Gene Luen Yang's 2006 multi-award winning graphic novel uses a three-pronged approach to telling his autobiographical journey as a first-generation child of immigrants. In addition to a more straightforward narrative of his struggles as a social outsider, American Born Chinese weaves in a parable story of The Monkey King (from the 16th century Chinese novel, Journey to the West), and a TV sitcom plot involving Danny, a white American boy, being visited and embarrassed by his stereotypical and obnoxious Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee.
Yang incorporates different art styles for each narrative and (spoiler alert) merges the three stories into one in the book's denouement, in which Yang's surrogate, Jin Wang, makes peace, of sorts, with the aspects of his identity he chooses to adhere to. Some criticisms of the novel argue that Wang chooses a subservient role for himself in society; this isn't made clear, though, and Yang may have deliberately intended for the conclusion to be somewhat open ended.
American Born Chinese is immanently readable, accomplished in its storytelling techniques, and led the way for greater acceptance of graphic novels in libraries and other institutions in the aughts.
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