American Born Chinese LitChart

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American Born Chinese

noodles” from a Chin-Kee-esque Chinese man, as well as
INTR
INTRODUCTION
ODUCTION William Hung’s 2004 audition on American Idol. He sang Ricky
Martin’s “She Bangs,” just like Chin-Kee does in the novel, and
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF GENE LUEN YANG
commentators and analysts insist that the cult following he
Yang’s parents, like Jin’s in the novel, emigrated to the United amassed afterwards was mostly due to the fact that Hung and
States as college students and met in the San Jose State his performance embodied negative stereotypes against Asian
University library during their time in graduate school (though people.
Yang draws on details like this from his own family history,
American Born Chinese isn’t autobiographical). His parents
RELATED LITERARY WORKS
encouraged him to get a college degree in something practical,
despite Yang’s intense love of comics and his desire to be an The literary figure of the Monkey King, or Sun Wukong, has his
animator for Disney. He received a degree in computer science roots in the legends of the Chinese Chu Kingdom, which
from the University of California, Berkeley. Though Yang existed from 700-223 B.C.E. He’s best known, however, for his
worked as a computer engineer for several years, he ultimately role in the 16th-century classic Chinese novel Journey to the
decided that teaching was his calling and began teaching West by Wu Cheng’en. Yang elaborates on the Monkey King’s
computer science to high school students. In the mid-1990s, he story for American Born Chinese, but the basics remain the
began self-publishing his own comics, all of which were well- same: the Monkey King is born from a stone; learns the arts of
received. Though American Born Chinese is his most famous combat, transformation, and immortality; and crowns himself
work, he also wrote the series Avatar: The Last Airbender for “Great Sage Equal to Heaven.” The Buddha traps him under a
Dark Horse Comics, as well as a Chinese character featured in mountain when he rebels against Heaven and, 500 years later,
DC Comics’ New Superman. Yang is vocal about the educational the Monkey King helps the novel’s main character, Tang
value of comics and graphic novels. During his master’s degree, Sanzang, journey west to retrieve sūtras (Buddhist sacred
he created an online comic to teach students math. American texts) from Central Asia and India. Yang has written a number
Born Chinese is also influenced greatly by Yang’s Christian of other graphic novels that explore similar themes or topics to
beliefs, which manifest as the very Christian God-like figure of American Born Chinese, such as The Eternal Smile with Derek
Tze-Yo-Tzuh. Kirk Kim and Boxers and Saints, a two-volume work that tells the
story of the anti-imperialist Boxer Rebellion in China. Other
novels that deal with the Chinese immigrant experience include
HISTORICAL CONTEXT Girl in T
Trranslation by Jean Kwok and Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck
American Born Chinese draws from the long history of racism Club
Club. Graphic novels that deal with similar issues of identity,
and discrimination against Chinese immigrants in the United fitting in, and stereotypes include El Deafo by Cece Bell,
States. The first major influx of Chinese immigrants occurred Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, and George Takei’s graphic
during the California Gold Rush beginning in 1848. As the U.S. memoir They Called us Enemy, which tells of his experience as a
entered an economic recession in the years after, racial child in a Japanese internment camp.
animosity increased. After several massacres of Chinese
miners, which were incited in part by the perception that
KEY FACTS
Chinese immigrants had jobs when white Americans didn’t, the
U.S. passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which banned • Full Title: American Born Chinese
Chinese immigration almost entirely. Feeding this was the rise • When Written: 2001-2006
of “Yellow Peril,” or the fear of white westerners that Asian
• Where Written: California
people were an existential threat to Western culture. The
imagery of political cartoons from this time period is the basis • When Published: 2006 as a print book (it began as a
webcomic)
for the character Chin-Kee in American Born Chinese—many
19th-century anti-Asian cartoons featured Chinese characters • Literary Period: Contemporary
in traditional Chinese dress, with exaggerated features and a • Genre: Graphic Novel; Young Adult Novel
long queue like Chin-Kee’s. This racist image persists today, • Setting: The mythical Heaven and Flower-Fruit Mountain;
especially in American popular culture. Yang cites several more the California suburbs
recent pop culture happenings as inspiration for Chin-Kee, • Climax: The Monkey King reveals that he’s actually Chin-
including a 2001 political cartoon by cartoonist Pat Oliphant in Kee.
which Uncle Sam receives “crispy fried cat gizzards with
• Antagonist: Timmy, Peter Garbinsky, and Greg; Broadly,
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racism, prejudice, and self-hatred cannot escape him and is supposed to be a monkey. When the
• Point of View: Third Person in Danny and the Monkey King’s Monkey King insults Tze-Yo-Tzuh again, Tze-Yo-Tzuh collapses
chapters; First Person in Jin’s chapters a mountain on the Monkey King and traps him inside so he can’t
practice kung-fu.
EXTRA CREDIT 500 years later, Tze-Yo-Tzuh chooses a monk named Wong Lai-
Beyond Superheroes. As graphic novels have grown in Tsao to carry three parcels to the west and explains that the
popularity and become a “respectable” medium, educators have Monkey King will be Wong Lai-Tsao’s first disciple. Wong Lai-
realized their capacity to engage reluctant or struggling Tsao journeys to the Monkey King’s mountain and tries to
readers. Because of this, in addition to graphic novels like convince the Monkey King to help him, but the Monkey King is
American Born Chinese that were originally published in the derisive. The Monkey King only begins to reconsider when two
medium, it’s possible to find graphic novel adaptations of classic demons start to roast Wong Lai-Tsao on a fire—and Wong Lai-
works like Beowulf
Beowulf, To Kill a Mockingbir
Mockingbirdd, and The Diary of Anne Tsao points out that the Monkey King can free himself if he
Frank
ank. releases kung-fu and returns to his true form. With a sigh, the
Monkey King turns back into a monkey and beats up the
demons. He agrees to accompany Wong Lai-Tsao and leaves his
PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY shoes behind.
At the same time, a young boy named Jin Wang tells his story.
The novel begins with the story of the Monkey King, a deity
Jin’s mother and father immigrated to the U.S. from China and
who reigns over monkeys on Flower-Fruit Mountain. One
met at school in San Francisco. They lived in Chinatown and Jin
night, smells from a party in Heaven waft down to Flower-Fruit
was born there. Now, Jin spends his time blissfully playing
Mountain, and since the Monkey King loves parties, he decides
Transformers with other Chinese boys in the apartment
to go. When he gets to the door of the party, the guard denies
complex. Jin’s mother goes to an herbalist once per week and
him entrance since he’s a monkey and isn’t wearing shoes. The
takes Jin with her. One day, the herbalist’s wife asks Jin what he
Monkey King is embarrassed, so he beats up the other deities
wants to be when he grows up. Jin says he wants to be a
at the party. Back home, he’s suddenly aware of his fur’s smell.
Transformer, but according to his mom, that’s impossible. The
The next day, he declares that all monkeys in his kingdom must
herbalist’s wife says it actually is possible—if Jin is willing to
wear shoes, and locks himself in his chambers. After 80 days
forfeit his soul. Not long after this, Jin’s parents move to the
studying kung-fu in solitude, he achieves the four major
suburbs and Jin starts third grade. His teacher, Mrs. Greeder,
disciplines of invulnerability and the four major disciplines of
says his name incorrectly, says he came from China, and tells a
bodily form, which means he can’t die and can shape-shift. The
concerned classmate named Timmy that Jin stopped eating
other monkeys are ecstatic when the Monkey King emerges,
dogs as soon as he arrived in America. The only other Asian
but they’re puzzled by his appearance: he looks somehow
student is a Japanese girl named Suzy Nakamura, and many
human. One monkey offers his king a scroll from Heaven, which
students believe that Jin and Suzy are related or that they’ll be
reads that the Monkey King has been sentenced to death for
married when Suzy turns 13. School is lonely for Jin. Boys
trespassing upon Heaven. The Monkey King says this is a
continue to tease Jin about eating dogs, though one boy, Greg,
mistake: he’s no longer the Monkey King and is now The Great
sometimes stands up for Jin. A bully named Peter becomes Jin’s
Sage, Equal to Heaven.
friend, but their friendship consists mostly of games that hurt
The Monkey King storms off to announce his new name. Ao- or humiliate Jin. Peter moves away when Jin is in fifth grade,
Kuang, Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, laughs at the Monkey and a few weeks later, a boy named Wei-Chen from Taiwan
King’s pronouncement and tries to proceed with the execution, joins Jin’s class. For some reason, Jin wants to beat Wei-Chen
but when the Monkey King stomps on him, he accepts the up. When Wei-Chen approaches Jin at lunch, Jin rudely tells
name. The Monkey King goes all around Heaven, brutally Wei-Chen to speak English and that they can’t be friends.
forcing everyone to accept his new name. Finally, the gods, However, Jin changes his mind about Wei-Chen when Wei-
goddesses, demons, and spirits go to the emissaries of Tze-Yo- Chen pulls out a Transformer toy, and the two become best
Tzuh (the creator of the world) to report the Monkey King as a friends.
menace. A few days later, Tze-Yo-Tzuh interrupts the Monkey
Alongside Jin’s story, the novel takes the format of a sitcom
King. He explains that he created the Monkey King. Incensed,
called Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee. It’s accompanied by a laugh
the Monkey King speeds away through the universe. When he
track that indicates laughter or clapping from an audience.
reaches five golden pillars at the end of all that is, he carves his
The scene opens in a suburban living room, where a white boy
name on one and urinates on it. After he returns to Tze-Yo-
named Danny studies chemistry with a girl named Melanie.
Tzuh, Tze-Yo-Tzuh offers the Monkey King his hand: one finger
Danny is aghast when his mother announces that cousin Chin-
bears the Monkey King’s name and a spot of urine: his fingers
Kee will be here soon and will accompany Danny to school.
were the five pillars. Tze-Yo-Tzuh insists that the Monkey King

Chin-Kee bursts through the door. He’s dressed in traditional Greg pulls Jin aside and asks him for a favor: to stay away from
Chinese clothes and has yellow skin, buckteeth, and a long Amelia. Greg says that he’s not interested in Amelia, but he’s
queue. Chin-Kee mixes up his r’s and his l’s as he compliments concerned for her social standing going into high school and
Melanie’s bust and salivates. At school, Chin-Kee embarrasses doesn’t think Jin is right for her. Confused and hurt, Jin agrees,
Danny at every turn. He answers every question in class but he regrets it immediately. His anger simmers until later, he
correctly, eats “crispy-fried cat gizzards with noodle” for lunch, approaches Amelia to try again—but loses his nerve when he
and pees in the Coke can of Steve, an older boy on the sees Greg. Despondent, he joins Suzy outside. She’s close to
basketball team whom Danny admires. Chin-Kee goes to the tears and shares that over the weekend, she went to a party for
library after school while Danny attends detention, tries one of her friends from Japanese school, but realized quickly
unsuccessfully to ask Melanie out again, and goes to the gym. that the friend didn’t want Suzy to be there. Suzy says she was
Steve sits down with Danny and Danny shares that every year extremely embarrassed and today, when Timmy called her a
when Chin-Kee visits, his classmates start to think of him not as “chink” (a racist slur against Asian people) she realized she feels
Danny, but just as Chin-Kee’s cousin. Because of this, Danny embarrassed like that all the time. Inexplicably, Jin leans over
has switched schools every year since eighth grade. Steve and kisses her. Suzy punches him in the face. Later, Wei-Chen
kindly says that kids at this school are nicer than that, as no one goes to Jin’s house and asks why Jin would do something like
teases him for being overweight, and offers to buy Danny a that. Jin angrily tells Wei-Chen that Wei-Chen isn’t good
Coke. Danny angrily asks if that’s so he can pee in it, and storms enough for Suzy, and Wei-Chen punches Jin in the face. That
away. night, Jin convinces himself that what he told Wei-Chen is true.
When Jin is in seventh grade, he falls madly in love with a He dreams of the herbalist’s wife, who says that Jin has finally
classmate named Amelia. When he confides in Wei-Chen about forfeited his soul. She asks what Jin wants to be. When Jin gets
his crush, Wei-Chen initially teases him for liking a girl at all, but up to use the bathroom, he turns on the light and sees that he’s
Wei-Chen soon begins dating Suzy. Wei-Chen and Suzy often white. He names his new self Danny.
tease Jin about the fact that he can’t speak or behave normally Back in the sitcom Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee, Danny (Jin) goes to
around Amelia. Despite this, Wei-Chen pushes Jin to volunteer the library to find Chin-Kee dancing on a table and singing “She
to feed some temporary classroom pets after school when Bangs” by Ricky Martin. Mortified, Danny drags Chin-Kee out
Amelia raises her hand, but his outburst causes the teacher to of the library by his queue, tells him to leave him alone, and
assign Wei-Chen feeding duties instead. That afternoon, Jin punches him again and again. Chin-Kee takes the abuse, but
fixates on Greg’s curly hairstyle, since Greg sits next to Amelia then fights back with kung-fu moves, all of which have names
in science and she seems to like him. Jin gets a perm so his hair that come from classic Chinese restaurant dishes. After Chin-
looks like Greg’s, which shocks Suzy and Wei-Chen at school Kee appears to emerge victorious, Danny throws one final
the next morning. punch at Chin-Kee—and knocks his head off to reveal the
As Wei-Chen and Amelia feed the pets after school, they Monkey King. The Monkey King returns to his monkey form
accidentally get locked in a closet together. While they wait for and then makes Danny revert to his true form as Jin. The
Jin to figure out what happened, Wei-Chen tells Amelia about Monkey King explains who he is and that Wei-Chen is his son
how good and kind of a friend Jin is to him. When Jin opens the and an emissary of Tze-Yo-Tzuh. Wei-Chen’s test of virtue was
closet, he feels a jolt of confidence coming from his curly hair to live among humans without vice for 40 years. His test went
and asks Amelia out. She agrees. Since Jin’s parents are well for three years, until Wei-Chen lied to Jin’s mother. After
extremely strict, he pleads with Wei-Chen to lie to Jin’s parents that, he told the Monkey King that he was uninterested in
about where Jin is so he can go on the date. After Wei-Chen serving Tze-Yo-Tzuh and finds humans to be selfish and
grudgingly agrees, Jin and Amelia decide to go to the movies. horrible. When he began refusing the Monkey King’s visits, the
Since they can’t drive, Jin lets Amelia ride on his handlebars as Monkey King started visiting Jin instead. The Monkey King says
he bikes up the hill to the theater. By the time they arrive, Jin’s that he didn’t do this to punish Jin; he visited Jin to act “as a
armpits reek—his parents don’t see any reason for Jin to have signpost to [his] soul.” Jin calls after the retreating Monkey King
deodorant. Near the end of the movie, Jin feels a jolt of and asks what he’s supposed to do now. The Monkey King says
confidence. Remembering the advice of his cousin Charlie, Jin that he would’ve saved himself years of imprisonment in a
rushes to the bathroom, scrubs dry soap into his armpits, and mountain had he realized how good it is to be a monkey, and
returns to the theater to put an arm around Amelia. She leans leaves Jin a business card for a Chinese restaurant.
into him. As they leave the theater, Jin sees with horror that Jin goes to the restaurant and orders pearl milk tea every day
there are soap bubbles coming through his shirt and onto after school for the next month. Finally, one night, Wei-Chen
Amelia’s shoulder. Thankfully, Amelia doesn’t notice, and they pulls up outside in his cool car, blasting loud music and smoking.
get milkshakes. Greg sees them as they leave. Jin tells Wei-Chen that he met the Monkey King and invites
At school the next day, as Jin prepares to ask Amelia out again, Wei-Chen inside. He can see the small, scared monkey inside of

Wei-Chen. In the restaurant, Jin tells Wei-Chen about the disciplines of kung-fu. He’s a kind leader, and is very social.
Monkey King’s visit and says that he’s really just trying to Because of this, he’s thrilled when he smells a dinner party up in
apologize. After thinking for a moment, Wei-Chen says he Heaven, but when he arrives at the party, he’s humiliated that
knows where they can go to get better pearl milk tea. The boys the guard turns him away for being a monkey and not wearing
talk and laugh together late into the night. shoes. Beginning at this point, the Monkey King demonstrates
that when people are rude to him, he reacts with anger,
violence, and rudeness. After declaring that all monkeys in his
CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS kingdom must wear shoes, the Monkey King spends 80 days
studying kung-fu so he cannot be killed and can manipulate his
MAJOR CHARACTERS form. He uses these skills to appear more human, and he
Jin W
Wang/Dann
ang/Dannyy – The novel’s protagonist. Jin is a Chinese declares himself The Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. As he travels
American boy whose mother and father emigrated from China Heaven to announce his new name, he hurts and intimidates
to San Francisco’s Chinatown, where Jin is born. Jin spends others. Because of this, Heaven’s residents call on Tze-Yo-Tzuh
most of his childhood playing with his Transformer toys with to do something. The Monkey King is derisive of Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s
other boys in his apartment complex. Not long before Jin’s insistence that the Monkey King should take pride in being a
family moves to the suburbs, the wife of Jin’s mother’s herbalist monkey, so Tze-Yo-Tzuh imprisons the Monkey King under a
tells Jin something that sticks with him: that he can be anything mountain for 500 years. The Monkey King frees himself by
he wants as long as he’s willing to sacrifice his soul. In the returning to his true form so that he can help Wong Lai-Tsao
suburbs, Jin is one of only a couple Asian students and escape being dinner for demons. He agrees to take off his
experiences overt racism. This is extremely difficult and shoes, and embraces both his monkey identity and Tze-Yo-
isolating, and Jin dedicates himself to become as American and Tzuh. Later, the Monkey King’s son, Wei-Chen, becomes an
as white as possible. Early on, this means that he “befriends” emissary for Tze-Yo-Tzuh and goes to Earth on a mission to live
bullies and takes sandwiches for lunch rather than dumplings without vice for 40 years. After Wei-Chen refuses to see his
or foods that his classmates find disgusting. By the time Jin is in father following his Chinese friend Jin’s transformation into the
fifth grade and Wei-Chen, a Taiwanese boy, join his class, Jin is white Danny, the Monkey King assumes the persona of Chin-
so ashamed of his own ethnicity that he wants to beat Wei- Kee so he can visit Jin. Chin-Kee is an amalgamation of many
Chen up. The two quickly become friends, however—they both racist Chinese stereotypes: he has buckteeth, mixes up his r’s
love Transformers—and in Wei-Chen’s eyes, Jin is good and and his l’s, lusts after American women, and knows all the
kind. This assessment is called into question in seventh grade, answers in class. Because of this, he humiliates Danny until,
when Jin falls in love with Amelia. To woo her, Jin perms his hair finally, Danny punches Chin-Kee’s head off to reveal the
so that he looks like his blond and popular classmate Greg, and Monkey King. At this point, the Monkey King returns Danny to
bullies Wei-Chen into lying for him so he can go on a date with his true form and shares his story with Jin. He encourages Jin
Amelia. At school the next day, Greg asks Jin to not date Amelia to learn the same lesson that he did: that it’s impossible and
because being associated with him could ruin her reputation, unfulfilling to be anyone but one’s true self.
and Jin snaps. He kisses Wei-Chen’s girlfriend, Suzy, and insults Wei-Chen Sun – A Taiwanese boy who moves to Jin’s
Wei-Chen instead of apologizing. That night, the herbalist’s neighborhood when they’re in fifth grade. He wears
wife comes to Jin in a dream and turns him into Danny, a sweatpants, a collared robot shirt, and large, thick glasses when
handsome white boy. Danny is obsessed with being popular, so he’s in elementary school. Though Jin is initially cold and cruel
yearly visits of his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee, pose major to Wei-Chen because he represents the Asian identity that
problems for him. Chin-Kee embodies many negative, racist makes Jin a target for bullying, the two boys soon become best
stereotypes about Chinese people, and his antics cause friends due to their shared love of Transformers. Wei-Chen is
Danny’s classmates to think of him only as Chin-Kee’s cousin. an extremely kind, generous, and giving individual. Though Jin
When other students are kind to Danny, he lashes out and only accuses Wei-Chen at several points of acting like a F.O.B.
seems interested in wooing his love interest, Melanie. Danny (“fresh off the boat,” or a new immigrant), Wei-Chen gradually
eventually discovers that Chin-Kee is actually the Monkey King embraces California and even starts dating a Japanese
and Wei-Chen’s father, and that Wei-Chen is an emissary of American classmate named Suzy. He often encourages Jin to
Tze-Yo-Tzuh who was sent on an earthly mission to live without do and be his best, which includes encouraging Jin to speak to
vice for 40 years. Danny reassumes his form as Jin and seems Amelia. In a conversation with Amelia, Wei-Chen insists that Jin
to take the Monkey King’s advice to take pride in who he is to is one of the kindest people he knows, as Jin’s embarrassment
heart. As Jin, he makes up with Wei-Chen. over Wei-Chen’s accent doesn’t hinder their friendship. He
The Monk
Monke ey King/Chin-K
King/Chin-Kee
ee – The Monkey King is a deity who does this both because he believes what he says about Jin to be
rules over monkeys on Flower-Fruit Mountain in the world true, and because he knows that speaking about Jin in this
created by Tze-Yo-Tzuh. The Monkey King knows many complimentary way will pique Amelia’s interest. However, Wei-

