Jin that his life would have been happier if he had simply admitted that he was a monkey.
Another instance occurs as Jin and his mates are having a fun time when the two bullies come using racial epithets. Instead of being furious, they blush with shame. Their pride has been wounded, and they have been profoundly conscious of their social status. It's also about Jin's interracial relationship with a white girl, so he begins curling his hair to conform to the prevailing white male aesthetics, a subtle yet noticeable rejection of his Asian identity. But it is Greg who defies Jin's Asian manhood by stopping Jin from seeing Amelia. Despite being the gentlest white boy, Greg's racial tolerance has a limit, and it becomes apparent that racism will take several forms, leading to Jin's desperate denial of self and Asianness.
Identity crisis is a perplexing and tiring issue when we clearly recognize being alienated in mainstream society although “AZN PRIDE!” is what we are supposed to feel. Like Jin Wang or the Monkey King, pride in Asian culture is a process that can be attained, but it takes time.
