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American born chinese character development essay
Stereotype in literature
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The American Born Chinese is a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. The plot of American Born Chinese revolves around three stories: Jin Wang’s school life, Chin Ke’s stereotypical interactions with Danny, and the legend of the monkey king. Within this graphic novel, many plot elements are used to express the author’s work further so that it brings out emotions in its readers. The first plot element used by the author is conflict. In Jin’s story, the author tries to empathize with the reader by introducing conflict between Jin and his peers. Jin is conflicting with his peers as a result of the other kids and teachers using stereotypes when talking to him. This is effective because it draws out empath from the reader because everyone has been bullied
at some point in their life and you can feel what he feels. The second plot element used by the author is suspense.In Jin’s, the author tries to surprise the reader by introducing suspense between Jin and Amelia. The greatest time of suspense takes place when Jin is about to ask Amelia on a date. The emotion this produces is optimism because you want Amelia to say yes to him. This suspense is excellent because it is relatable to everyone who has asked someone on a date. The last plot element used by the author is foreshadowing. In the Monkey King's story, the author does a good job of creating tension through foreshadowing. For example, when the Monkey King is told he is a monkey he does not believe it to be true even though many people have told him. This increases tension because at the end of chapter 3 Tze-Yo-Tzuh says to him that he created him as a monkey and he is a monkey. When the monkey king attempts to attack the man, he is sealed away for 500 years, and he realizes he is a monkey. This effectively draws on my emotions as a reader because the emotion it creates is denial and both the monkey king and myself have denied their identity before. My overall thoughts on American Born Chinese is that it is a very relatable story with a unique insight on the Asian American childhood. Additionally, the author based the story of Jin of his childhood, therefore, it makes the prejudices and stereotypes carry more emotional baggage. The author also makes good use of the plot elements conflict, suspense, and foreshadowing. Lastly, I highly enjoyed how all three stories connected in the end to form a conclusive ending.
Being Chinese, I understand first hand how discriminatory words can impact the way that you view yourself. I was really able to relate to Christine Leong’s, “Being a Chink”, and was able to empathize with her feelings of anguish over having a loved one called a derogatory name. Many times I have been made fun of due to my small eyes, flat face, and short stature, all of which are common traits that most Chinese people share. I have been treated differently, asked absurd questions, and been stereotyped all because of my ethnicity. The multiple times I’d been made fun of because I was Chinese are vividly burned into my memory, I can even remember the outfit I was wearing. That just goes to show how powerfully words can affect someone. My
Amy Tan's "A Pair of Tickets," especially, explores the relationship of setting to place, heritage, and ethnic identity. Jing-Mei Woo, the main character, has trouble accepting that she is Chinese, despite her heritage. Jing-Mei Woo believed, at fifteen, that she had no Chinese whatsoever below her skin. If anything, she perceives herself as Caucasian; even her Caucasian friends agreed that she "was as Chinese as they were." Her mother, however, told her differently, "It's in your blood, waiting to be let go." This terrified Jing-Mei, making her believe that it would cause her to suddenly change, "I saw myself transforming like a werewolf." Jing-Mei Woo finally realizes that she has never really known what it means to be Chinese because she was born and has lived in America all her life. After her mother's death, Jing-Mei discovers that she has two twin sisters living in China who have been searching for their mother and that s...
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries Chinese men began to flock to America. Following stories of the untold wealth and riches that awaited them on the “Gold Mountain” and escaping the stagnant economic position they experienced in China, these sojourners made their way to the United States by any means possible. Often taking money from supportive family members promising them that upon their homecoming they would repay their debts and more with their newly acquired fortunes was the only way to realize their oversea dreams. These men would make the arduous journey by boat to an unfamiliar new land. Upon arriving to their new home it was not riches that they found but a welcome of hostility and conflict consisting of “prejudice, economic discrimination, political disenfranchisement, physical violence, immigration exclusion, social segregation, and incarceration.” Once in the cities where they were to live, these Chinese men were segregated to enclave communities, often known as “Chinatowns”. Despite the hostilities of the Caucasian majority population many people in these enclaves flourished, opening their own businesses and eventually bringing their families to live with them, or simply making new families. This is very similar to the life of Fong See in “On Gold Mountain”. When he came to find his father, he ended up finding an environment in which his natural entrepreneurial ability would let him realize the life of success many men came to find. Fong See’s experience on “Gold Mountain”, however, was different from the daily toil of the “coolie” labour class, as well as the Chinese merchant class of the time as he strived to live by Chinese custom in an untraditional setting. Fong See started and maintained a ...
Immigration has been prevalent in The United States of America since the days of colonization in the 17th century. Masses of migrants around the world have sought a place in which to escape persecution, gain economic fortunes, and live their lives in freedom. America has always symbolized the land of opportunity everyone has been looking for, as exemplified by the inscription on The Statue of Liberty:
Jin Wang, the main character in American Born Chinese transforms in order to deal with stereotypes and prejudice. After moving from Chinatown San Francisco to a new school, Jin realizes he is the only Asian other than Suzy Nakamura (31). Jin immediately faces racial stereotypes and slurs, such as “Chinese people eat dogs”, and arranged marriages (31). Even the teachers have preconceived ideas about Jin’s heritage. His third grade teacher Mrs. Greeder has little understanding of the pronunciation of Jin’s name and from where he moved, thinking he came “all the way from China” (30). In order to integrate in his new environment, he assimilates himself into American culture, transformed into a “regular” American. After stereotyped for eating dog, Jin is seen eating without chopsticks, part of his Asian tradition, and begins to eat “normal” American cuisine, such as sandwiches (37). When Wei Chen arrives, Jin tells him “(he’s) in America” and to “speak English” (37). Even though Jin is fully capable of communicating with Wei-Chen, he decides to abandon his previous culture. Jin chooses to fully transform into an American. He tries to completely dispose of his Asian identity and develop a new one. In order to do this he develops the n...