Chen and Jin’s friendship dissolves when, enraged by Greg’s that he fully trusts in Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s love, protection, and plan
racist treatment, Jin kisses Suzy. He then tells a distraught Wei- for his life—and he encourages the Monkey King to do the
Chen that Suzy deserves someone better, and specifically, same. Wong Lai-Tsao is wise, and is able to make the Monkey
someone who isn’t a F.O.B. Later, the Monkey King reveals that King see that he has the power to free himself from the
Wei-Chen is actually his son and a monkey, sent to Earth by mountain trapping him, if only he accepts who and what he
Tze-Yo-Tzuh to live without vice for 40 years. Wei-Chen’s time truly is.
went well until Jin’s insults, at which point Wei-Chen told the Amelia Harris – A blond girl who goes to school with Jin
Monkey King that he’s going to use his time on Earth to beginning in third grade, but whom Jin only begins to take
experience all the earthly delights it has to offer. He also implies notice of her when they’re in seventh grade. Amelia wears
that Jin’s behavior showed him that humans are all selfish and overalls over a tank top that reveals her bare shoulders, which
vain, and therefore he has no interest in serving them and excites Jin and triggers an intense crush on her. Jin shares with
thinks that Tze-Yo-Tzuh is foolish for holding humans in high the reader that Amelia isn’t especially pretty, speaks with a lisp,
regard. When Jin reconnects with Wei-Chen in high school, and has some dandruff, but this doesn’t dull his affections for
Wei-Chen drives a cool car, blasts bass-heavy music, and her. Amelia seems like a genuinely nice individual; she agrees to
smokes cigarettes. He seems to accept Jin’s apology, and the the movie date with Jin and appears to enjoy his company.
novel leaves open the possibility that Wei-Chen will recommit However, when (unbeknownst to Amelia) Greg tells Jin to back
to his quest as an emissary. off so Amelia’s popularity doesn’t suffer once they reach high
Tze-Y
ze-Yo-T
o-Tzuh
zuh – The creator of the world in the Monkey King’s school, Amelia doesn’t stand up for Jin. Aside from being the
story. He’s a tall individual who takes the form of a human, with only white character who treats Jin like a full person, there’s
red flowing robes, long hair and beard, and a tall curved staff. little else defining about Amelia—she exists mostly as the object
He introduces himself to the Monkey King as someone who of Jin’s romantic fantasies.
was, is, and “shall forever be”—that is, he’s everywhere, both in Greg – A blond boy with curly hair in Jin’s class. When Jin first
terms of space and time. He demonstrates this by announcing moves to the suburbs, Greg stands up for Jin when Timmy
that he created the Monkey King and, when the Monkey King taunts and harasses him, and though Greg seems potentially
flies to the end of all that is and urinates on five pillars marking interested in getting to know Jin, he also puts a lot of stock into
the end of the universe, Tze-Yo-Tzuh shows the Monkey King maintaining his social status. This is why, in seventh grade, Greg
that the five pillars were actually his five fingers. When he stands up for Amelia when Timmy sexually harasses her, but
speaks to the Monkey King, he does so slowly, wisely, and later tells Greg to stay away from Amelia to preserve Amelia’s
calmly. He insists that the Monkey King is being foolish by popularity. In this way, Greg shows himself to be someone who
trying to be something other than a monkey, and says that he may know how to behave kindly, but he allows social
creates everything perfectly—so there’s nothing the Monkey pressure—much of it racist—to dictate how he chooses to act.
King needs to change about himself, and the Monkey King’s Greg’s hair is the inspiration for Jin to perm his own hair, and
desire to be a human is extremely silly. When the Monkey King it’s likely that Greg is the basis for Jin’s white persona as Danny
refuses to accept this, Tze-Yo-Tzuh buries the Monkey King later in the novel.
under a mountain of rock that keeps the Monkey King from
practicing kung-fu. Five hundred years later, with the help of his Suzy Nakamur
Nakamuraa – The only other Asian student in Jin’s
emissaries, Tze-Yo-Tzuh sends the monk Wong Lai-Tsao on a elementary school before Wei-Chen arrives from Taiwan. Suzy
quest and offers him the Monkey King as a disciple. This has the is Japanese American and wears high-waisted pants and a
desired effect: with some coaxing, the Monkey King turns back striped shirt. At first, she and Jin ignore each other because
into a monkey, agrees to serve Wong Lai-Tsao, and acts as a their classmates believe that being the only Asian students
faithful emissary of Tze-Yo-Tzuh going forward. means Suzy and Jin must either be related or engaged to be
married. Her personality only begins to come out later when, in
Wong Lai-T
Lai-Tsao
sao – A monk who, according to the narrator, isn’t seventh grade, she begins dating Wei-Chen. At this point, she
special in any notable way—he can’t meditate for more than 20 becomes more of a friend to Jin and teases him about his
minutes or fast for more than half a day. He does, however, inability to speak coherently to Amelia. Her teasing, however, is
devote himself to Tze-Yo-Tzuh. He emulates what he believes good-natured and not at all malicious. Suzy confides in Jin that
Tze-Yo-Tzuh would do by faithfully care for neighboring their classmates’ racism makes her feel somewhat embarrassed
vagrants every day, despite their rudeness. This devotion and about being Asian all the time, which leads Jin to kiss Suzy
belief in Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s love and positive regard culminates in without her permission. Being a self-possessed and confident
Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s emissaries sending Wong Lai-Tsao on a mission individual, Suzy punches Jin in the face for this transgression.
to carry three parcels to the west. One of the disciples that Tze-
Yo-Tzuh promises Wong Lai-Tsao is the Monkey King. In his Melanie – One of Danny’s classmates and his crush. She’s a
conversations with the Monkey King, Wong Lai-Tsao shows beautiful, busty white girl who, even from the very beginning,
seems far more interested in studying with Danny than she

does in being romantic with him. Melanie is concerned and put is also Danny’s mother. However, she only appears as a voice
off when Danny’s Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee, arrives and from the next room in Danny’s chapters.
invades her personal space, but she later suggests that his Ste
Stevve – A student and basketball player at Danny’s high school.
overtures were somewhat flattering. When Danny attempts to He’s older than Danny and is somewhat overweight, but he’s a
apologize to Melanie for Chin-Kee’s behavior and ask her out, happy, good-humored, and confident student. Steve seems to
Melanie is upfront about the fact that she’d like to remain take genuine interest in both Danny and Danny’s Chinese
friends and not take the step to becoming romantically cousin, Chin-Kee, and he gives Danny a pep talk in which he
involved. When Danny refuses to accept her answer, she rudely insists that students at their school are better and kinder than
offers him a business card for her uncle, an orthodontist, whom to define Danny simply as Chin-Kee’s cousin. Though Steve’s
she suggests Danny see on account of his buckteeth. concern and friendliness seem genuine, Danny still refuses to
The Herbalist’s Wife – While Jin still lives in San Francisco, he accept Steve’s mentorship. Steve is also the unfortunate
spends an afternoon every weekend with his mother at the recipient of a joke in which Chin-Kee urinates in his can of
herbalist’s shop, sitting in the front with the herbalist’s wife. Coke.
The herbalist’s wife is an ancient woman who busies herself on Jin
Jin’s
’s Father – An engineer who emigrated from China during
her abacus doing calculations until one day, she engages Jin in graduate school. He wears thick glasses and, according to Jin’s
conversation and asks what he wants to be. When Jin shares mother, has an impressive work ethic—which made him a
his dreams of becoming a Transformer but suggests that this desirable partner for her. He and his wife are extremely strict
wish is impossible to fulfill, the herbalist’s wife suggests this and ban Jin from dating until he has a master’s degree. Due to
isn’t entirely true—Jin can be anything he wants if he’s willing to the fact that Jin and Danny are the same person, Jin’s father is
forfeit his soul. When Jin is in seventh grade, the herbalist’s also Danny’s father—he just never appears as anything but a
wife returns to him in a dream, declares that Jin has indeed voice from the next room in those chapters.
given up his soul, and helps him transform into a white boy
The Emissaries of T Tze-Y
ze-Yo-T
o-Tzuh
zuh – Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s emissaries are
named Danny.
the lion, the ox, the human, and the eagle. They function
Ao-Kuang – The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea. In the primarily as a group and have few defining characteristics as
Monkey King’s story, Ao-Kuang is a fearsome god who is tasked individuals aside from their differing forms. They take the form
with executing the Monkey King for trespassing upon Heaven. of vagrants in the final chapter of the Monkey King’s story, and
He’s self-assured, as well as derisive and prejudiced against the after testing the monk Wong Lai-Tsao, they send him on his
Monkey King and monkeys in general—he snidely says that he journey to the west.
called the Monkey King to him because no one in Heaven
Mrs. Greeder – Jin’s third grade teacher. Though Mrs. Greeder
wanted to get fleas by journeying to Flower-Fruit Mountain. He
makes an attempt to defend Jin from a classmate’s racist
refuses to take the Monkey King seriously until after the
remark, she behaves in unwittingly racist ways herself when
Monkey King thwarts the execution attempt and then becomes
she mispronounces Jin’s name and believes that since he’s
a giant and squashes Ao-Kuang. Nervous and scared, Ao-Kuang
Chinese he must’ve come from China. Mrs. Greeder also
gives the Monkey King a magical cudgel as a parting gift.
validates Timmy’s suggestion that Jin and other Chinese people
Peter Garbinsky – A boy at Jin’s elementary school who’s a regularly eat dogs.
year older than Jin. He’s hulking, unpopular, and a bully, known
Charlie – Jin’s older cousin. Years ago, Charlie shared that the
to many as “Peter the Eater” due to his habit of picking his nose
only way to get around their Chinese parents’ unwillingness to
and eating his boogers. Though Jin insists that he and Peter are
buy their sons deodorant is to use powdered soap from a public
friends, in reality, Peter threatens and intimidates Jin into
restroom on their armpits. Jin takes this advice while on his
hanging out and going along with whatever games Peter finds
movie date with Amelia and is embarrassed when soap bubbles
funny. Many of these entail Jin getting hurt or humiliated, and
start to come through his shirt.
Jin seems sad and afraid whenever he’s around Peter. Peter
moves away over Christmas break when Jin is in fifth grade,
ostensibly to live with his dad in Pennsylvania. MINOR CHARACTERS
Jin
Jin’s
’s Mother – A librarian who emigrated from China during Lao-T
Lao-Tzu
zu – In the Monkey King’s story, Lao-Tzu is the patron of
graduate school and met and married Jin’s father the year after. immortality. Like many others, he laughs when the Monkey
Jin’s mother prizes education and work ethic over anything King announces his new name, but he stops laughing when the
else: she was attracted to Jin’s father initially because of his Monkey King transforms into a monkey dragon and scares him.
thick glasses (which, in her mind, signal lots of studying) and Yama – The caretaker of the underworld in the Monkey King’s
tells Jin an old Chinese parable that makes it clear she believes story. He laughs when the Monkey King visits to announce his
it’s important for children to receive as much education as new name, but changes his tune when the Monkey King clones
possible. Since Jin and Danny are the same person, Jin’s mother himself to terrorize Yama.

The Jade Emperor – The ruler of the celestials in Heaven. He one of many Chinese American boys, all of whom experienced a
laughs and points when the Monkey King announces his new similar upbringing and cultural habits. In other words, the fact
name, but when the Monkey King stabs him in the face with his that Jin is Chinese didn’t matter in San Francisco, when he
new cudgel, he goes along with the Monkey King’s demands. looked just like a majority of his peers. In the suburbs, however,
Timm
Timmyy – A hulking, racist classmate of Jin’s. He bullies Jin becomes self-conscious of his ethnicity because he
everyone no matter their race or sex; he sexually taunts Amelia suddenly sticks out and appears visibly different, such as when
in addition to bullying Jin about Chinese people eating dogs. his packed lunch contains traditional foods that disgust his
Timmy often hangs out with Greg. white classmates. Jin begins to gradually change his identity,
which at first seems relatively innocuous and, in some cases,
Chi Dao – An ancient monk who achieved legendary status by made out of perceived necessity. He soon begins taking
meditating until he turned to stone. sandwiches for lunch rather than dumplings, which means that
Jing Sze – An ancient monk who achieved legendary status by his classmates can’t torment him about eating dogs, and he
fasting for 14 months and smirking at Death for several of his avoids the only other Asian student in his class, Suzy Nakamura,
final months. since their classmates believe that they’re either related or
Jiang T
Tao
ao – An ancient monk who achieved legendary status engaged to be married given that they’re both Asian. Both of
through his sermons, which were eloquent enough to make these actions allow Jin to feel somewhat more at home in the
even the bamboo weep and want to repent. suburbs, even if he still reads as obviously and undeniably
Chinese.
Mr
Mr.. Gr
Graham
aham – Jin’s seventh grade science teacher.
Being one of only two Asian students in his class, however, has
major consequences to how Jin thinks about being Chinese.
THEMES Indeed, by the time that Wei-Chen arrives from Taiwan and
joins Jin’s fifth-grade class, Jin has separated himself so far
In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color- from his Chinese identity that he inexplicably wants to beat
coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes Wei-Chen up—a desire that mirrors some of the behavior Jin’s
occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have classmates exhibited toward him when Jin first moved to the
a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in suburbs. In this sense, Jin’s discomfort with his identity isn’t
black and white. something that just affects him and the food he eats—it’s
something that makes him devalue and dislike everyone who
IDENTITY AND PREJUDICE shares his identity, no matter how cool or interesting that
American Born Chinese tells three interweaving person might be. Later on, Jin’s shame about his identity drives
stories: those of the Monkey King, Jin Wang, and him to perm his hair and sabotage his genuine friendship with
Danny. The Monkey king is a Chinese deity who, Wei-Chen so that Jin can magically transform into his alter ego
after being denied entrance to a party in Heaven for not of Danny, who’s tall, handsome, and most importantly, white.
wearing shoes, goes to great lengths to make himself more The Monkey King’s parallel story functions as a mirror for Jin’s.
human. Jin is a second-generation Chinese American junior Like Jin, the Monkey King loves being a monkey until the gods
high school student in a primarily white California suburb. deny him entrance to a party—that is, force him to see for the
Danny is a white high school student whose life is “ruined” first time that he’s a monkey, and that others believe monkeys
every year when his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee, comes to visit are dirty and unworthy of consideration. He then embarks on a
and attends school with him. The novel ultimately reveals that quest to turn himself into a human, much as Jin does everything
Danny and Chin-Kee aren’t real people at all—Danny is Jin’s in his power to turn himself into Danny. It takes a magical
alter ego (as Jin longs to be white rather than Chinese), while intervention on the part of Tze-Yo-Tzuh, a supreme deity, and a
the Monkey King assumes Chin-Kee’s form to remind Danny of 500-year imprisonment in a mountain for the Monkey King to
who he truly is: Jin. Through these three interconnected take to heart that being a monkey can and will allow him to do
stories, American Born Chinese makes the case that it’s great things—like free himself from the mountain—and that his
unfulfilling and silly to try to be someone other than oneself. It’s life as a monkey and the ruler of Flower-Fruit Mountain is
essential, and necessary for happiness, for people—or something he should be extremely proud of. While Danny
monkeys—to celebrate who and what they are. doesn’t have to endure 500 years in a mountain to make him
recognize that he’s better off as Jin, he still experiences divine
In Jin’s case, most of his ongoing desire to appear more white
intervention as the Monkey King begins visiting him as Danny’s
comes from the racist attitudes and treatment he encounters
Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee. Chin-Kee embodies every negative
when his family moves to the suburbs—prior to the move, Jin
stereotype about Chinese people, thereby forcing Jin/Danny to
thought little about being Chinese American. Before the
face up to the way that people see him and indeed, how he sees
suburbs, Jin lived in San Francisco’s Chinatown, where he was

