American Born Chinese

Unlike Jin, Wei-Chen is an immigrant. He moves to the United States from Taiwan, so his experience is very different than Jin’s. For example, Wei-Chen is much more in touch with Asian culture; he naturally subscribes to his parents’ traditional expectations around dating, which involve waiting until young adulthood. Wei-Chen’s attitude changes, however, when Jin, in typical American fashion, develops a crush on a girl in his middle-school class and talks to Wei-Chen about Amelia, who is White. At this time, Wei-Chen develops his own crush on Suzy, who is Japanese American, and his decision to date another Asian emphasizes his own comfort level with his Asian identity. Jin, who is less comfortable with his Asian identity, may be drawn to a White girl because he himself aspires to be White, as evidenced by his decision to perm his hair so it resembles a White boy’s hairstyle and his transformation into Danny later in the novel.

When Wei-Chen Sun arrives to Jin’s third-grade classroom, he quickly tries to befriend Jin, which at first makes Jin uncomfortable. Jin takes an interest in playing with Wei-Chen when Wei-Chen produces his transformer toy, and they bond over their shared interest. As the years go by, Jin and Wei-Chen remain close. However, as Jin’s discomfort with his Asian identity intensifies, their friendship suffers. Wei-Chen’s loyalty to Jin falters when Jin betrays him and insults him, and in the aftermath of their split, the reader learns that Wei-Chen is actually the human iteration of the Monkey King’s son.

Wei-Chen’s true identity presents another ironic twist. Although he is the son of the Monkey King, who experiences his own identity crisis early in the novel, Wei-Chen appears to be comfortable in his own proverbial skin. His frustration and anger towards humans are the natural result of being hurt by Jin, for whom Wei-Chen cares deeply, not from Wei-Chen’s own confusion around his cultural heritage. At the end of the novel, however, Wei-Chen appears dressed in athletic clothing, large pieces of jewelry, and sunglasses, and he drives a souped-up low-rider blasting loud music. These signals suggest that Wei-Chen may have appropriated fashions attributed to other cultural groups as he becomes more and more familiar with American culture. Despite this possibility, Wei-Chen remains more in touch with his Asian identity, inviting Jin to a café where they can find the best boba milk tea in town.

The characters of the Monkey King and his alter-ego, Chin-Kee, embody two opposite experiences of cultural identity. After the Monkey King is humiliated for being a monkey, he is embarrassed by his cultural identity and seeks to improve himself by wearing shoes, studying kung-fu, and showing his strength in aggressive and forceful ways. These gestures reveal the Monkey King’s insecurity. In contrast, his alter-ego Chin-Kee shows no such shame; Chin-Kee’s bold displays of his cultural identity manifest in hyperbolic ways. Chin-Kee’s physical features and clothing are pointedly different than those of the other characters in the novel, and he appears to speak loudly in broken, heavily accented English. Chin-Kee’s actions are also unselfconsciously brazen, much to his cousin Danny’s embarrassment.

Neither of these characters represents humans, which enables the author to stretch the limits of their personalities and behaviors. For example, Chin-Kee offends other characters in the novel with his rude behavior and his inconsiderate choices, but he personifies an offensive caricature of Chinese stereotypes. Every time Chin-Kee insults someone or makes someone uncomfortable, he asserts his power over them—a power that, ironically, is compromised by the Chinese stereotypes in play.

Meanwhile, the Monkey King is based on a mythological figure from Chinese folklore who possesses great strength and the ability to shift shapes. The mythological Monkey King eventually achieves enlightenment and becomes a great warrior, but until that point, the Monkey King takes the form of a macaque, which is a small common ape in certain parts of the world. In American Born Chinese, the Monkey King’s supernatural abilities contrast with his depiction as a humble monkey, just like the myth. The Monkey King’s moment of enlightenment occurs when he realizes the potential of his true identity and accepts himself for who he is.

Suzy’s Asian heritage is Japanese, and she first meets Jin, whose heritage is Chinese, in third grade. Their classmates assume that Suzy and Jin are related, and this assumption refers to a common racist stereotype regarding a belief that all Asians look alike. Suzy, Jin, and Wei-Chen become friends, and when Jin develops a crush on their classmate Amelia, Wei-Chen and Suzy begin dating. They are a happy couple until Jin impulsively tries to kiss Suzy after being humiliated by another classmate. She slaps him across the face, and this conflict leads to the demise of Jin’s friendship with Wei-Chen.

Amelia is a White classmate of Jin’s. She is the object of Jin’s affections and a friend of Greg. When Amelia and Wei-Chen are locked in the science room closet, they discuss Jin, and Amelia learns from Wei-Chen that Jin is a kind person and a good friend. After she hears this description of Jin from Wei-Chen, she accepts Jin’s offer to go out on a date, revealing that qualities like kindness mean something to her. Amelia appears to enjoy her time with Jin, but before their relationship can develop, Greg, a White friend of Amelia, damages Jin’s confidence by asking Jin not to ask Amelia out again.

Jin is hurt and ashamed by Greg’s request, but Amelia is never given the opportunity to talk with Jin again. It is unclear if Amelia feels about Jin the way Greg feels, or if she likes Jin for who he is. This ambiguity in Amelia’s character emphasizes Jin’s confusing experience. Jin assumes from Greg’s words that Amelia will not like him, and he responds as if Amelia rejected him, even though she has not done so.

When Greg, a White classmate of Jin’s, defends Jin after he is attacked by bullies in elementary school, he appears to be an ally—a person who uses his privilege to support others in a less powerful position. Jin and Greg never become friends, but Greg appears to be someone who understands that Jin is worthy of his protection. Later, when the boys are in middle school, Jin aspires to be more like Greg, even going so far as to perm his hair so it resembles Greg’s hairstyle.

Greg’s early impulse to help Jin and Jin’s consequent admiration of Greg make Greg’s hurtful request to leave Amelia alone more painful. Greg, a friend of Amelia’s, applies his protective instincts in a way that discriminates against Jin, suggesting that Jin is not worthy of protection at all and, on the contrary, that Amelia should be protected against Jin. Again, ambiguity plays a role in this interaction: Greg views Jin as less “cool” as Amelia and therefore a social risk for her, but the reasons behind Jin’s lack of coolness are not explained. Jin’s race could be a factor, but it is not clearly stated, leaving the reader to decide what might be going on in Greg’s mind at this point in the novel. This ambiguity reflects the uncertainty and awkwardness around emotionally-fraught incidents that sometimes take place between people of color and White people.

The creator of the universe, Tze-Yo-Tzuh sends his emissaries to observe and intervene in the lives of deities and humans. Tze-Yo-Tzuh is a benevolent power, and he is able to be everywhere in any shape or form he wishes.

Although Tze-Yo-Tzuh is all-powerful and deserving of utmost respect, the Monkey King does not regard the words of his creator with deference, not even when Tze-Yo-Tzuh tells him directly that he is a wonderful creation. As a result, Tze-Yo-Tzuh causes the Monkey King to be buried under a pile of rocks for five hundred years.