Yang, Gene Luen, and Lark Pien. American Born Chinese. New York: First Second, 2006. Print.
“The minute our train leaves the Hong Kong border and enters Shenzhen, China, I feel different. I can feel the skin on my forehead tingling, my blood rushing through a new course, my bones aching with a familiar old pain. And I think, my mother was right. I am becoming Chinese. (179). In the story A Pair of Tickets by Amy Tan, the protagonist character, Jing-mei, finds herself in several difficult situations due to how her social and cultural upbringing has shaped her. She finds herself pulled between her Chinese DNA and her American background. While she was raised being told that she was Chinese and “it’s in her blood”, she does not identify as such, because she grew up in America and only sees herself as an American. After her mother’s passing,
“Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection,”Henry J.M Houwen once stated. In the graphic novel American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, Jin Wang and the monkey king experiences rejection as they interact with society. In the short story Linh Lai by Rebecca Rosenblum, Linh Lai helplessly suffers rejection as she struggles to meet her uncle and Mr. Koenburg’s expectations. In the short story Tapka by David Bezomozgis, people are rejected because of their differences. Rejection by society exists in Tapka and Linh Lai, whereas American Born Chinese incorporates both rejections by themselves and by society. Stories show that people are rejected by society, people in positions of power, or themselves when they are different from the majority.
Chinese-Americans authors Amy Tan and Gish Jen have both grappled with the idea of mixed identity in America. For them, a generational problem develops over time, and cultural displacement occurs as family lines expand. While this is not the problem in and of itself, indeed, it is natural for current culture to gain foothold over distant culture, it serves as the backdrop for the disorientation that occurs between generations. In their novels, Tan and Jen pinpoint the cause of this unbalance in the active dismissal of Chinese mothers by their Chinese-American children.
One of the most appalling practices in history, lynching - the extrajudicial hanging of a person accused of a crime - was commonplace in American society less than 100 years ago. The word often conjures up horrifying images of African Americans hanged from lampposts or trees. However, what many do not know is that while African Americans certainly suffered enormously at the hands of a white majority, they were not the only victims of this practice. In fact, the victims of the largest mass lynching in American history were Chinese (Johnson). On October 24th, 1871, a white mob stormed into the Chinatown of Los Angeles. Burning and looting buildings with Chinese owners, they shot at, tortured, and hung every Chinese person they came across. All in all, at least 17 Chinese were killed. This event was only one of many during the time; indeed, the Rock Springs Massacre was even deadlier (“Whites Massacre Chinese in Wyoming Territory”). But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Lynchings were far from the only injustices perpetrated against the Chinese during the 1800s. They could be beaten up, robbed, forced out of town, or put out of business. In fact, even anti-Chinese legislation was common. Laws targeting Chinese immigration or culture were simply too many to count. The violent and discriminatory treatment of Chinese immigrants in 19th century America makes manifest a lack of social progress in an era often celebrated for expansion and physical growth.
The Chinese immigrant experience has traveled through times of hardships, under the English man. They have struggled to keep themselves alive through racism, work, and acceptance. Although many have come to Canada for their lives’ and their children’s to be successful, and safe. It could not be just given until adversity gave them the life they hoped to one day life for. In the starting time of 1858, the Chinese community had started coming to different parts of Canada considering the push and pull factors that had led them here. Because of the lack of workers in the British Columbia region, the Chinese were able to receive jobs in gold mining. Most Chinese were told to build roads, clear areas, and construct highways, but were paid little because of racism. The Chinese today are considered one of the most successful races in Canada because of the push and pull factors that they had come across, the racism that declined them and the community of the Chinese at the present time.
Comparison of American and Chinese Cultures Cultural differences are apparent from one group of people to another. Culture is based on many things that are passed on from one generation to the next. Most of the time, people take for granted their language, beliefs, and values. When it comes to the cultural differences of people, there is no right or wrong. People should be aware of others culture and respect the differences that exist between them.
into America to get rich quick. A young man in Canton wrote to his brother in
...me Americans has been realized. Wong is multicultural and not Chinese. However, when she examines back to her childhood, she feels miserable. Her unhappiness is significant because this feeling shows us her present concept on her initial heritage. She can understand why her mother took them to the Chinese school at this issue. She could be an American and still having Chinese heritage. There are many All-Americans but she likes to be someone who is multicultural, and she had numerous possibilities to hold her Chinese culture. The reason for her unhappiness is that she missed these possibilities. She thought that maintaining more than one backgrounds is interesting. Through being an All-American Girl and departing her Chinese culture, she came to realise the importance of her original heritage and the factual significance of being multicultural.
Multiple storylines can be used in many ways to help the reader learn more about what is happening in the book. They can also help the reader identify, and connect symbols, and actions to the other story. Both Mercury and American Born Chinese seem the same because they clearly show that there are multiple storylines. In Mercury, you can tell when the story switches because in Tara's story the background is white, and in Josey’s story the background is black. In American Born Chinese you know when they are switching because they show a picture of the main character on the page before the story starts. These authors make it clear when the story changes because they use pictures or color changes that are hard to miss. Even if the multiple storylines in Mercury and American Born Chinese are presented in a similar way they are still different. Mercury and American Born Chinese are