himself—and also to understand that while other people may on the page in the form of the laugh track also means that
look at Jin and see only negative stereotypes, Jin has the power whether the reader is laughing or not, someone is, and the laugh
to see himself as a valuable person just like anyone else. track is supposed to tell the reader (or sitcom viewer) when
This is one of the novel’s most important lessons: even in the they, too, should be laughing. This, in turn, means that the
face of prejudice and racism like the Monkey King and Jin reader has to acknowledge that even if they might not
experience, it’s still absolutely essential to recognize one’s personally find Chin-Kee funny (and indeed, they shouldn’t), the
inherent value and celebrate one’s true identity, as media landscape in which he exists finds him hilarious—and
compromising on those things, the novel shows, inevitably presumably, so do audiences of that media.
leads to shame, anger, and even violence. While the novel never The chapters concerning Jin show the consequences of a pop
excuses the racism and prejudice expressed by Jin’s classmates cultural landscape that, through Chin-Kee-like representations
or by the residents of Heaven, it suggests that more important of Asian characters, presents the idea that all Asian people,
than dwelling on the rude or negative things they might say or regardless of their country of origin, sex, or any other qualities
do is to instead focus on being the best person one can be—no or identifiers, are just like Chin-Kee. Kids at school accuse Jin of
matter one’s identity. eating dogs and warn him to stay away from their pets, while
being called a “Chink” is what causes Suzy Nakamura to realize
RACISM AND POPULAR CULTURE that on some level, she feels constantly embarrassed about
being Asian—that is, she’s embarrassed that in the eyes of her
Racism and the idea of the foreign “other” are
racist white peers, she appears as nothing more than a female
woven in throughout the book in a variety of ways,
version of Chin-Kee. In spite these stereotypes, of course, the
one of the most significant of which is the way that
novel makes clear to the reader that Jin, Wei-Chen, and Suzy all
the book handles the intersection between racism and popular
experience the exact same normal teenage things that their
culture, specifically when it comes to television media. The
white peers do, from awkward movie dates to conflicts with
chapters telling Danny and Chin-Kee’s story are set up to read
their parents about dating or personal hygiene. In other words,
like a sitcom, Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee with elements like a laugh
the novel’s Asian characters are people just like anyone
track and organization that follows that of a classic television
else—but they’re people who must deal with the constant
show. Through this, American Born Chinese makes the case that
expectation that they, like Chin-Kee, will know all the answers,
the racism espoused by white characters in Jin’s story doesn’t eat people’s house pets, and sexually prey on vulnerable white
emerge out of nowhere. Rather, those characters likely women.
internalized their racist beliefs thanks to an American media
landscape that casts Asian characters on the whole as little While American Born Chinese offers no real remedy or
more than punch lines because of their perceived differences. redemption for individuals like Greg, Timmy, and Jin’s teachers
who act in racist or offensive ways, it does imply more broadly
Nearly everything Chin-Kee does and the entirety of his
that the best way to begin to tackle racism like this is to
appearance were inspired by real world pop culture
challenge and dismantle the stereotypes that fuel it. Within the
happenings. He sings a song that a Chinese American Idol
novel itself, this happens quite literally when Danny knocks the
contestant auditioned with, he eats “crispy fried cat gizzards head off of Chin-Kee. In particular, the fact that Chin-Kee was
with noodle” like a Chinese character from a 2001 political never a real person (he was a puppet of sorts, created and
cartoon, and he also resembles the lone Asian character from manipulated by the Monkey King) drives home the fact that
the film Sixteen Candles, Long Duk Dong. Drawing inspiration what he represents is a fiction that exists nowhere in real
and elements from this wide variety of sources, from cartoons life—the stereotypes that make him who he is are simply ideas
and reality television to American-made kung-fu movies, and that other people apply to Asian individuals, whether those
even stereotypical dishes from American Chinese restaurants, individuals are fictional or real. Recognizing that all individuals
begins to make the case that Chin-Kee isn’t someone whom are people with rich inner lives of their own, and being aware of
Yang created out of thin air. Rather, Yang shows that Chin-Kee how media can negatively shape one’s perception of a group of
himself doesn’t exist as an actual person—he’s the product of people, Gene Luen Yang suggests, are the first steps to creating
non-Asian creators who continue to bring Asian characters to a pop culture landscape in which Chin-Kee no longer exists.
life and present them as nothing more than stereotypes.
When it comes to the specific element of the sitcom setup in PRIDE, STUBBORNNESS, AND HUMILITY
Chin-Kee’s chapters, American Born Chinese then forces
One important result of the transformations that
readers—especially white readers—to step into the role of a
Jin and the Monkey King undergo is that both of
viewer of the sitcom Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee and confront the
them, after becoming who they think they want to
fact that characters like Chin-Kee are, by design, only supposed
be (white in Jin’s case, and more human in the Monkey King’s
to exist as jokes. Having the laughter and applause right there
case) is that both of them double down on the persona they

create for themselves, even when they encounter a great deal become Jin again, Jin similarly chooses to let go of Danny and
of resistance to their new personas. Practically, this means that all of the pride, violence, and stubbornness inherent to that
the Monkey King and Jin learn that they must violently or persona so that he can help Wei-Chen undergo a similar
rudely defend their choices and their new identities, rather transformation and remember who he is: a monkey in disguise
than accept the possibility that those transformations may not and an emissary for Tze-Yo-Tzuh, not the materialistic bad-boy
have been a great idea in the first place. A major part of both of he becomes as a teenager.
their journeys therefore entails learning to let go of the desire Importantly, the Monkey King and Jin’s shifts from violence and
to be right, as the novel suggests that being humble is the only stubbornness to a state of humility represent a reorientation
fulfilling way to go through life: relying on pride and toward individuals who genuinely care about who the Monkey
stubbornness, and the violence they cause, only serves to King and Jin truly are—that is, people who can help Jin and the
distance a person from their peers, resulting in isolation and Monkey King develop stronger, more meaningful communities
even more violence and anger. in their respective worlds that simply don’t have room for the
American Born Chinese makes it clear that a person becoming bullies. Through this, American Born Chinese suggests that being
prideful, stubborn, and unwilling to listen to others sets off a humble, generous, and helpful to others doesn’t just make
cycle that is then difficult to escape from. In both the cases of someone a better person morally: it sets them up to find
the Monkey King and of Jin, they’re reasonably happy and community and camaraderie, and in doing so, paves the way for
fulfilled individuals until they encounter experiences in which bringing others to this better way of life.
they’re made to feel small and unworthy. Being made to feel
this way, in turn, causes the Monkey King to turn to kung-fu in STORYTELLING AND UNIVERSALITY
earnest and Jin to dedicate himself to becoming as white as he
American Born Chinese’s unique format as a graphic
can possibly make himself, all with the goal of stubbornly
novel that utilizes three unconventional narrative
proving their bullies’ prejudices to be wrong. While the bullying
techniques—pairing visual illustrations with text,
that the Monkey King and Jin experience is certainly real and
switching among three interconnected stories, and simulating
horrible, it’s also important to recognize that as much as Jin and
the form of a sitcom TV show—shows that Gene Luen Yang is
the Monkey King want to punish or humiliate their bullies, it’s
acutely aware of the importance of telling a variety of stories in
not the bullies that suffer as a result of these attempts—it’s the
a variety of ways. By using such a wide range of communication
Monkey King and Jin themselves. In this sense, all the Monkey
tools and modes, American Born Chinese suggests that one of
King and Jin do by doubling down on their attempts to be more
the best ways to tackle the many issues it tackles, from
human or more white, respectively, is alienate themselves even
unnecessary pride and violence to overt racism, is to tell as
further from individuals who might be willing and able to help
many stories about those things as possible. Doing this, it
them, from the Monkey King’s monkey subjects (who are
proposes, can help humanize characters whom readers may
disturbed by their king’s transformation) and the deity Tze-Yo-
never have otherwise thought worthy of consideration, and can
Tzuh in the Monkey King’s story to Wei-Chen in Jin’s story.
thus drive home the universality of the issues that all people
Their lives don’t get any easier, just lonelier—and neither the
face.
residents of Heaven nor Jin’s classmates feel compelled to
apologize or repent for their bad behavior. One of the most important ways in which American Born
As the stories of Jin and the Monkey King converge, the novel Chinese speaks to the ubiquity of racism in general (and against
suggests that once someone finds oneself in a cycle of Chinese individuals in particular) is by telling the parallel stories
constantly needing to prove oneself, it’s impossible to escape it of Jin and the Monkey King, which differ slightly but are also
by continuing stubbornly along the same path. Rather, the only the same in many ways. Both stories begin in places where Jin
way forward is to apologize and attempt to develop a sense of and the Monkey King’s identities are normal and unproblematic
humility—ideally, as part of an attempt to help someone else in (San Francisco’s Chinatown and the mystical realm of Flower-
some way. The Monkey King does this when he’s forced to Fruit Mountain, respectively), and both characters then travel
remember his generous and kind nature: as much as he somewhere where they stand out as different (the suburbs and
blusters and insults the monk Wong Lai-Tsao for asking for his a party in Heaven, respectively). In their new surroundings,
help, he can’t stand the thought of Wong Lai-Tsao being eaten both Jin and the Monkey King experience prejudice directed at
by demons or getting the last word on the matter of the that difference. As, a result they both attempt to change
Monkey King’s identity. Therefore, the Monkey King feels as themselves to fit in. Though they’re successful at this in some
though he must reassume his true form as a monkey and regards, they sacrifice their true identities to make changes
harness the kung-fu powers that allowed him to assume a more that, on the whole, aren’t accepted by those they want to
human form to instead help others. While the Monkey King impress. By telling the same story of overcoming prejudice
later gives Danny (Jin’s white alter ego) no choice but to through these two very different characters, American Born
Chinese is able to speak not just to anti-Chinese racism as it

does through Jin’s story. Rather, it’s able to make the case that Chin-Kee is portrayed as a fundamentally unlikeable person? In
the Monkey King could stand in for any group that has this sense, American Born Chinese clearly intends to raise
experienced prejudice, thereby broadening its message and readers’ consciousness of the universal human struggles it
eliciting greater empathy and understanding in the reader. presents. By putting readers, and especially white readers, in a
Similarly to the way in which Jin and the Monkey King’s stories situation in which they’re required to look at a story of
very overtly mirror each other, it’s possible to draw a variety of prejudice from many angles and perspectives, the novel
connections between the racist remarks lobbed at Chin-Kee presents storytelling in every form as a tool capable of
(and the negative stereotypes his character embodies), and the introducing audiences to the plight of others, eliciting
racism and prejudice that the Monkey King and Jin and his sympathy, and hopefully encouraging those audience members
fellow Asian friends experience in their respective stories. For to treat others with kindness and respect.
instance, one of the insults that recurs throughout Jin’s story is
that he and his family eat dogs, a racist stereotype designed to
cast Chinese people as barbarians who capture and kill people’s
SYMBOLS
beloved pets for food—while Chin-Kee happily and publically Symbols appear in teal text throughout the Summary and
digs into cat gizzards at lunch. Similarly, the suggestion that Analysis sections of this LitChart.
Chin-Kee carries the SARS virus, a dangerous respiratory virus
that originated in China, is an insult in the same vein as the
snide remark that Ao-Kuang (another deity) makes to the SHOES AND HAIR
Monkey King that none of the other gods will go to Flower- Both shoes and hair represent the folly of trying to
Fruit Mountain on account of the fleas. Both of these instances be something other than one’s true identity. The
portray the subject of the insult as dirty or barbaric, speaking to Monkey King’s edict that all monkeys on Flower-Fruit
the universality of discrimination like this. And while Chin-Kee’s Mountain must wear shoes represents his own desire to be
character is clearly exaggerated, and the Monkey King’s is more human—that is, his desire to be something he’s not, but
obviously fantastical, having to consider all of these stories in something that he considers to be superior. In Jin’s parallel
tandem nevertheless makes clear the idea that this these story, his white classmate Greg’s curly hair represents much
struggles are ones that repeats over and over again, in a variety the same thing: it will, in his mind, make him appear more white
of different venues. Showing these insults’ effects on so many and less Chinese, and therefore more appealing to his crush,
different characters, meanwhile, allows readers to consider the Amelia. In this sense, both shoes and hair represent a
myriad negative effects of being the targeted by such racism distillation of an entire culture or state of being into one single
and discrimination—and encourages them to humanize those quality or element, something the novel suggests is misguided
targets. and ineffective at turning someone into something they’re not.
Finally, the visual nature of American Born Chinese allows it to The Monkey King and his fellow monkeys still look like
more easily draw from the visual language and structure of monkeys, just ones that wear shoes, while Jin’s permed hair
sitcom television shows in Danny and Chin-Kee’s chapters, a doesn’t stop Greg from insisting that Jin shouldn’t date Amelia
medium that the novel treats as something well-known to its for racist reasons.
readership. The laugh track in particular means that the novel This doesn’t mean, however, that the shoes and hair don’t still
has the ability to tell the reader when to laugh, rather than feel empowering to the Monkey King and Jin—the addition of
relying on the reader to make up his or her own mind about shoes to the Monkey King’s wardrobe are the first step of his
what’s funny—and by “playing” the laugh track at times when transformation to becoming Great Sage, Equal of Heaven,
what’s happening is racist and decidedly not funny, the novel while Jin’s confidence as he dates Amelia and considers
forces readers to consider what television shows—and indeed, standing up to Greg’s bullying manifests visually as crackling
a variety of other media, from conventional novels to comic lightning coming from his hair. However, that Jin and the
books to films—portray as humorous, and why that is. Though Monkey King must abandon their shoes and hairdo,
the novel never fully answers the “why” of this question for the respectively, speaks to the futility and ineffectiveness of trying
reader, it does draw connections between what’s portrayed on to be something they’re not—as do the reactions of those who
television and how racist characters like Greg and Timmy encounter the shoes and Jin’s perm with confusion or laughter.
behave the way they do in Jin’s story. Why, the novel asks,
would Greg or Timmy choose to associate with any of their
Asian classmates when, in a show like Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee, TRANSFORMERS
Danny (a white character who’s forced to interact and associate Broadly speaking, Transformer toys symbolize
with Chin-Kee, his Chinese cousin) becomes the butt of every identity, and particularly how fluid one’s identity
joke and suffers because of his relationship to Chin-Kee, and can be. This can be both a positive and negative thing. When

young Jin first tells the herbalist’s wife that he’d like to grow up Chapter 1 Quotes
to be a Transformer, she points out that this isn’t
“I, too, am a deity! I am a committed disciple of the arts of
impossible—he just has to be willing to forfeit his soul to do so.
kung-fu and I have mastered the four heavenly disciplines,
In this context, especially when Jin transforms into the white
prerequisites to immortality!”
persona of Danny a few years later, the Transformer represents
a person’s ability to completely reject who they truly are in “That’s wonderful, sir, absolutely wonderful! Now please, sir—”
favor of being someone else. Meanwhile, the Monkey King “I demand to be let into this dinner party!”
gives his son, Wei-Chen, a Transformer to remind him of who
“Look. You may be a king—you may even be a deity—but you are
and what he is inside (a monkey), even as he must look the part
still a monkey.”
of a human on the outside while on his earthly mission. For
Wei-Chen, the Transformer is a symbol of his true nature, while
for Jin, the Transformer speaks to his desire to be anyone but Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker)
who he really is.
Related Themes:
THE LAUGH TRACK Related Symbols:

The laugh track—the “HA HA HA” and “CLAP CLAP
CLAP” that run along the bottom of panels in the Page Number: 14-15
chapters telling Danny’s story—symbolizes American pop
Explanation and Analysis
culture and sitcoms, and specifically, the racist attitudes
expressed in pop culture. Danny’s chapters take the form of a When the Monkey King, a deity who rules over the other
sitcom called Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee. Sitcom television shows monkeys in the mystical kingdom of Flower-Fruit Mountain,
tell viewers what (and who) to laugh at when the laugh track smells a wonderful dinner party going on in Heaven and
plays, and in American Born Chinese, this is most often Danny’s tries to attend, the guard turns him away. They do so on the
Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee. Chin-Kee’s stereotypically Chinese grounds that the Monkey King is a monkey and doesn’t wear
antics and Danny’s embarrassed reaction to whatever Chin- shoes, and therefore isn’t welcome. Because the Monkey
Kee is doing are portrayed in an exaggeratedly humorous King is a monkey rather than a human and therefore doesn’t
manner. By framing Danny and Chin-Kee’s chapters in this way, represent any one ethnic group, this allows the Monkey
the reader has to confront the fact that the Chinese King’s plight more generally to stand in for prejudice that all
stereotypes embodied by Chin-Kee are common punch lines, different ethnic groups experience and have experienced
even if the stereotypes themselves are racist, misguided, and throughout history. In particular, the way that the guard
not actually funny at all. In this sense, even if a laugh track is brushes off the Monkey King’s accomplishments in kung-fu
typically supposed to signal what’s humorous, the laugh track in particularly speaks to the way in which highly-educated
the novel isn’t actually meant to be funny—instead, it individuals of color experience prejudice: racist individuals
symbolizes a culture that casts Chinese characters not as focus only on the fact that the person in question is a
people, but as objects to laugh at due to their appearances, minority and therefore, according to stereotypes, is
customs, and speech. believed to be somehow subpar to white people—even
when they have the degree, experience, or professional
accomplishment that clearly disprove the stereotype.
QUO
QUOTES
TES
Note: all page numbers for the quotes below refer to the
When he entered his royal chamber, the thick smell of
Sqaure Fish edition of American Born Chinese published in
monkey fur greeted him. He’d never noticed it before. He
2008.
stayed awake for the rest of the night thinking of ways to get
rid of it.
Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee
Related Themes:
Related Symbols:

Page Number: 20 thought of doing. Despite this initial reaction, however, Jin
soon must contend with the realization that giving up his
Explanation and Analysis soul—which, though the herbalist’s wife doesn’t say so in so
After being turned away from the dinner party in Heaven, many words, includes both Jin’s kindness and his identity as
the Monkey King notices for the first time that Flower-Fruit a Chinese American person—is surprisingly easy. Jin quickly
Mountain smells like monkey fur, and he begins to consider stops taking dumplings for lunch after his family moves to
how he can do away with the odor. This shows that after the predominantly white suburbs, which gives his racist
experiencing the kind of prejudice that the Monkey King did classmates one less thing to torment him about. He
at the dinner party, one of the first reactions to that sort of a eventually takes the final steps in giving up his soul when he
situation tends to be shame. The Monkey King is now creates his white Danny persona, thereby giving up his
embarrassed that he smells like a monkey, something that identity as Jin and all of Jin’s friendships along with it.
has never even registered before for him.
Fixating on the smell, however, is something the novel
suggests is shortsighted and won’t help the Monkey King at “Class, I’d like us all to give a warm Mayflower welcome to
all in the long run. Focusing on the smell will only make the your new friend and classmate Jing Jang!”
Monkey King more and more ashamed of who and what he “Jin Wang.”
is—a powerful king and a monkey—and instead, lead him to “Jin Wang! He and his family moved to our neighborhood all
do everything in his power to make him seem less of a the way from China!”
monkey. This, it’s important to note, does nothing to
convince others that the Monkey King isn’t a monkey—it “San Francisco.”
only makes the Monkey King angrier, more violent, and “San Francisco!”
more hateful toward himself.
Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny, Mrs. Greeder
(speaker)
Chapter 2 Quotes
“Yeah, but Ma-Ma says that’s silly. Little boys don’t grow up Related Themes:
to be Transformers.”
Page Number: 30
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I’m going to let you in on a
secret, little friend: it’s easy to become anything you wish... Explanation and Analysis
...so long as you’re willing to forfeit your soul.” As Mrs. Greeder introduces Jin to the other students in his
third-grade class, she mispronounces his name and
Related Characters: The Herbalist’s Wife, Jin Wang/Danny incorrectly identifies where he lived before coming to the
(speaker), Jin’s Mother suburbs. This shows, first of all, that Mrs. Greeder probably
didn’t ask Jin his name or to confirm any biographical details
Related Themes: before she introduced him to the class. In a generous
reading, this could mean that Mrs. Greeder simply doesn’t
Related Symbols: take much of an interest in any of her students, but a more
critical take suggests that Mrs. Greeder pronounces Jin’s
Page Number: 29 name the way she does and insists he came from China
because that’s simply what she believes about people who
Explanation and Analysis look Chinese: that their names are either too difficult to
While Jin sits in the front of the herbalist’s shop where his pronounce or sound stereotypically Chinese, and that they
mother goes every weekend, he shares his desire to grow must’ve come directly from China. In doing this, Mrs.
up to be a Transformer like the toys he plays with. The Greeder fails to set herself up as an ally to Jin, and instead
herbalist’s wife says that it’s actually possible to transform becomes someone who, inadvertently or not, condones the
oneself, as long as Jin agrees to give up his soul. It’s racism and bullying of Jin’s classmates by showing them that
significant that Jin looks disturbed in this frame’s behaving in this way is acceptable.
illustration, as though the thought of giving up his soul is
something abhorrent, and moreover, something he’s never

“My momma says Chinese people eat dogs.”
“Now be nice, Timmy! I’m sure Jin doesn’t do that! In fact, Jin’s Explanation and Analysis
family probably stopped that sort of thing as soon as they came In fifth grade, when Wei-Chen moves from Taiwan and
to the United States!” starts school with Jin, the teacher’s introduction follows,
almost word for word, the introduction that Mrs. Greeder
Related Characters: Mrs. Greeder, Timmy (speaker), Jin showed Jin when he first moved to the suburbs. As with the
Wang/Danny first occurrence, this is a way for the teacher, possibly
unintentionally, to show the class that he himself holds
Related Themes: racist stereotypes against Asian people. Wei-Chen and Jin’s
teacher makes it clear that he doesn’t value Wei-Chen
Page Number: 31 enough to check on his name first, or ask where he lived
before—and therefore, none of Wei-Chen’s classmates
Explanation and Analysis should bother to gather this information either. The
Following Mrs. Greeder’s introduction of Jin, Timmy raises repetition of this carelessness shows how crushing and
his hand to share that according to his mom, Chinese people constant this kind of casual racism is. Wei-Chen’s facial
eat dogs. It’s important to keep in mind the origins of the expression here is very similar to what Jin’s was on his first
stereotype that Asian people (as a monolithic group, day—embarrassed, ashamed, unhappy—and it shows that
regardless of national origin) eat dogs. While dog meat is no matter where exactly a person lived prior to the U.S., if
sometimes a part of Asian cuisine, the stereotype that all they look at all Asian, they will at some point have to suffer
Asian people (and particularly Asian American people) do so this kind of casual racism.
casts Asian people as barbarians who will capture, kill, and
eat man’s best friend—in other words, it has little
connection to the actual practice and is really just a way of
Something made me want to beat him up.
dehumanizing and vilifying Asian people. When Mrs.
Greeder assures Timmy that Jin’s family certainly stopped
eating dogs before coming to the U.S., she effectively tells Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), Wei-Chen
Timmy that Jin and his family once did unspeakable things Sun
from an American perspective—but now that they live in the
U.S., they’re gradually becoming more civilized. This allows Related Themes:
Timmy to feel justified in treating Jin horribly, since it makes
the case that Jin isn’t worthy of kindness or of being treated Page Number: 29
like a regular human being. Explanation and Analysis
After the teacher introduces Wei-Chen to the class, Jin
inexplicably wants to beat up Wei-Chen. Keep in mind that
“Class, I’d like us all to give a big Mayflower Elementary by his point, Jin has been in the suburbs for somewhere
welcome to your new friend and classmate Chei-Chen between two and three years, and has been dealing with his
Chun!” classmates’ racism and bullying that entire time. In other
“Wei-Chen Sun.” words, Jin has spent years living in a place where he’s
“Wei-Chen Sun! He and his family recently moved to our constantly bullied for being Chinese, whether because of
neighborhood all the way from China!” the food he eats or the way he looks. On the whole, the
novel suggests that it’s impossible to exist in this kind of
“Taiwan.” environment without internalizing this kind of negative talk
“Taiwan!” to some degree, which means that on some level, Jin now
sees being Chinese as a bad thing. Further, because he’s
Related Characters: Wei-Chen Sun (speaker), Mrs. experienced the bullying from his white classmates, he now
Greeder, Jin Wang/Danny understands that bullying is something that white people
do—and Jin wants to be as white as possible, though he
Related Themes: doesn’t directly act on this idea until later in the book.
Because of all of this, Jin wants to behave violently toward
Page Number: 36 Wei-Chen, since the Asian race they have in common is the
very thing Jin has been conditioned to loathe about himself.

Chapter 4 Quotes
The morning after the dinner party the Monkey King Explanation and Analysis
issued a decree throughout all of Flower-Fruit Mountain: all When the Monkey King receives a summons to go to Ao-
monkeys must wear shoes. Kuang to be executed for trespassing upon Heaven, the
Monkey King insists that the person listed in the summons
doesn’t exist and shares his new name—The Great Sage,
Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee
Equal of Heaven—with several of his monkey subjects.
Changing his name like this represents a major turning point
Related Themes:
in the Monkey King’s conception of his identity. While his
original name gives some indication of who or what the
Related Symbols:
Monkey King is (it makes it clear that he’s a monkey), his
new name instead casts him in the role of someone who is
Page Number: 55
extremely powerful and could take any form. This shows
Explanation and Analysis that now, the Monkey King values his power and his ability
Ashamed and embarrassed after being turned away from a to get his way through force more than he values who he is
dinner party in Heaven for not wearing shoes and for being on the inside. The novel shows this specifically when the
a monkey, the Monkey King forces all of the monkeys in his Monkey King says that he gets a new title because he’s
kingdom to wear shoes. The illustrations paired with this mastered new kung-fu disciplines. While the Monkey King
quote show monkeys struggling to climb trees while doesn’t always use kung-fu for violence, in this situation, he
wearing shoes. The fact that the illustrated monkeys turns to using kung-fu for violent means almost exclusively
struggle so much with their new footwear makes it very in order to seek revenge for the discrimination he faced.
clear that while the Monkey King’s decree may be
understandable—he’s upset, ashamed, and trying to make
himself appear less monkey-like to the other deities—it’s “My apologies for not sending someone to arrest you in
still misguided. The shoes keep the monkeys from doing person, but frankly none of the gods wanted to go
what they naturally do: climb trees. Within the logic of the anywhere near your mountain. Nothing personal—we just
novel, this is a representation of a person or being aren’t particularly fond of fleas.”
suppressing who they really are in order to be who they
want to be or who they think is more valuable—in this case,
Related Characters: Ao-Kuang (speaker), The Monkey
being a human. When the Monkey King refuses to
King/Chin-Kee
acknowledge his subjects’ struggles with the shoes, it shows
that he’s far more interested in selfishly and stubbornly Related Themes:
proving himself. The shame he feels means that he doesn’t
have the capacity at the moment to understand that he’s Page Number: 62
hurting his subjects as well as himself.
Ao-Kuang, the Dragon God of the Eastern Sea, receives the
“This ‘Monkey King’ it speaks of no longer exists, for I have Monkey King in his palace and apologizes for summoning
mastered twelve major disciplines of kung-fu and the Monkey King in the first place—he or someone else
transcended my former title! I shall now be called—The Great would’ve gone to Flower-Fruit Mountain were the monkeys
Sage, Equal of Heaven!” not infested with fleas. Given Ao-Kuang’s sneer and the fact
that he was one of those who laughed at the Monkey King
at the dinner party in Heaven at the beginning of the novel,
Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), it’s easy to see that Ao-Kuang is saying this just to be rude
Ao-Kuang and to rile the Monkey King up. He’s expressing a
fictionalized version of a stereotype that plagues many non-
Related Themes:
Western people: that they’re dirty, infested with parasites,
or carry deadly diseases, and therefore that’s it’s dangerous
Related Symbols: to befriend, engage with (or in this case, visit) them. This is
“nothing personal” because Ao-Kuang doesn’t see the
Page Number: 60

Monkey King as an individual worthy of respect or kindness. Danny, Amelia Harris

In his eyes, the Monkey King is nothing more than a filthy
animal, whom Ao-Kuang believes to be dirty and flea-ridden Related Themes:
no matter how powerful the Monkey King might be.
Page Number: 102

“Silly monkey. You were never out of my reach. You only While stuck in a supply closet with Amelia, Wei-Chen tells
fooled yourself.” her about his friendship with Jin, and how kind Jin is to him.
Though the reader doesn’t know it yet, it’s eventually
Related Characters: Tze-Yo-Tzuh (speaker), Jin Wang/ revealed that Wei-Chen is actually one of the Monkey
Danny, The Monkey King/Chin-Kee King’s sons and an emissary of Tze-Yo-Tzuh, sent to Earth to
serve the deity. Because of this, it’s possible to read Wei-
Related Themes: Chen himself as a version of Tze-Yo-Tzuh in Jin’s story—that
is, someone who has an accurate read on who Jin is inside.
Page Number: 78 Even though Jin has already behaved in questionable or
rude ways (initially refusing to be friends with Wei-Chen,
avoiding everything to do with Chinese culture), it’s
When the Monkey King discovers that the five pillars at the reasonable to believe what Wei-Chen says about Jin given
edge of the universe that he defaced and urinated on were his connection to the divine figures in the Monkey King’s
actually Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s hands, Tze-Yo-Tzuh insists that the story. Making these connections among the book’s three
Monkey King was simply fooling himself that he could parallel stories encourages the reader to understand that in
escape. Though Tze-Yo-Tzuh is a deity and his own person many ways, what it has to say is universal and can be applied
within the novel, he’s also the person who created the entire almost anywhere—and, especially in this case, that being
universe in which the Monkey King’s story takes place—and, kind and generous to one’s friends is one of the best ways to
by extension, created who and what the Monkey King is. In live a fulfilling life and earn the positive regard of others.
this sense, Tze-Yo-Tzuh is responsible for the Monkey
King’s identity. His insistence, then, that the Monkey King
only fooled himself suggests that the Monkey King’s Chapter 6 Quotes
attempts at becoming more human and escaping his
“Ooh ooh! Chin-Kee know dis one!”
identity are silly and futile.
“Put your hand down!”
It’s important to keep this idea in mind going forward, as Jin,
the other character who tries to escape his identity, appears “Go ahead...Chin-Kee, was it?”
for much of the novel as a white boy named Danny—and yet, “Judicial, executive, and registrative!”
the novel leaves clues that the reader (who shares Jin’s
“Good, Chin-Kee! Very good! You know, people—it would
perspective) is the only one who sees Jin as Danny—that is,
behoove you all to be a little more like Chin-Kee.”
as white and blond. Others see Jin as the Chinese American
person he is, regardless of the white Danny persona that he
tries to project to the world. Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny, The Monkey King/
Chin-Kee (speaker)
Chapter 5 Quotes Related Themes:
“When I move here to America, I was afraid nobody wants Page Number: 111
to be my friend. I come from a different place. Much, much
different. But my first day in school here I meet Jin. From then I Explanation and Analysis
know everything’s okay. He treat me like a little brother, show When Danny, who is white, takes his Chinese cousin, Chin-
me how things work in America. He help me with my English [...] Kee, to school with him, Chin-Kee is able to correctly
I think sometimes my accent embarrass him, but Jin still willing answer every question Jin’s teachers pose to the class—and
to be my friend.” even more humiliatingly for Danny, his government teacher
suggests that his students should all be more like Chin-Kee.
Related Characters: Wei-Chen Sun (speaker), Jin Wang/

Chin-Kee’s seeming encyclopedic knowledge of every high leave behind by becoming Danny in the first place—that is,
school subject draws on the stereotype that Asian people concerns expressed by those like Greg that Jin is going to
are naturally academically gifted, unlike their white eat pet dogs, and the idea that a person who speaks with an
counterparts. In this moment, it’s significant that Danny accent is automatically less intelligent, which Jin implied to
looks white to the reader—Danny is merely the white Wei-Chen during Wei-Chen’s first day at school. The worst
persona of Jin, and the novel suggests through his part of this for Danny is that by the time Chin-Kee has been
classmates’ reactions that to them, he still looks like Jin even around for a week, all of his classmates have, in his
if he’s going by a different name. His teacher’s comment, estimation, learned that all of those negative stereotypes
then, is especially difficult for Jin/Danny to hear, as he’s are correct—and therefore, must apply to Jin too. Chin-Kee,
made ridding himself of his Chinese identity his goal in in this sense, exists to confirm stereotypes for both Jin and
life—and here his teacher his telling him, in effect, to be his white classmates, and remind Jin that no matter how
more Chinese. hard he tries to be Danny, he’s never going to entirely
It’s worth noting, then, that Jin—who, no matter what form escape these stereotypes.
he takes, is Chinese—isn’t raising his hand. This shows one
of the damaging effects of this particular stereotype: Jin
and other Chinese students are likely punished by well- “People here aren’t like that. No one ever says anything
meaning teachers who believe that their Chinese students about my weight. Well, maybe that’s because I broke Todd
should be smarter or more academically inclined than they Sharpnack’s nose for calling me ‘Mr. Jiggles’ when we were
are, which can lead to those students being unwilling to freshmen. But whatever. People here are different. You’ll see.
participate or ask for help if they’re struggling. Even these Heck, if anyone ever gives you trouble, I’ll break his nose.”
“positive” stereotypes, the novel shows, are damaging.
Related Characters: Steve (speaker), The Monkey King/
Chin-Kee, Jin Wang/Danny
“Every year around this time, I finally start getting the hang
of things, you know? [...] Then he comes along for one of his Related Themes:
visits.”
“Who?” Page Number: 128
“Chin-Kee, my cousin. He’s been visiting me once a year since Explanation and Analysis
the eighth grade. He comes for a week or two and follows me to Kindly, Steve tells Danny that people at Oliphant High
school, talking his stupid talk and eating his stupid food. School aren’t racist like Danny fears they are, simply
Embarrassing the crap out of me. By the time he leaves, no one because they don’t torment Steve for being overweight.
things of me as Danny anymore. I’m Chin-Kee’s cousin.” Though Steve is trying to be generous and kind to Danny
here, it’s somewhat short-sighted to compare his weight to
Related Characters: Steve, Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), The being Chinese—though he may suffer from stereotypes
Monkey King/Chin-Kee about overweight people, Steve is also white, male, popular,
and on the basketball team—things that give him a great
Related Themes: deal of power to push back when and if people do bully him.
It’s possible that if Danny—who, keep in mind, only looks
Page Number: 126-27 white to the reader; to other characters he looks like a high
school-aged Jin—were to punch someone for bullying him
about being Chinese, it wouldn’t go over so well for Danny.
After missing basketball practice, Danny confides in Steve Further, it’s worth keeping in mind that because Steve isn’t
that every year, just as he gets settled at a new school, Chin- Chinese, he may not be entirely aware of his classmates’
Kee visits and ruins everything for him. The specific “crimes” racism—for instance, in the next Danny/Chin-Kee chapter, a
that Danny lists, eating “stupid food” and speaking “stupid student suggests they get tested for SARS, a severe
talk” speak to the way in which Danny has learned to respiratory virus that originated in China, when Chin-Kee
despise everything that has to do with being Chinese. Given accidently spits on them while singing in the library.
that Danny is merely the white persona of Jin, it seems that
Chin-Kee’s antics remind Jin of everything he’s trying to

Chapter 7 Quotes
Chin-Kee (speaker), Tze-Yo-Tzuh
“The form you have taken is not truly your own. Return to
your true form and you shall be freed.” Related Themes:
“Is there no end to your stupidity, you sod?! That seal above me
prevents me from exercising kung-fu!” Page Number: 146
“Returning to your true form is not an exercise of kung-fu, but a Explanation and Analysis
release of it.” When the Monkey King points out the two demons hunting
Wong Lai-Tsao, the Monkey King stubbornly suggests that
Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee, Wong he won’t reassume his true form to save Wong Lai-Tsao. The
Lai-Tsao (speaker), Tze-Yo-Tzuh way that the Monkey King behaves here shows that at this
point, he’s almost entirely given up on the kindness and
Related Themes: generosity he embodied at the beginning of the novel. Now,
the only way he knows how to act is rude and sarcastic.
Page Number: 145 Wong Lai-Tsao, on the other hand, behaves in a way that the
novel suggests is superior and most effective in situations
like this: he remains firm with his request, and he doesn’t
As the monk Wong Lai-Tsao asks the Monkey King to help rise to the Monkey King’s bait and start hurling insults in
him with his quest, he attempts to convince the Monkey return. By presenting Wong Lai-Tsao as the bigger person
King to reassume his monkey form, which he suggests is the here, the novel indicates that often, the best way to deal
Monkey King’s “true form.” Tellingly, Wong Lai-Tsao with bullies—even if they’re supposed to be helpers, like the
encourages the Monkey King to understand that becoming Monkey King—is to not engage in bullying behavior oneself.
a monkey again means he’ll need to give up on kung-fu, Doing so will only incite a cycle of violence that will make it
which the Monkey King has been using as a violent means of even harder to return to a state of generosity and kindness,
getting his way ever since getting turned away from the or to find genuine, supportive community.
dinner party in Heaven. Essentially, Wong Lai-Tsao is
advocating for nonviolent soul-searching rather than a
violent attempt to change others’ minds, as the Monkey
King had been doing prior to his imprisonment. The way in “To find your true identity...within the will of Tze-Yo-
which the Monkey King lashes out at Wong Lai-Tsao for this Tzuh...that is the highest of all freedoms.”
suggestion shows how caught up he is in proving that he “So is your ‘true identity’ the supper of two demons?”
and his attempts to be human are correct. He’s willing to “Perhaps...is yours the eternal prisoner...of a mountain of rock?”
insult and be rude to Wong Lai-Tsao, just as the residents of
Heaven were willing to be rude and insulting to the Monkey
King when he tried to attend the party. The Monkey King’s Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee, Wong
reaction suggests that even when an individual is Lai-Tsao (speaker), Tze-Yo-Tzuh
confronted with the errors of their ways, they may still
Related Themes:
stubbornly hold onto their convictions, and in doing so, deny
their true self and impede their own progress.
Page Number: 149

“Mortal, there are demons behind you.” The Monkey King, still annoyed and offended that Wong
“Yes. I am aware of them. That is why I ask you to free yourself Lai-Tsao wants his help on a quest, insults Wong Lai-Tsao as
quickly.” the demons begin to roast the monk over a spit—but Wong
Lai-Tsao gets the last word and cleverly insults the Monkey
“And if I refuse?” King, which results in the Monkey King agreeing to return
“If it is the will of Tze-Yo-Tzuh for me to die for your to his true form. What Wong Lai-Tsao essentially asks the
stubbornness, then I accept.” Monkey King here is whether it’s really worth it to be right
about his identity if being right means that he has to remain
Related Characters: Wong Lai-Tsao, The Monkey King/ in the mountain of rock forever. More broadly, this poses
the question of whether it’s more important to stand by
one’s incorrect beliefs or to admit fault and embrace the

“About twenty minutes into the party, though, I figured out
truth , especially when there’s clear evidence that the that Lauren didn’t actually invite me. Her mom wanted to
incorrect or misguided beliefs aren’t making a person happy. hang out with my mom, and I sort of just got brought along.
When the Monkey King considers this and chooses to Lauren and her new friends had their own thing going, so I
return to his true form, it suggests that it’s far better to be spent the rest of the party watching TV in the living room. I felt
who one actually is—especially if making that choice means so embarrassed.
that one will be able to help others, as the Monkey King
...Today, when Timmy called me a...a chink, I realized...deep down
does by saving Wong Lai-Tsao from these demons and then
inside...I kind of feel like that all the time.”
accompanying him on the quest.
Related Characters: Suzy Nakamura (speaker), The

Chapter 8 Quotes Monkey King/Chin-Kee, Timmy, Jin Wang/Danny
“It’s just that she’s a good friend and I want to make sure Related Themes:
she makes good choices, you know? We’re almost in high
school. She has to start paying attention to who she hangs out Page Number: 187
with.
Aw, geez. Look, Jin. I’m sorry. That sounded way harsher than I
meant it to. I just don’t know if you’re right for her, okay? That’s Outside after school, Suzy shares with Jin her embarrassing
all.” experience at a party over the weekend, and admits that on
some level, she constantly feels embarrassed and excluded.
That Suzy feels this way speaks to the immense damage
Related Characters: Greg (speaker), Amelia Harris, Jin
that can be done through constant exposure to negative
Wang/Danny
stereotypes and bullying. Suzy, like Jin, has to deal with
Timmy and their classmates’ unending stream of racist
Related Themes:
comments and remarks. Further, Jin, Suzy, and Wei-Chen’s
experiences in the classroom have made it clear to them
Related Symbols:
that they cannot rely on their teachers to shut down this
kind of racist bullying, as the teachers often confirm their
Page Number: 179-80
students’ racist ideas.
Explanation and Analysis It’s also worth noting that what brings about this realization
The day after Jin’s successful movie date with Amelia, Greg is being called a “chink,” a racist slur against Asian people
pulls Jin aside and asks him to not ask Amelia out again, which is also the root of the character Chin-Kee’s name in
citing Amelia’s reputation as they enter high school as his the novel. In this sense, Suzy realizes here that she has to
reasoning. In reality, what Greg is saying is that it’ll be constantly contend with the fact that when her white
damaging to Amelia’s reputation to be romantically involved classmates look at her, they don’t see Suzy Nakamura. They
with an unpopular Chinese American boy, no matter how see a female version of Chin-Kee and all the negative
many qualities Jin might have that would make him a good stereotypes about Asian people that he embodies.
romantic partner. Importantly, Greg doesn’t seem to fully
recognize how unkind and racist he’s being here—he’s doing
this, supposedly, in service of his friend and is certain that I replayed the day’s events over and over again in my mind.
Jin will understand and support his attempts. Even though Each time I reached the same conclusion: Wei-Chen
Greg has shown himself capable of standing up for Jin in the needed to hear what I had to say. It was, after all, the truth. And
past, this makes it very clear that Greg is far more at around three in the morning, I finally believed myself.
concerned with social status than he is with being kind, and
I dreamt of the herbalist’s wife.
he’s willing to sabotage what could’ve been a friendship, as
well as Jin’s budding relationship with Amelia, in the service “So, little friend. You’ve done it. Now what would you like to
of his and his white friends’ popularity. become?”
Related Characters: The Herbalist’s Wife, Jin Wang/Danny

(speaker), Amelia Harris, Greg, Wei-Chen Sun

to be so that he can serve humanity and spread the word of

Related Themes:
Tze-Yo-Tzuh, something that the novel presents as wholly
positive. However, Wei-Chen undergoes this change in
Related Symbols: identity in a fundamentally different way than either the
Monkey King or Jin do when they became more human and
Page Number: 192-94 turn into Danny, respectively. While both the Monkey King
Explanation and Analysis and Jin transform specifically so they can forget who they
are, Wei-Chen doesn’t seek to forget that he’s a monkey.
The night after telling Wei-Chen that Wei-Chen isn’t good
With this, the novel suggests that changing one’s identity in
enough for Suzy because he’s too much of a new immigrant,
the short term, with the purpose of helping others, can be a
Jin convinces himself that he was correct in his assessment
positive thing—the problem comes when transformation is
and then dreams of the herbalist’s wife. The herbalist’s wife
undertaken for the wrong reasons.
turns Jin into Danny. When considering what happened
before this moment, it’s easy to see how Jin got to the point
where he has, as the herbalist said in Jin’s first chapter,
“forfeited his soul.” Jin kissed Suzy, a friend, against her will, “You misunderstand my intentions, Jin. I did not come to
and then insulted Wei-Chen, Suzy’s boyfriend, in an attempt punish you. I came to serve as your conscience—as a
to deal with his own conflicting emotions about the bullying signpost to your soul.”
Jin experienced from Greg. It’s the fact that Jin trampled all
over his friendships, the herbalist’s wife suggests, that Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker),
causes Jin to lose sight of his soul and who he truly is and Wei-Chen Sun, Jin Wang/Danny
then transform into Danny. Significantly, this is the moment
in which Jin comes to the conclusion that being Asian is a Related Themes:
horrible thing that makes a person unworthy of love—which
is exactly what Greg said to Jin when he asked Jin to not Page Number: 221
date Amelia. Now, Jin has essentially become Greg by
bullying Wei-Chen in the exact same racist way. Explanation and Analysis
As the Monkey King and Jin stare at the puppet head of
Chin-Kee (who is really the Monkey King in disguise), the
Chapter 9 Quotes Monkey King explains to Jin that he hasn’t been visiting
yearly to punish him or to punish Wei-Chen: he’s been
“Take this with you. It’s a human child’s toy that transforms
coming to essentially remind Jin of who he is. Chin-Kee, in
from monkey to humanoid form. Let it remind you of who you
this moment, reminds Jin that over the last few years, he’s
are.”
done everything in his power to separate himself from his
identity as a Chinese American person, down to
Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), transforming himself into the white persona of Danny.
Tze-Yo-Tzuh, Jin Wang/Danny, Wei-Chen Sun Because of this, the Monkey King embodied Chin-Kee when
he visited Jin so that Jin would have to face up to the fact
Related Themes: that, according to the novel, it’s impossible to escape one’s
true identity—even one that’s plagued with negative
Related Symbols: stereotypes. In this sense, Chin-Kee functions as a reminder
that though others may project the stereotypes onto Jin
Page Number: 217 that Chin-Kee embodies, Jin knows in his heart that they
aren’t true and he’s not just a walking stereotype. He is, like
everyone else, a human worthy of kindness and respect, and
Wei-Chen, in his monkey form, is about to descend to Earth should show that same kindness and respect to others in his
for his test of virtue—to live among humans for 40 years life too.
without vice—and his father, the Monkey King, gives him a
Transformer toy to remind him of who he is. Here, the novel
shows that the idea of transforming doesn’t have to be a bad
thing. Wei-Chen’s transformation into a human is supposed “You know, Jin, I would have saved myself from five
hundred years’ imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock
had I only realized how good it is to be a monkey.”

Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), identity that’s not his own, acting in ways that he knows he
Jin Wang/Danny shouldn’t and doesn’t want to, and denying everything
about his identity as a young Chinese American. The
Related Themes: Monkey King wants Jin to realize that this kind of angst is
unnecessary; Jin just needs to understand that he is a
Page Number: 223 Chinese American, which can’t be changed and isn’t the
horrible thing Jin makes it out to be. If Jin, like the Monkey
King, chooses to accept his true identity, he will be able to
Before returning to Heaven, the Monkey King leaves Jin live a far happier and more fulfilled life—and most
with some parting wisdom: that the best thing in the world importantly, he’ll be able to share what he’s learned with
is to be oneself. While Jin hasn’t had to spend 500 years others, as the Monkey King is doing now.
trapped under a mountain of rock like the Monkey King has,
he has spent the last several years walking around in an

SUMMARY AND ANAL

ANALYSIS
YSIS
The color-coded icons under each analysis entry make it easy to track where the themes occur most prominently throughout the
work. Each icon corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart.
CHAPTER 1
One bright night, the gods, goddesses, demons, and spirits This passage’s description of the Monkey King suggests that the he
gather in Heaven for a dinner party. The various guests try to is a generous individual who looks out for others—he gets rid of evil
show each other up by bragging about their achievements, spirits and benevolently oversees a kingdom where all monkeys
while some make bad jokes. The sounds and smells of the party choose to live happily. By contrast, the party guests brag about their
drift down until they reach Flower-Fruit Mountain, where the achievements, which implies that they might not all be as good and
magical Monkey King oversees his kingdom of monkeys. The benevolent as the Monkey King is.
Monkey King is a powerful deity. According to legend, he was
born of a rock and when his eyes opened, rays of light beamed
into the sky. As a young deity, he did away with the tiger-spirit
that haunted Flower-Fruit Mountain and established his
kingdom, where monkeys from all over the world came to live.
The Monkey King rules gently but firmly.
The Monkey King spends all his time studying the arts of kung- At this point, the Monkey King’s grasp of kung-fu is portrayed as
fu. He has mastered thousands of minor disciplines, as well as relatively neutral. While there are some violent aspects to the kung-
the prerequisites to immortality: the four major heavenly fu, it’s portrayed more as a tool that allows the Monkey King to both
disciplines. These are fist-like-lightning, or strong fists; effectively defend Flower-Fruit Mountain and to navigate Heaven
thunderous foot, or the ability to deal major kicks; heavenly and deduce when there might be fun events going on.
senses; and cloud-as-steed, or the ability to ride on clouds. On
the night of the party, the Monkey King uses his senses to
detect the dinner party. Since he loves parties, he summons a
cloud to take him up to Heaven.
The line to get into the party is impossibly long. The Monkey Here, saying that the Monkey King can’t enter because he doesn’t
King fidgets, excited to join the other deities. By the time he have shoes reads as something that’s meant to mask the real reason
reaches the front of the line, he’s beside himself. The guard why the partygoers don’t want the Monkey King to join them.
announces the arrival of the Dragon King of the Western Sea Regardless, the Monkey King’s response to this treatment shows
and then pulls the Monkey King aside. The Monkey King tells that he makes it clear that he’s little different from any of the other
the guard that he’d like to be announced as the Monkey King of guests and can sees that what’s happening here is just prejudicial
Flower-Fruit Mountain, but with a laugh, the guard says the nonsense.
Monkey King can’t enter, as he has no shoes. The Monkey King
insists that there must be a mistake since thousands of subjects
pledge loyalty to him, but the guard tries to drag the Monkey
King out.
©2020 LitCharts LLC www.LitCharts.com Page 21

The Monkey King loudly insists that he’s a deity like everyone Finally, the guard is forced to say outright why the Monkey King
else, as well as a disciple of kung-fu and a master of the four can’t enter: the guard and those he serves are prejudiced. It’s
major heavenly disciplines. The guard compliments the Monkey important, then, that the Monkey King’s first emotional response is
King on his achievements, but insists he still cannot enter. embarrassment—that is, he fears that there’s something wrong with
When the Monkey King argues again, the guard points out that him, rather than recognizing that the partygoers are rude and
even if the Monkey is a king and a deity, he’s still a monkey. judgmental individuals whom he probably doesn’t want to spend
Everyone else at the party laughs. The Monkey King is time with, anyway. This incident shows that this kind of prejudice
extremely embarrassed. He almost leaves without saying can make a person feel embarrassed about who they are and then
anything, but decides that shouting “Die!” as he throws the seek to change themselves, as when the Monkey King considers how
guard at the other guests will make him feel better. He only to get rid his fur of its natural smell.
leaves when everyone at the party is in a pile, injured and
bruised. When he returns to Flower-Fruit Mountain, he feels
acutely aware of the smell of monkey fur. He spends the night
wondering how to get rid of the smell.
CHAPTER 2
On their way to their new house, Jin’s mother tells Jin a The parable that Jin’s mother tells shows the reader as well as Jin
Chinese parable. She says that long ago, a mother lived with her that she values education above all else. Her story implies that it’s
young son near a marketplace. The son spent his time not acceptable for Jin to become a salesman or shop owner, or for
pretending to buy and sell sticks and haggled with his friends. him to seek a religious life. Instead, he must pursue a career that’s
The mother decided to move to a house next to a cemetery, academic in nature. This is potentially why Jin’s family is in the
where the son played by burning incense and singing songs to process of to a new house, since the schools may be better in this
dead ancestors. Finally, the mother moved to a house across neighborhood.
from a university. Her son spent his time reading books about
science, math, and history, and they stayed there for a long
time. In the backseat, Jin plays with his Transformer action
figure. They arrive at their new house.
Jin’s parents arrived in America at the same airport in the same In Chinatown, Jin doesn’t stick out or appear different—he’s one of
week, but they didn’t meet until a year later in graduate school. many young Chinese boys, and so he never has to think about the
Jin’s mother worked at a cannery, while Jin’s father sold wigs to fact that in the U.S., he’s a minority and may suffer because of that.
pay for school. His father became an engineer and his mother This mirrors the way that the Monkey King didn’t experience
became a librarian. They lived in an apartment near San prejudice or question his identity as a monkey until he attempted to
Francisco’s Chinatown, where Jin was born. There were a attend the dinner party with a diverse group of people.
number of other Chinese boys who lived in the same
apartment complex. They’d all spend Saturday mornings in Jin’s
apartment, watching cartoons, and then they’d stage epic
battles between their Transformers.
Every Sunday, Jin’s mother visits the Chinese herbalist and Here, the herbalist’s wife sets up one of the novel’s most important
takes Jin with her. The appointments often seem to drag on ideas: that people can change into anything, like the Transformer
forever, and Jin has to sit out front with the herbalist’s wife. action figures, but that in order to do so, one must inevitably
One slow Sunday, the herbalist’s wife asks Jin what he’s going compromise who one really is on the inside. This doesn’t resonate
to be when he grows up. Excitedly, Jin says he wants to be a with Jin, as he isn’t yet aware that people are going to bully him for
Transformer. He holds up his Transformer toy and explains being Chinese, but this does foreshadow events that happen years
that Transformers are “robots in disguise.” He shows the later, when Jin struggles with his Chinese identity.
woman how his Transformer changes from a robot into a truck.
The herbalist’s wife seems amused. Jin sighs that his mother
says that boys don’t grow up to be Transformers, but the
herbalist’s wife says she has a secret for Jin: he can easily
become anything he wants if he’s willing to forfeit his soul.

The day after Jin’s family moves into their new home, Jin starts Though Mrs. Greeder might not mean to, she makes the racist
third grade at Mayflower Elementary School. Mrs. Greeder reactions of Jin’s classmates even worse by not checking on the
introduces Jin as “Jing Jang” and says he came all the way from pronunciation of his name before announcing it to the class and
China. Jin corrects her on his name and that he’s from San then essentially confirming that Chinese people eat dogs.
Francisco. A boy named Timmy raises his hand and says that Confirming Timmy’s assertion in particular allows Timmy to go on
according to his mom, Chinese people eat dogs. Mrs. Greeder believing that he’s right to think this way, while mispronouncing Jin’s
says that she’s sure Jin doesn’t do that—his family probably name sends the message that it’s not essential for the other
stopped as soon as they arrived in the U.S. The only other Asian students to learn their classmates’ names—even if doing so is a
student in the class is Suzy Nakamura. The class believes at first simple way to show respect.
that Suzy and Jin must be related but when they realize they’re
not, rumors spread that they’re arranged to be married on
Suzy’s 13th birthday. Suzy and Jin avoid each other as much as
they can.
Every day at lunch and recess, while the other kids play, Jin eats In this situation, Timmy is punishing Jin for eating foods that are
by himself at a picnic table. On one of Jin’s first days at school, unfamiliar to him—and he’s showing Jin that if he wants to avoid
Timmy and his crew approach and ask Jin what he’s eating. being bullied, he must avoid any habits that might make him look
When Jin explains that he has dumplings for lunch, Timmy even a little bit Chinese. This begins to teach Jin to be ashamed of
warns Jin to stay away from his dog. A blond boy with curly hair his cultural identity. Greg, meanwhile, shows promise of eventually
named Greg tells Timmy to be cool, but Timmy calls Greg a standing up for Jin in more meaningful ways.
“pansy-boy.” Greg intimidates Timmy into backing down and
taking back his insult. Timmy leads his friends away, insisting
that they leave “bucktooth”—Jin—alone so he can finish eating
Lassie. Greg looks back with pity and concern, but says nothing.
Jin makes his first friend about three months later. His name is The relationship that Peter and Jin have is, importantly, not genuine
Peter, and he’s known as “Peter the Eater” because he eats his friendship—it’s a relationship in which Peter bullies Jin, and Jin
boogers. At recess one day, he introduces himself to Jin by accepts it because it means he’s getting attention from one of his
insisting that if Jin gives Peter his sandwich, they’ll be best white peers (and furthermore, likely doesn’t feel as though he has
friends—otherwise, Peter will beat Jin up and make Jin eat his the power to stop Peter’s bullying anyway). Jin seems to occupy one
boogers. Jin hands over his sandwich. They soon become of the lowest rungs on the school social hierarchy, which is likely
friends and play games like “Kill the Pill” and “Crack the Whip.” why Peter targets Jin in the first place.
Peter physically hurts Jin during these games. When they play
their other favorite, “Let’s Be Jews,” Peter forces Jin to wear his
mother’s bras on his head. Two years later, when Jin is in fifth
grade, Peter goes to visit his dad over winter break. Peter never
returns.
Wei-Chen Sun moves to town two months after Peter moves When Wei-Chen and Jin’s fifth-grade teacher makes the exact same
away. The teacher introduces him as Chei-Chen Chun from mistakes that Mrs. Greeder did in introducing Jin years ago, it
China. Wei-Chen corrects the teacher on his name and that illustrates just how widespread this brand of casual racism is. It
he’s from Taiwan. For some reason, Jin wants to beat Wei-Chen shows that Asian students in general cannot expect basic respect in
up. Wei-Chen looks uncool: he wears huge glasses, a robot the form of having their name pronounced correctly, or having a
shirt, and high-waisted sweatpants. He approaches Jin during teacher confirm their biography before making assumptions in front
lunch and, in Mandarin, asks if he is Chinese. Jin spits that Wei- of the class. Jin’s desire to beat Wei-Chen up, meanwhile, shows
Chen should speak English in America. Wei-Chen struggles to how much he’s internalized the idea that being Asian is something
ask his question in English and then asks if they can be friends. negative—like Timmy and Peter when Jin arrived, Jin now wants to
Jin insists he has enough friends. Though Jin is sitting alone, he punish those who embody that identity.
points to the boys playing football in the field and ignores Wei-
Chen.

Wei-Chen sits down a little ways away from Jin and sadly pulls The Transformer in this situation functions as a symbol for the fact
out a Transformer. This sparks Jin’s interest. Wei-Chen that Jin and Wei-Chen aren’t that different, even if Jin is doing his
explains that his Transformer changes from a robot into a best to appear as white as possible. This offers hope that going
monkey. His father gave it to him just before he left as a forward, the idea that all people are fundamentally the same will
goodbye present. Jin asks to see it. Wei-Chen soon becomes expand to more characters.
Jin’s best friend.
CHAPTER 3
The frame reads, “Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee” alongside an The first frame of this chapter tells the reader that this section is
illustration of a laughing Chinese person with buckteeth and a supposed to take the form of a sitcom television show. For readers
traditional queue hairstyle. A laugh track indicating clapping familiar with the sitcom format, this conveys valuable information:
runs along the bottom of the frame. In a suburban California that Danny, the “show’s” protagonist, is probably going to fail a lot,
home, two white teenagers named Melanie and Danny study in humorous ways. It also tells the reader that what’s funny in this
chemistry. Danny drools, and the laugh track plays when chapter isn’t up for debate or interpretation—the laugh track will tell
Melanie calls him out. Melanie tries to draw Danny’s attention readers what’s supposed to be funny, and what isn’t. In this case, the
back to what they’re studying, but Danny starts to ask Melanie rather racist depiction of Chin-Kee, whose name (which is
out. Danny’s mom interrupts from the kitchen, however, and intentionally similar to the racial slur “chink”) and appearance
says that cousin Chin-Kee is coming to visit. Danny drops his embody common racist stereotypes of Chinese people, yet are
book and looks horrified, prompting the laugh track. Danny’s presented as something to be laughed at.
mom says that Chin-Kee is coming from the airport now.
Melanie asks who cousin Chin-Kee is.
Chin-Kee bursts through the front door, larger than life, as the Notice that Chin-Kee himself is what’s supposed to be funny
laugh track plays. He has yellow skin, a long queue, buckteeth, here—and since Chin-Kee is a combination of many negative and
and wears traditional Chinese garb. Chin-Kee bows to “Cousin racist stereotypes about Chinese people, the laugh track is saying
Da-nee” and says he’s as happy as “ginger root pranted in that Chinese people are something to be laughed at. In this way, the
nutritious manure of well-bred ox” to see him. Then, Chin-Kee novel shows how television shows like the fictional Everyone Ruvs
notices Melanie. He spits and slobbers as he crouches down by Chin-Kee train viewers to accept racist and narrow views like this
Melanie, insisting she’s beautiful, has a “bountiful Amellican as fact. Further, it’s significant that Chin-Kee isn’t exactly a likeable
bosem,” and needs to have her feet bound so she can have person—he invades Melanie’s personal space and is aware that he’s
Chin-Kee’s children. When they hear Danny’s mom in the making Danny uncomfortable. This furthers the racist portrayal of
kitchen, Chin-Kee wipes his mouth and announces that Chinese people as lewd and impolite.
Melanie must belong to Danny. He suggests, however, that he
could find his own beautiful American girl when he
accompanies Danny to school. Danny looks horrified as the
laugh track laughs and claps.

CHAPTER 4
The morning after the dinner party, the Monkey King declares The decree that all monkeys must wear shoes doesn’t fix the actual
that all monkeys on Flower-Fruit Mountain must wear shoes. problem: the prejudice of the gods and goddesses in Heaven.
The monkeys comply, but they struggle to climb in their new Instead, this is a way for the Monkey King to try to make himself
footwear. The Money King asks that no one disturbs him and more appealing to those who tried to turn him away. When the
locks himself in his innermost chamber. There, he studies kung- Monkey King turns to kung-fu to make himself invulnerable and
fu fervently, training by day and meditating by night. After 40 change his bodily form, it shows that he is potentially turning to
days, he achieves the four major disciplines of invulnerability: violence in reaction to the poor treatment he experienced. It’s also
invulnerability to fire, cold, drowning, and wounds. The Monkey telling that he can change his form at all—through that, he can alter
King studies for another 40 days and achieves the four major how others see him and how they treat him.
disciplines of bodily form. He learns to turn himself into a giant,
make himself miniature, turn his hair into a million clones, and
to shape-shift.
The other monkeys are ecstatic when they see the Monkey Here, the novel reveals that the Monkey King is trying to make
King coming out of his chambers, but they’re also puzzled. He himself both more human (through his altered appearance) and less
looks tall and walks in a more human fashion, but the monkeys of a target for bullying (through acquiring the kung-fu skills).
can’t figure out what’s different. One monkey offers him a scroll Changing his name is the cherry on top of this transformation, as his
that came from Heaven on the first night of his seclusion. It original name tells people exactly who and what he is—a monkey.
reads that the Monkey King is convicted of trespassing upon This new name conveniently ignores that the Monkey King is a
Heaven and must go to Ao-Kuang, Dragon King of the Eastern monkey, and instead focuses on his admirable might and wisdom.
Sea, to be executed. The Monkey King growls that this is a
mistake: the Monkey King no longer exists, as he has now
mastered the 12 major disciplines of kung-fu and transcended
his old name. Now, people must call him The Great Sage, Equal
of Heaven. The monkeys are confused and try to offer their
king a banana, but the Monkey King storms off to announce his
new name to Heaven.
Ao-Kuang insists that he’s been anxiously awaiting the Monkey Ao-Kuang’s comment about not wanting to get fleas on Flower-
King’s arrival, but he’s inwardly nervous at how much bigger Fruit Mountain is a clear version of common real-world prejudices
the Monkey King is now. Ao-Kuang apologizes to the Monkey against people from non-Western countries—that they’re dirty,
King for not sending someone to arrest him; Ao-Kuang says carry exotic infectious diseases, or are infested with parasites. That
that none of the gods wanted to pick up fleas on Flower-Fruit the fictional and fishlike Ao-Kuang is the one spewing this rhetoric
Mountain. He calls his guard, who chops the Monkey King’s begins to show that this kind of prejudice isn’t unique to either
head off—but the Monkey King’s head returns to his shoulders, Heaven or California where Jin lives. Rather, it’s a problem that
and he insists that the execution isn’t necessary. Ao-Kuang crops up everywhere, against many different groups of people.
deems this an impressive trick and calls the Monkey King “little
monkey,” but the Monkey King says he’s not a monkey. Ao-
Kuang and his guard giggle and laugh as the Monkey King
declares that he’s The Great Sage, Equal of Heaven.
The Monkey King performs the discipline of giant form and Now, the Monkey King is no longer using his mastery of kung-fu for
stomps on Ao-Kuang, which convinces the dragon king. Ao- good. He’s using it instead to exact revenge and to make others
Kuang gives the Monkey King a magic cudgel (staff) that grows suffer a similar pain to what he did, something that the novel
and shrinks with a single thought. Next, the Monkey King visits suggests is unfulfilling for the person in the Monkey King’s position
Lao-Tzu, Yama, and the Jade Emperor. They all laugh at his and won’t do him any good in the long run. He may believe he’s
pronouncement, but the Monkey King performs his newly- changing minds, but he’s really just making others even more
mastered disciplines and shows off his new cudgel. When the suspicious of him.
Monkey King is through with them, they’re convinced that he’s
The Great Sage, Equal of Heaven.

Not long after, the gods, goddesses, demons, and spirits go to The gods, goddess, demons, and spirits are (in theory, at least) the
the lion, the ox, the human, and the eagle, the emissaries of Tze- very people whom the Monkey King wants to impress and have on
Yo-Tzuh: the lion, the ox, the human, and the eagle. They beg his side—but because he’s been so violent to them, they’re even less
the emissaries to do something, as the Monkey King is a willing to accept him and just want him to go away. While this
menace. The emissaries agree to relay their request to Tze-Yo- doesn’t excuse the behavior of Heaven’s residents by any means,
Tzuh. A few days later, as the Monkey King beats someone over this does show how isolating turning to violence can be—the
the head and forces them to repeat his new title over and over Monkey King has no allies now.
again, a voice asks “little monkey” where his anger comes from.
The Monkey King declares that he’s not a monkey and turns
around. Behind him is a tall man with a white beard and hair,
flowing robes, and a huge staff.
The man—Tze-Yo-Tzuh—again calls the Monkey King a “silly For the Monkey King, who believes himself wholly invincible now
little monkey.” The Monkey King stows his cudgel behind his ear that he has 12 major kung-fu disciplines to rely on, Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s
and gets in Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s face. Tze-Yo-Tzuh says that he insistence that the Monkey King’s power isn’t all that it’s cracked up
created the Monkey King as a monkey, so he’s a monkey. The to be is entirely unwelcome. Accepting Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s information as
Monkey King insists that he was born of a rock and that no one truth would mean that the Monkey King would need to accept that
created him, but Tze-Yo-Tzuh says that he formed the Monkey he can’t do things on his own, and instead must turn to his
King within the rock. The Monkey King asks whether Tze-Yo- community to make sense of who he is and how he fits in.
Tzuh can prove this. In response, Tze-Yo-Tzuh announces his
name and says that all he’s created—everything in existence—is
always within hand’s reach. Because he created the Monkey
King, the Monkey King can never escape him.
The Monkey King summons a cloud to prove Tze-Yo-Tzuh Again, the most significant element of the Monkey King’s downfall is
wrong. He flies into the sky and taunts Tze-Yo-Tzuh, but Tze- that he believes he can proudly and stubbornly insist that he’s the
Yo-Tzuh reaches a hand into the sky after the Monkey King. only individual who matters, an idea that Tze-Yo-Tzuh shows clearly
The Monkey King flies as fast as he can. He flies past the isn’t true. It’s also worth considering another possible consequence
planets, stars, and edges of the universe. He finally flies of the Monkey King’s insistence on his own powers: Tze-Yo-Tzuh
through the boundaries of reality. At the end of all that is, he now has to spend his time trying to convince the Monkey King he’s
reaches five pillars of gold. The Monkey King uses his cudgel to right, rather than making the case to the other residents of Heaven
carve his name into one of the pillars and then urinates on it. that they should be kind to the Monkey King.
Satisfied, he flies back through the universe and informs Tze-
Yo-Tzuh that he escaped. The Monkey King declares that Tze-
Yo-Tzuh is the most pitiable god he’s ever met and tells him to
leave.
Tze-Yo-Tzuh asks the Monkey King to come closer and look at The assertion that the Monkey King only fooled himself is
his hand. The Monkey King is shocked: the god’s finger is important—everyone else, from Tze-Yo-Tzuh to Ao-Kuang, is well
marked with the Monkey King’s name and urine. Tze-Yo-Tzuh aware that the Monkey King may be taller and straighter than
explains that the five pillars of gold were the five fingers of his before, but he’s still a monkey. This is an idea that will become
hand; the Monkey King only fooled himself that he could important as Jin’s story develops as well. As an omnipresent and
escape. Tze-Yo-Tzuh walks away from the dumbfounded powerful god, Tze-Yo-Tzuh attempts to situate himself as an
Monkey King and invites him to walk across a stone bridge. He essential person in the Monkey King’s community. He is, he
repeats his name and that he was, is, and “shall forever be” Tze- suggests, the one who gets to make the final call on what someone’s
Yo-Tzuh. He’s searched the Monkey King’s heart, knows all his identity is, which means that as long as the Monkey King goes
thoughts, and knows everything he does and says. He says that against Tze-Yo-Tzuh, the Monkey King cannot know who he really is.
the Monkey King can never escape him, as he’s in Heaven and
in the underworld—and his hand is at the end of all that is.

He formed the Monkey King with awe and wonder, as At this point, the Monkey King is still so caught up in the humiliation
everything he makes is wonderful. Tze-Yo-Tzuh says he didn’t he experienced at the party to stop and think about the truth of
make a mistake. The Monkey King is supposed to be a monkey, what Tze-Yo-Tzuh is saying (essentially, that it’s impossible and
and he still is a monkey—so he needs to stop being silly and unfulfilling for the Monkey King to try so hard to be someone he
accept this. The Monkey King seems startled for a moment, but isn’t). Locking the Monkey King in the mountain deprives him of
then insists he can take Tze-Yo-Tzuh down. With a sigh, Tze-Yo- kung-fu, which he believes gives him all of his power. Without it, the
Tzuh causes the stone bridge to collapse, sending the Monkey Monkey King will have to reflect on who he really is when he’s not
King falling to the depths below. When he hits the ground, the behaving violently.
stone covers him and traps him in a mountain. Tze-Yo-Tzuh sets
a seal on the mountain to prevent the Monkey King from
exercising kung-fu, and the Monkey King stays there for 500
years. Only the Monkey King’s upper body sticks out from the
mountain.
CHAPTER 5
One day in seventh-grade English class, Jin notices a girl named The very fact that Jin has an all-consuming crush like this shows
Amelia for the first time when she takes off her sweater to clearly that he’s a normal teen like anyone else in the novel, or
reveal her bare shoulder. In this moment, Jin’s life changes indeed, the world. Everything he’s experiencing is somewhat
forever. From then on, Jin feels Amelia’s presence everywhere. universal—it has nothing to do with him being Chinese. Because of
She makes Jin so nervous that he constantly drops things—like this, American Born Chinese is more broadly able to humanize its
his and Wei-Chen’s science project—if she’s around. Jin spends Asian characters and make it clear that they’re no different from
his nights thinking about her. Amelia isn’t especially beautiful, white readers, thereby encouraging readers to be more empathetic
and has a slight lisp and a bit of dandruff, but her smile drives in their own lives and experiences.
Jin crazy. After a month, Jin tells Wei-Chen about her. Wei-
Chen laughs at first and explains that in Taiwan, boys who like
girls before they turn 18 are laughed at. Jin scolds Wei-Chen
for being F.O.B. (fresh off the boat). Two weeks later, Wei-Chen
and Suzy Nakamura start dating, much to Jin’s surprise.
Not long after this, Jin’s science teacher, Mr. Graham, The appearance of the lab animals makes another point about
introduces the class to several animals—a lizard, a monkey, and changing one’s appearance or identity: when it’s done by force (as
a rabbit—who are temporarily on loan to the class from a the scientists likely did to these animals) it takes on a sinister
classmate’s mother. The mother runs Babelene Cosmetics, and quality, given how abnormal and scared the animals look. When
all the animals have long, curled eyelashes and huge, human- Timmy taunts Amelia, it shows that he bullies everyone—he doesn’t
like lips—as does the classmate responsible for bringing in the confine himself to hurling racial slurs or stereotypes at his Asian
animals. Mr. Graham asks for volunteers to care for the animals classmates, he’s just a rude and mean person. Just like Timmy may
after school and offers extra credit to volunteers. Amelia, who have learned to detest his Asian classmates from television shows
sits next to Greg, volunteers. Behind her, Timmy offers to let akin to Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee, it’s also possible he learned to
her “pet his lizard” any time, but Greg shuts Timmy down and treat women like this from the media.
makes Amelia laugh. Across the room, Wei-Chen encourages
Jin to raise his hand, but Mr. Graham insists that Wei-Chen
must want to volunteer if he’s making so much noise. Wei-Chen
agrees to volunteer and thinks that Jin is a scared turtle.

Jin stares across the room at Greg and Amelia, who are Again, the way that Wei-Chen and Suzy good-naturedly tease Jin
chatting happily, and later asks Wei-Chen and Suzy if they think about taking his crush on Amelia too seriously shows that these are
Amelia likes Greg. Wei-Chen and Suzy are too caught up in normal teenagers who aren’t not fundamentally different because
“looking at each other with eyes of love” and giggling to hear. they’re not white. For Jin, however, focusing on whether Amelia
Jin repeats his question. Suzy tells Jin to not be so paranoid might have a crush on Greg means that he’s sizing up the differences
since talking doesn’t mean anything, but Wei-Chen points out between Greg and himself, trying to figure out where he falls short in
that Jin is a “little cowardly turtle” and hasn’t even spoken to the scheme of things. Given Suzy’s recitation of Jin’s embarrassing
Amelia. When Jin insists he’s spoken to Amelia before, Suzy incident in science class, it appears the main difference between Jin
insists that dropping his books in front of Amelia and then and Greg isn’t their races, it’s that Greg can speak without losing his
giggling doesn’t count. Wei-Chen and Suzy laugh as they cool—something Jin could learn to do too.
recount an episode from science class last week, when Jin
walked in front of Amelia’s desk, knocked over a bunch of test
tubes, and then made a bad joke about not breaking all of them.
They laugh hysterically.
Jin tells Wei-Chen and Suzy that they’re awful as they continue For Timmy and his friends, tormenting Jin, Wei-Chen, and Suzy is
to laugh uncontrollably. Timmy and a friend walk by and loudly recreational—they don’t care that it’s hurtful, as they potentially
remark that it’s getting cold, fitting in as many racist slurs as don’t even see their Asian classmates as truly human due to their
they can. They laugh as they pass Jin, Wei-Chen, and Suzy, who differences. When Jin fixates on Greg’s hair, this characteristic
all burn with shame. Jin walks home alone and thinks of Amelia. becomes akin to the Monkey King’s shoes. It’s not about the hair or
He pictures Amelia next to Greg, and then thinks of Greg only. the shoes at all, but changing that one thing makes Jin feel as
As he gets home, he thinks only of Greg’s curly blond hair. The though he’s controlling something and changing himself to appear
next day at school, Suzy and Wei-Chen are floored when Jin more like a white boy, a change that his friends who care about him
comes to school with Greg’s hairstyle. Suzy stops Wei-Chen can see right through.
from saying something rude to Jin, but after Jin is gone, Wei-
Chen incredulously asks why Jin’s hair looks like broccoli.
After school, Wei-Chen goes to science class to feed the The monkey seems to be unusually drawn to Wei-Chen, and the fact
animals with Amelia. The monkey grabs Wei-Chen’s face and that he knows the sex of the animal suggests that there is some kind
chatters at him, and Amelia comments that the animal seems of connection between them. Meanwhile, the way that Amelia talks
quite attached to him. Wei-Chen corrects Amelia’s assumption to Wei-Chen throughout this chapter is significant—she doesn’t
that the monkey is female. Amelia asks if Wei-Chen will get the appear to treat him any differently because he’s Chinese, which
pinky mice for the lizard from the back of the closet. As he makes Amelia the only white character in the novel who treats Jin
searches, Amelia says she’s thrilled Wei-Chen could volunteer and Wei-Chen like real people worthy of respect and kindness. In
with her, since the furless mice creep her out. Wei-Chen can’t this sense, she may be worthy of Jin’s affections.
find the mice, so Amelia goes into the supply closet to help look.
She finds them, but only after the door closes behind them.
They realize that there’s no knob on the inside of the door, so
they sit down to wait for someone to rescue them. Wei-Chen
shares that he’s supposed to meet Jin after school, and Jin will
figure out where they are.

Amelia confirms that Jin is the Asian boy with the Afro and then Here, Wei-Chen’s description of Jin shows how good and generous
asks if Wei-Chen and Jin are good friends. Wei-Chen says that of a friend Wei-Chen is. He surely knows that speaking so highly of
Jin is his best friend, and he owes Jin a lot. When Amelia asks Jin to Amelia will pique her interest in Jin, but Wei-Chen doesn’t
him to elaborate, Wei-Chen says that when he first moved to seem to be saying any of this as part of an act. This, then, suggests
America, he was afraid nobody would be his friend. He met Jin that like the Monkey King, Jin is a naturally kind, generous, and
on the first day, and Jin made him feel like everything would be giving person. Given the parallels between the Monkey King and Jin,
okay. Jin treats Wei-Chen like a little brother, teaches him then, this foreshadows a similar trajectory in their stories—Jin will
English and slang phrases, and buys him McDonald’s French likely continue to attempt to change his identity, and ensue dire
fries. Wei-Chen says that sometimes he thinks his accent consequences as a result.
embarrasses Jin, but Jin is still his friend—and really, Jin was
Wei-Chen’s only friend for a long time. Wei-Chen says that Jin
has a good soul.
Wei-Chen smiles to himself and Amelia asks if Jin likes her. The fact that Jin’s confidence seems to come directly from his curly
With a laugh, Wei-Chen tells Amelia to ask Jin herself. hairstyle, modeled after Greg’s hair, suggests that being Chinese
Meanwhile, Jin waits for Wei-Chen for almost an hour. He has made Jin feel less confident, while looking more white (even if, given
to bribe the custodian with an orange freeze from the cafeteria Wei-Chen and Suzy’s reaction, Jin really just looks silly) makes Jin
and a promise of doing garbage duty to open the biology room, feel far more invincible. Further, by taking on the role of the rescuer
but Jin gets in and figures it out. He’s worried and jealous that and then being the one to ask Amelia out, Jin also begins to embody
Wei-Chen is alone with Amelia, but when he opens the closet, a bit of stereotypical masculinity. Regardless, experiencing this
everything is a blur. Jin looks down at Amelia and Wei-Chen success after changing his hair will likely show Jin that acting like
whispers in his ear that this is the chance of a lifetime. Jin feels someone he isn’t yields positive results.
a jolt of confidence that comes from his hair and awkwardly
asks Amelia if she’ll go out with him. Amelia agrees. Her “yes”
keeps Jin warm all night long.
CHAPTER 6
The laugh track plays as the bell rings, signaling the start of the Danny very clearly wants as few people as possible to notice Chin-
school day at Oliphant High School. Danny and Chin-Kee sneak Kee, hence why he sneaks Chin-Kee in late and then doesn’t want
in after the bell. Chin-Kee is annoyed that Danny brought him him answering questions in class. This is because Danny doesn’t
late, but he exclaims that the school is big and beautiful. He want to have to acknowledge that many people see him as just
laughs and says he likes it. In government class, the teacher another version of Chin-Kee, not as a whole person in his own right.
asks exasperatedly what the three branches of the American
government are. The laugh track plays when Chin-Kee puts his
hand up and Danny hisses at him, but Chin-Kee correctly gives
the answer. The teacher is delighted and tells the class they
should be more like Chin-Kee as the laugh track runs.
In world history, Chin-Kee names Christopher Columbus’s As Chin-Kee correctly answers question after question, he plays to
three ships. He correctly identifies bones in anatomy class, the stereotype that all Chinese people are naturally extremely
solves equations in math, and answers questions in Spanish. smart. Chin-Kee’s lunch is a reference to a 2001 political cartoon
Danny becomes more and more embarrassed. At lunchtime, he drawn by a white cartoonist, which implies that white people have
sits moodily next to Chin-Kee, who happily eats crispy fried cat invented and perpetuated the racist stereotypes Chin-Kee
gizzards with noodles and offers some to Danny. A huge jock, embodies. The cat for lunch, meanwhile, continues to flesh out the
Steve, stops by the table and congratulates Danny on making stereotype that Chinese people eat American house pets.
the varsity basketball team. They joke about Danny’s old team,
which wasn’t very good, but Danny insists he has a great jump
shot. Steve laughs, says he’ll see about that at practice, and then
asks about Chin-Kee. Danny morosely introduces Chin-Kee as
his visiting cousin. The laugh track plays as Chin-Kee happily
waves “harro.”

Steve starts to engage Chin-Kee in conversation, but Danny Interestingly, Danny doesn’t want Steve to treat Chin-Kee like a real
interjects and asks if Steve has a copy of the game schedule. person—doing so would force Danny to acknowledge his connection
Steve opens his Coke and then digs in his bag for a schedule. to Chinese culture. Chin-Kee demonstrates yet another stereotype
While he and Danny are occupied, Chin-Kee snatches the when he repeats a common schoolyard rhyme, and actually makes
Coke, pulls it to his side of the table and outside the frame, and good on it. The rhyme itself invokes the stereotype that Chinese
then pushes it back to Danny and Steve’s end as Steve hands people are tricksters willing to make disgusting “jokes,” and the word
over a crumpled schedule. Chin-Kee’s cheeks bulge. Steve choice makes fun of people for whom English isn’t their first
jokingly says he’s going to charge Danny $100 and a date with language.
the girlfriend Danny doesn’t have, and the laugh track plays.
He walks away with his Coke as Chin-Kee giggles hysterically.
Chin-Kee tells Danny, “Me Chinese, me play joke! Me go pee-
pee in his Coke!” Danny is horrified. From outside the frame,
Steve spits his Coke and asks what’s wrong with it. The bell
rings and the laugh track laughs.
Chin-Kee answers questions correctly in chemistry and The way that Chin-Kee salivates while talking about finding a
English, which embarrasses Danny as the laugh track runs. girlfriend speaks to the racist belief that Chinese culture is sexually
After school, Danny gets his detention slip. Chin-Kee taunts deviant—Chin-Kee, in other words, embodies the idea that all
Danny and says that he deserves the detention since he came Chinese men are out to prey on innocent white women. The laugh
to school late. As Danny heads for detention, Chin-Kee laughs, track, meanwhile, tells the reader that this all is supposed to be
says he’s having a great day, and says he loves American school. funny—when really, it’s wildly racist and mean. When Danny’s other
He salivates as he says this and heads for the library, classmates pull on their eyelids and laugh with the laugh track, it
announcing as he goes that he’s going to find an American girl shows that the result of viewing media like Everyone Ruvs Chin-
to marry and have children with. He invites Danny to join him Kee is people believing that racist mockery is okay.
after detention. The laugh track laughs. As Danny walks away,
he sees other white classmates pulling their eyelids flat and
laughing along with the laugh track.
Danny comes across Melanie in the hallway and apologizes Danny’s insistence that he’s not like Chin-Kee reads as expressly
about what Chin-Kee said last night. Melanie apologizes in turn odd, since he’s white and not visibly Chinese. It’s unclear at this
and says it wasn’t Danny’s fault; in a way, it was kind of point how, exactly, Danny and Chin-Kee are related given their
flattering. The laugh track runs. Danny hopefully asks Melanie different races (are they cousins by marriage?) and what Danny’s
if she’d like to see a movie on Saturday. Melanie nervously looks connection to Chinese culture is. While there’s no way to verify
around and says that they’re good friends and she’d like to stay whether or not Melanie is telling the truth about why she doesn’t
good friends, not mess it up. Angrily, Danny says that he’s not want to date Danny, the fact remains that Danny cannot escape
like Chin-Kee, but Melanie says it has nothing to do with Chin- from the haunting thought that nobody will want to date him
Kee. Danny loudly and angrily says that he’s nothing like Chin- because he’s associated with a Chinese person. Melanie confirms
Kee and he has no idea how they’re related, but Melanie this when she gives him her uncle’s card for his buckteeth—another
repeats that she just wants to stay friends. Melanie says she racist stereotype about Chinese people.
just noticed that Danny’s teeth buck out a bit. She gives him a
card for her uncle, who’s an orthodontist, and leaves. Danny is
mortified. The laugh track plays.

After detention, Danny goes to the gym and sits under the The fact that Danny is willing to open up to Steve at all about his
basketball hoop. Steve comes up to Danny, says that practice is problems shows that on some level, Danny is lonely and craves
over, and tries to joke with Danny. Danny doesn’t respond; friendship and community—but because of the shame he feels
concerned, Steve sits down and asks what’s wrong. Danny about being related to Chin-Kee and the stereotypes that
confides in Steve that he’s a junior and has transferred schools constantly haunt him, he’s unable to find any friends. Further, the
three times already because every year, just when he starts to way that Danny talks about Chin-Kee’s behavior as being “stupid”
make friends and feel like he fits in, Chin-Kee visits. Chin-Kee across the board shows that Danny’s hatred of Chinese culture has
has been visiting every year since eighth grade and spends his intensified since junior high.
visits at school with Danny, eating his “stupid food” and talking
in “stupid talk.” When Chin-Kee leaves, people think of Danny
just as Chin-Kee’s cousin, and he has to transfer.
Steve is quiet for a moment, but he assures Danny that that Though Steve means well, it’s worth considering that as a white boy
won’t happen here. Steve says that no one at Oliphant is like who appears relatively popular, Steve has a lot of social capital to
that, since no one has ever said anything about his own weight. throw around and force people to treat him with respect, something
Steve amends this, though, when he remembers that he broke a that Danny doesn’t have due to his association with Chin-Kee.
boy’s nose for calling him “Mr. Jiggles” once. He offers to break Being rude to Steve seems to be just a way for Danny to avoid being
the nose of anyone who gives Danny a hard time. Danny thanks further misunderstood or bullied.
Steve for listening and Steve offers to buy Danny a Coke.
Danny is incredulous and asks if Steve is going to buy him the
Coke so Danny can pee in it. Realizing that Chin-Kee peed in his
Coke back in the cafeteria, Steve is disgusted and incredulous,
and the laugh track runs. Danny angrily leaves the gym as
Steve vomits into a garbage can.
CHAPTER 7
The narrator explains that only four monks have ever achieved Wong Lai-Tsao embodies the idea that a person should be extremely
legendary status. Chi Dao focused on meditation until he humble and generous to others, and that living a life centered on
turned to stone, while Jing Sze fasted for 14 months. Jiang generosity is what makes a person great and worthy of divine
Tao’s sermons were eloquent enough to make bamboo weep. attention. Applying this to the Monkey King’s story, this suggests
The final monk, Wong Lai-Tsao, is comparatively unremarkable. that his grasp of kung-fu isn’t what makes him a great sage—rather,
He can’t meditate for more than 20 minutes or fast for more the Monkey King could likely become an even greater deity if he
than half a day, and his sermons don’t make sense. Every chose to use his kung-fu mastery to better the lives of his monkeys
morning, however, he gets up early, picks fruit, and shares it on Flower-Fruit Mountain.
with vagrants who live outside of town. He then dresses their
wounds and heads home at night. The vagrants are cruel and
dismissive, and one refers to Wong Lai-Tsao as a “lazy bum.”
Still, Wong Lai-Tsao performs this routine daily for years.

One afternoon, a vagrant asks Wong Lai-Tsao why he continues That the emissaries can change their form in this situation, and that
to serve the vagrants and another asks if he’s too dumb to get a this ability is presented as a positive thing, suggests that there are
real job. Very seriously, Wong Lai-Tsao says that he’s no more times when changing one’s form is acceptable and even desirable. In
worthy of love than the vagrant, but that Tze-Yo-Tzuh still loves this case, shape-shifting is useful in that the emissaries can test
him deeply and faithfully. Because of this, he believes he must Wong Lai-Tsao and give him his divine mission. However, it’s worth
love others like Tze-Yo-Tzuh loves him. The vagrant thinks for a keeping in mind that even though the emissaries’ forms change,
moment, declares that this answer is good, and then suddenly their true natures as disciples of Tze-Yo-Tzuh don’t really change
the group of vagrants transforms into Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s (their insults, presumably, were part of the test, not a true reflection
emissaries. The lion explains who they are and says that Tze-Yo- of them being malevolent individuals). Through this, the novel
Tzuh has chosen Wong Lai-Tsao for a mission. The human encourages readers to understand the importance of being true to
motions to three boxes and says that he needs to carry three oneself—even if one must temporarily take on a new identity to do
packages to the west. A star will guide him. The eagle warns so.
that the journey will be perilous—demons believe the old wives’
tale that eating a holy man grants eternal life.
The emissaries ask if Wong Lai-Tsao accepts the mission and Tze-Yo-Tzuh created everyone and everything, and therefore gets
after a moment of silence, Wong Lai-Tsao says he accepts any the last say on what a person’s identity is. Because of this, Wong
plans that Tze-Yo-Tzuh has for him. The lion then explains that Lai-Tsao believes that if Tze-Yo-Tzuh wants him to undertake this
Wong Lai-Tsao will receive three disciples, whom he’ll gather quest, he has no choice but to accept and tackle it as best he can.
along his journey. The first is an ancient monkey deity, who is His willingness to eschew any potential selfish desires, in other
currently imprisoned beneath a mountain. The following words, opens him up to new experiences and the full extent of his
morning, Wong Lai-Tsao gets up early and sets off. He struggles own potential.
through the jungle and crosses a wide river. He climbs
mountains, crosses deserts, and camps—and as he travels, two
demons begin to follow him.
After hiking for 40 days, Wong Lai-Tsao reaches the Monkey Because of the effort the Monkey King put into turning himself into
King’s mountain. The Monkey King snoozes where he lies The Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, it’s understandably annoying to
trapped, but wakes and perks up when Wong Lai-Tsao calls him be referred to merely as a disciple—but given that Tze-Yo-Tzuh
“disciple” and asks him to free himself from the mountain promised the Monkey King to Wong Lai-Tsao, it’s reasonable to
quickly—Wong Lai-Tsao needs help bearing his burden. The assume that an essential part of the Monkey King’s true identity is
Monkey King is incensed and asks if Wong Lai-Tsao knows who to be a helper to Wong Lai-Tsao. This makes the Monkey King’s
he is. When Wong Lai-Tsao replies that he’s the monkey personal quest even more difficult, as his pride makes it hard for him
disciple promised to him by Tze-Yo-Tzuh, the Monkey King to accept not just that he’s a monkey, but that his purpose in life is
loses his temper. He shouts that he’s The Great Sage, Equal of to serve others.
Heaven, the ruler of Flower-Fruit Mountain, and the master of
12 major disciplines of kung-fu. He reaches for Wong Lai-Tsao
and threatens to beat him for his rudeness. Wong Lai-Tsao
calmly asks the Monkey King to stop so they can get on with
their journey.

Enraged, the Monkey King insults Wong Lai-Tsao and points When Wong Lai-Tsao insists that the Monkey King must release
out that he’s stuck in a mountain, so even if he wanted to help kung-fu in order to free himself from the mountain, what he’s really
and hang out with such an unintelligent person as Wong Lai- saying is that the Monkey King needs to let go of everything that
Tsao, he can’t. Wong Lai-Tsao points out that the Monkey made him violent, proud, and stubborn—only through doing that
King’s current form isn’t his true form and if he assumes his can the Monkey King learn to be happy with who he is. Essentially,
true form, he’ll be free. Even angrier, the Monkey King calls the Monkey King can’t muscle his way out of this. He needs to free
Wong Lai-Tsao stupid and points to the seal that Tze-Yo-Tzuh himself by engaging in self-reflection instead.
left, which forbids him from exercising kung-fu and escaping.
Wong Lai-Tsao points out that returning to his true form means
releasing kung-fu, not exercising it. The Monkey King starts to
respond, but stops and falls silent.
The Monkey King points out that there are slobbering demons The Monkey King is insulated by the idea of being a disciple to Wong
behind Wong Lai-Tsao, but Wong Lai-Tsao already knows this. Lai-Tsao, equating the role with slavery . This speaks to just how far
He says this is why the Monkey King needs to get out of the away from his true nature the Monkey King has gotten—remember
mountain immediately. The Monkey King asks what will happen at the beginning of the novel, the Monkey King used his powers to
if he refuses to do so, and Wong Lai-Tsao responds that if Tze- rule gently and fairly over his subjects, essentially dedicating his life
Yo-Tzuh wants him to die due to the Monkey King’s to serving others. Further, the Monkey King’s unwillingness to serve
stubbornness, then that’s the way it is. As the demons close in, a mortal suggests that the he may harbor prejudices of his own, just
the Monkey King says he’ll enjoy watching the demons pick like the other residents of Heaven are prejudiced against monkeys.
Wong Lai-Tsao out of their teeth, since he’s dumb and deserves
it. Wong Lai-Tsao points out that this is the Monkey King’s last
chance at freedom, but the Monkey King insists that serving as
a mortal’s slave boy isn’t freedom.
The Monkey King stops abruptly when the demons stab Wong Even if Wong Lai-Tsao is extremely virtuous and, on the whole,
Lai-Tsao. Wong Lai-Tsao manages to say that finding one’s true tends not to engage in petty insults, he gets the last word here when
identity within Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s will is the highest freedom. he asks if the Monkey King is really going to hang out in a mountain
Snidely, the Monkey King asks if Wong Lai-Tsao’s true identity his entire life. Through this, he essentially asks the Monkey King if
is to be dinner for demons. Wong Lai-Tsao says it might be and it’s worth it to hang onto his pride when letting it go of it would
asks if the Monkey King’s true identity is the eternal prisoner of allow him to get so much more out of life—not least his freedom.
a mountain of rock. The Monkey King harrumphs and looks
away, but groans when the demons put Wong Lai-Tsao on a spit
and begin to roast him.
With a sigh, the Monkey King returns to his original form. The In this battle with the demons, the Monkey King finally learns how
mountain around him crumbles and he’s able to crawl out. He to use his kung-fu disciplines for good: fighting true evil demons,
stretches, dusts himself off, pulls out his cudgel, and proceeds rather than engaging in pointless arguments with others about
to beat up the demons. The Monkey King unties Wong Lai- whether or not he’s a monkey. Indeed, he’s able to use his true
Tsao, but a demon lifts the Monkey King up by his head. The nature as a monkey—who sometimes stinks—to get the better of the
demon growls and swings the Monkey King back and forth, demons, which suggests that even one’s supposed negative qualities
sniffing him. The Monkey King farts, so the demon throws him can be positive assets if utilized properly.
forcefully away. Before the Monkey King hits the mountain, he
conjures a cloud and races back for the demon, crashing into his
face with a deafening crack. He then transforms into a cannon
and shoots his head at the demons, sending them flying. In a
monstrous form, he tells the demons to leave. They run away,
terrified.

The Monkey King returns to his normal size and offers his hand Calling Wong Lai-Tsao “Master” shows that the Monkey King has
to Wong Lai-Tsao, calling him Master. Wong Lai-Tsao accepts taken the final step as he accepts his true identity. Now, he’s
the Monkey King’s help. The Monkey King offers to fly Wong learning the value of being humble and serving others. When Wong
Lai-Tsao to the nearest town so he can receive medical Lai-Tsao encourages the Monkey King to leave his shoes behind, it
attention, but Wong Lai-Tsao says they can’t take shortcuts. marks the final step of the Monkey King’s journey. Now, he can take
Instead, the Monkey King can retrieve and carry the heavy pride in who and what he is and what he can do, and he
parcels. Wong Lai-Tsao adds that on this journey, there’s no understands that it’s pointless to try to change what he is—a
need for shoes. The Monkey King looks down at his feet but particularly impactful lesson when taken in context with Jin’s story
abandons his shoes. Barefoot, The Monkey King accompanies and his own struggle to accept his identity.
Wong Lai-Tsao to the west and serves faithfully until the
journey’s end.
CHAPTER 8
Jin’s mother once said she married Jin’s father because he had Once again, Jin’s mother shows that she values education above
the thickest glasses. His thick glasses, to her, meant that he everything else, especially romance, when it comes to Jin’s future.
spent hours studying and therefore had a strong work ethic. Importantly, this signals for the reader that in order to go on a date
This, in turn, corresponded to a high salary and to him being a with Amelia, Jin is going to have to go against his parents’ wishes.
good husband. She counsels Jin to focus on his studies so that
in the future, he can have whatever girl he wants—but only
after he has a master’s degree.
As Jin explains this to the reader, he pleads with Wei-Chen to Wei-Chen likely agrees to go along with Jin’s scheme because he still
tell Jin’s parents that they’re together so that Jin’s parents will believes that Jin is a good, kind, generous person—and therefore, it’s
let Jin go out. Wei-Chen insists he can’t lie, but Jin tries to say worth it to lie for him. Wei-Chen likely sees doing so as a way for
that it’s not really a lie, but a “delayed truth.” He points out that him to help someone he cares about, though it’s unclear at this
Wei-Chen was the one who said this was the chance of a point how the plan will pan out.
lifetime and if he doesn’t help now, Jin will never get this
chance. With a sigh, Wei-Chen agrees.
Jin tells the reader that he has a cousin named Charlie. Charlie To Jin, Charlie is somewhat akin to a real version of Chin-Kee (who’s
is a few years older and once warned Jin to not bother dating also an embarrassing Chinese cousin), and therefore, didn’t register
until he could drive. Since Charlie smelled like old rice, had a with Jin as something he should take seriously. The fact that Jin
bad haircut, and had extremely strict parents, Jin always wants to look cool in front of Amelia and possibly put his arm
thought that Charlie was just being cynical. But as Jin bikes up a around her again shows that he is a normal teenage boy who wants
hill, huffing and puffing due to Amelia on the handlebars, he’s to have a nice date with a girl—he’s not a walking stereotype.
not so sure. Jin tries to look cool and strong in front of Amelia,
but by the time they reach the theater, Jin’s armpits are so
smelly that he knows he can’t put an arm around her.

Jin and Amelia sit awkwardly in the theater until Amelia Given Jin’s speech patterns throughout the novel, his
remarks that the movie is about to start. Jin quips that it’s mispronunciation of “turned” here is likely just a genuine nervous
because they “lurned off the tights” and then winces. Despite mistake. However, it’s impossible to ignore that mixing up l’s and t’s
this, Jin spends the whole movie drooling, watching Amelia, and is part of the stereotype regarding how Chinese people talk. Because
listening to her breathe. She giggles and clutches his shoulder of this, Jin is probably scared that Amelia is going to start to treat
during the dramatic parts. With 20 minutes left, Jin’s hair him differently, now that he’s (possibly) revealed that in his case, this
appears to crackle with a kind of electric energy. He feels stereotype holds true. However, when Jin’s curly hair gives him
suddenly confident and begins to stretch so he can put an arm courage, it shows that his confidence is dependent on appearing
around her. When he remembers that he stinks, he excuses white.
himself. His parents have never heard of deodorant and never
bought him any, but Charlie once mentioned that he could use
powdered soap from a public restroom. Jin scrubs powder into
his armpits until a theater employee walks into the restroom.
Jin races back to the auditorium and retakes his seat next to The way that Amelia behaves with Jin and accepts his affections
Amelia. As she sighs over the romantic ending, Jin experiences again shows that she’s the lone white character in the novel who
another jolt of confidence from his hair and puts his arm treats Jin and Wei-Chen like real, full people worthy of her attention
around Amelia. She’s shocked at first, but leans into Jin, much (and potentially affection). While this likely has as much to do with
to his surprise. Jin is ecstatic. As they leave the theater a bit Amelia’s natural kindness than anything in particular about Jin, it’s
later, Amelia talks about the movie and Jin notices suds on worth considering that Jin may feel as though he’s receiving this
Amelia’s bare shoulder. He realizes that the powdered soap attention now because he’s changed his hair into a hairstyle worn
bubbled up and is now bubbling through his shirt. Amelia by his white peers. In other words, Amelia might be naturally kind,
invites Jin to get a milkshake with her and doesn’t seem to but Jin is still liable to misinterpret why because he so desperately
notice his odd behavior—or the bubbles on either of them. Jin wants to believe that being white is better than being Chinese.
clamps his arms down to his sides and follows her. Greg and his
date leave the theater right behind Jin and Amelia, and Greg
looks at them with concern. Jin and Amelia drink their
milkshakes happily.
That night, Jin feels haunted by the possibility that Amelia was Jin’s fears are still those of a normal teenager—any person would be
just too polite to say anything about the bubbles. He wonders if concerned about having an embarrassing moment on a date with
Amelia thinks he’s a freak whose armpits bubble. At school the someone they really like. This continues to humanize Jin and show
next day, Jin desperately confides in Wei-Chen. Wei-Chen that he is a real, feeling person, not just a walking stereotype. The
insists that Amelia probably didn’t notice, but he offers to promise of shoes from Jin’s mom foreshadows Wei-Chen becoming
sneakily find out if she did. He adds that Jin’s mother called someone he’s not, just as Jin’s hairstyle does to him and the shoes
while Jin was out, and Wei-Chen spent two hours trying to do to the monkeys in the Monkey King’s story.
make her forget why she called. It worked, but Wei-Chen had
to agree to go shopping with her on Saturday. She’s going to
buy Wei-Chen shoes and an electric wok. Glumly, Wei-Chen
says that Jin owes him.
During a class that Wei-Chen has with Amelia, Wei-Chen Wei-Chen’s willingness to go along with deducing whether Amelia
approaches her and asks how the date was. Greg, who’s horsing noticed the bubbles again speaks to how kind and generous of a
around with other boys, watches curiously. Amelia says she had friend he is. Asking about bubbles in a person’s armpits seemingly
lots of fun. Wei-Chen asks if Jin was nice and funny. Amelia without cause could come off as extremely odd, and could possibly
answers affirmatively, but is confused when Wei-Chen asks if damage Wei-Chen’s reputation at school, so it’s easy to see this as a
Jin was bubbly and motions to his armpits. With a laugh, Wei- potential sacrifice on Wei-Chen’s part.
Chen tells her to forget he asked and then gives Jin, who’s
watching through the window in the classroom door, a thumbs
up.

For the entire morning, Jin dreams of his future with Amelia. In That Jin and Amelia’s imaginary baby has curly hair speaks to just
his daydreams, Amelia quickly says she loves Jin. They get how intent Jin is on taking on characteristics he perceives as white.
married, have sex, and have a baby with curly hair just like Jin’s It’s not enough, in his mind, to get the girl—he has to entirely change
permed hair. He knows he’s getting ahead of himself, but he’s who he is as he does so, and consequently imagines his future
blissfully in love. During lunch, Jin excuses himself to go buy the children as visibly less Chinese. Meanwhile, Greg’s request is
custodian an orange freeze. He catches sight of Amelia walking extremely racist, even if he tries to hide his true intentions. He’s
with one of her friends and feels a jolt of confidence, but before essentially suggesting that having a relationship with a Chinese
he can follow her, Greg calls to him. Greg asks Jin for a favor: to student is going to make Amelia less popular, speaking to the fact
not ask Amelia out again. Jin asks if Greg likes Amelia. Greg that at Jin’s school, the Asian students aren’t accepted.
says that he likes Amelia like a sister, but she’s a good friend and
he wants her to make good choices. They’re almost in high
school, and Amelia needs to pay attention to who she’s
spending time with.
Jin stares at Greg, dumbfounded. Greg apologizes for his Up until this point, Greg showed potential to be a kind defender of
request sounding so harsh, but says he just doesn’t know if Jin targets of bullying. By becoming the bully, however, Greg shows that
is the right match for Amelia. He asks if they’re “cool” and Jin he cares far more about upholding the current social hierarchy (that
says that they are. Greg asks if Jin will do him the favor, and Jin likely places him on top) than he does about behaving in a way that
grudgingly agrees. Greg happily leaves with a wave and a smile. makes his school a safer, happier place for kids like Jin.
Jin looks back one last time at Amelia and then stands near
Wei-Chen and Suzy, staring off into space as he eats his
sandwich. In class, he imagines angrily refusing to follow
through with Greg’s favor and feels a jolt of confidence,
especially as he imagines punching Greg in the face.
When the bell rings, Jin’s hair seems to crackle as he marches Greg’s quips that Jin has weird hair is humorous given that Jin
through the hallways to where Amelia chats with a friend and modeled the hairstyle after Greg’s in the first place, but it still serves
Greg. Jin calls to Amelia, but Greg answers first. His hair its purpose: it makes Jin look as though he’s trying in a very uncool
crackles with even more power than Jin’s. Jin’s confidence way to make himself fit in, and it’s apparent to everyone else that
fades and he stands awkwardly for a moment before turning he’s failing miserably.
and walking away. Greg says to Amelia that Jin is nice, but that
he’s a bit of a geek and has weird hair.
Outside the school, Jin finds Suzy sitting on a low wall, waiting That Timmy said something mean isn’t a surprise by now, but it’s
for Wei-Chen to get out of his math group. He sits down with worth keeping in mind that in moments Jin doesn’t choose to share
her and asks if she’s okay. Suzy says that Timmy said something with the reader, Timmy probably says all sorts of horrible things to
mean to her. When Jin doesn’t ask any more questions, Suzy his classmates. Essentially, it’s crucial to realize that the bullying
says that over the weekend, she went to a birthday party for that Jin, Suzy, and Wei-Chen experience is omnipresent; the
her best friend from second grade. They’d gone to Japanese instances Jin shares with the reader are likely only the tip of the
school together but hadn’t seen each other in a while, and Suzy iceberg. Meanwhile, Suzy’s rejection at the party is similar to Greg’s
was thrilled to see her when Suzy’s mom said they were going. rejection of Jin, as the Japanese friend likely saw Suzy as a threat to
Suzy says she realized quickly, however, that her friend didn’t her status in her group.
want to see her at all—their moms just wanted to hang out, so
Suzy’s mom brought her along. Suzy spent the party watching
TV alone.

Suzy recounts that she was so embarrassed. As her eyes fill Here, it’s telling that being called “chink” (a racist slur against Asian
with tears, she turns to Jin and says that earlier, Timmy called people) brings about Suzy’s revelation, given that it’s so close to
her a “chink.” She realized that she kind of feels embarrassed Chin-Kee’s name. In essence, Suzy realizes that she’s embarrassed
like she did at the party all the time. Suzy cries and Jin because in so many situations, her classmates see her as a female
experiences a burst of confidence from his hair again. He leans version of Chin-Kee: nothing but negative stereotypes. Meanwhile,
in and kisses Suzy. Suzy angrily punches Jin in the face and asks Jin’s betrayal of Wei-Chen here shows that he is no longer the kind
what’s wrong with him before striding away. person and loyal friend he used to be—it seems that in distancing
himself from his true identity, he has also lost sight of his true
friends.
Jin sits at home with an ice pack on his cheek when the doorbell The way that Wei-Chen frames his plea to Jin again shows that
rings. It’s Wei-Chen. The boys stare at each other, and then Wei-Chen is an honest, generous, and kind person—he believes that
Wei-Chen confusedly asks how Jin could even think of kissing if he and Jin were able to talk about this, they could’ve come to
Suzy. Wei-Chen says Jin could’ve told him if he had a crush on some sort of agreement. However, it’s important to keep in mind
Suzy; he wouldn’t have abandoned Jin. Sadly, Wei-Chen says that Jin didn’t kiss Suzy because he has a crush on her; he kissed her
that Jin has completely broken his heart. He continues that he because it was something that made him feel more white or
and Jin are alike. They’re brothers. Jin is shocked and angry. He American, in the sense that he can take what he wants and feel
spits that he and Wei-Chen are nothing alike, since Wei-Chen powerful. This is the same reason why Jin says these horrible things
only cares about his “stupid girlfriend” who isn’t Jin’s type to Wei-Chen: it makes him feel powerful and white, as he’s behaving
anyway. Wei-Chen asks why he kissed Suzy then, and Jin just like Greg and Timmy.
replies that he doesn’t think Wei-Chen is worthy of or right for
Suzy. He suggests that she could do better than a F.O.B. like
Wei-Chen. Wei-Chen punches Jin on his other cheek and
storms away.
Jin glumly ices his cheeks. That night, he struggles to fall asleep. Jin falls asleep and dreams of the herbalist’s wife when he finally
He plays the day’s events over and over in his mind and comes believes that Wei-Chen really needed to hear what Jin said. This
to the conclusion that he told Wei-Chen the truth, and Wei- implies, first of all, that Jin doesn’t actually believe what he said,
Chen needed to hear it. By three a.m., Jin believes this deep down. Then, when the herbalist’s wife says that Jin has “done
wholeheartedly. He falls asleep and dreams of the herbalist’s it”—that is, forfeited his soul—it shows that the way a person does
wife. She tells Jin that he’s finally “done it” and asks what Jin this is by hurting their friends and ignoring what they know to be
wants to become. As she clicks on her abacus, Jin transforms right and true. Meanwhile, the revelation that Jin and Danny are the
into a blond boy. He wakes up long before his alarm clock goes same person sheds new light on Danny’s storyline up until this
off. Jin’s head hurts, but his bruises are gone. He stumbles to point. Now that Jin is Danny, his life takes on qualities of a sitcom:
the bathroom in the dark and turns on the light. Jin is now he’s viewing racist stereotypes as a white outsider, since he’s
blond and tall. Amazed, Jin touches his face and decides he ignoring that he’s still Chinese.
needs a new name: Danny. The laugh track claps at the bottom
of the frame.

CHAPTER 9
The laugh track applauds at the sight of the high school library. SARS is a dangerous respiratory illness that first emerged in China,
Danny angrily walks in and overhears two guys saying that “he” which is why the kids talk about getting checked—they imply that
spit on them. One guy tells the other to get checked for SARS. they believe that Chinese people naturally harbor infectious
as the laugh track plays. Danny is confused, but then alarmed as diseases like this. Chin-Kee’s performance, meanwhile, is taken
he hears Chin-Kee singing “She Bangs.” When Danny finally directly from a Chinese contestant William Hung’s American Idol
catches sight of Chin-Kee, he’s horrified: Chin-Kee is dancing audition, which got him kicked off the show but catapulted him to
and singing on top of a table, spitting as he sings, as students fame anyway—fame that many believe was due to the fact that the
and the librarian grumpily flee. Danny drags Chin-Kee, still Hung humorously embodied many negative stereotypes about
singing, out of the library by his queue, throws him onto a Chinese people. Again, this forces readers to understand that this
bench, and hits him across the face. Chin-Kee explains that the racism doesn’t just exist in the novel: it’s lifted directly from the real
library was boring, so he decided to entertain everyone with a world.
song—and he’s ready to perform his second set now. The laugh
track howls with laughter.
Danny grabs Chin-Kee’s clothes and spits that he’s sick of Chin- Danny turns on Chin-Kee like this because Chin-Kee forces him to
Kee ruining his life, so it’s time for Chin-Kee to pack up and go sit with the fact that no matter how hard he tries, in his experience,
home. With a laugh, Chin-Kee says his visit isn’t over yet and his classmates will always see him as just another version of Chin-
refuses to leave. Danny shakes with anger and then punches Kee. For Danny, it’s essential to banish Chin-Kee to China so that
Chin-Kee again. Danny continues to punch Chin-Kee as the Danny can move on with his life and continue his attempt to make
laugh track plays, but Chin-Kee begs Danny to stop and warns himself as white as possible. This is, importantly, an attempt that
that he’s playing with fire. When Danny doesn’t stop, Chin-Kee Chin-Kee’s visits expose as unsuccessful and misguided, which is
says that Danny will have to suffer the fury of Spicy Szechuan likely one of the reasons that Chin-Kee refuses to leave.
Dragon. Confused, Danny stops, and Chin-Kee takes the
opportunity to perform a kung-fu kick to Danny’s chin, which
sends Danny flying. The laugh track plays.
As the laugh track continues, Danny tries to come up behind In addition to drawing on stereotypical dishes found in Chinese
Chin-Kee. Chin-Kee, however, hits Danny with different martial restaurants, the drawings here also draw from the imagery of classic
arts moves: the Mooshu Fist, the Kung Pao Attack, the Twice kung-fu movies like those of Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan. This pulls in
Cook Palm, the Happy Famiry Head Bonk, the General Tsao another common place where westerners are exposed to a number
Rooster Punch, and the House Special Kick in Nards. Danny of Chinese stereotypes, especially the idea that all Chinese people
sweats and grimaces as he takes Chin-Kee’s punches and kicks, are skilled kung-fu masters and are willing to demonstrate their
while crackling electricity comes from Chin-Kee’s fists and feet. skills at the slightest provocation. Meanwhile, Chin-Kee’s
Chin-Kee performs the Peking Strike, the Three Flavor proficiency at martial arts heavily implies that he is actually the
Essence, the Hot and Sour Wet Willy, and the Pimp Slap Hunan Monkey King.
Style. Menacingly, Chin-Kee apologizes and says he loves
America and will come to visit every year forever.

Danny sweats and his fists shake as the laugh track begins to Beheading Chin-Kee represents killing all the stereotypes that make
expand outside of the frame. He throws one punch at Chin-Kee Chin-Kee who he is. Getting rid of the stereotypes reveals Chin-
and knocks Chin-Kee’s head off. The head bounces away, and Kee’s true identity as the Monkey King, suggesting that once
on Chin-Kee’s shoulders sits the head of the Monkey King. He someone can get rid of the stereotypes surrounding them, they can
compliments Danny’s punch and as Danny watches, confused be seen for who they truly are. In the same vein, returning Danny to
and scared, the Monkey King shrinks and reassumes his true his form as Jin suggests that Jin was doing much the same thing as
form. Then, he says that it’s time to reveal Danny’s true form. the Monkey King was in previous chapters by making himself more
He calls Danny Jin Wang, and slowly, Danny transforms back white—and now, he’ll have to deal with the consequences, admit
into Jin. Jin stares down at the Monkey King for a moment and he’s wrong, and make things right.
asks who he is. The Monkey King says that he’s an emissary of
Tze-Yo-Tzuh. He’s been an emissary since he completed his
journey to the west, which was his test of virtue.
The Monkey King says that Wei-Chen Sun, Jin’s friend from For Wei-Chen, the Transformer didn’t represent his capacity to give
junior high, is his son. He explains that soon after he became an up his true identity in favor of one he found more tenable—it
emissary, he sent for his huge family. Soon, his oldest son represented the fact that even though he might have to temporarily
approached Tze-Yo-Tzuh about being an emissary too. Though take on a form different from his true identity, that doesn’t mean he
Tze-Yo-Tzuh warned that it’d be hard, Wei-Chen accepted. His has to compromise who he is inside. And at first, it appears as
test of virtue was to live in the mortal world for 40 years though Wei-Chen took the Transformer’s lesson to heart: he
without experiencing human vice. The Monkey King promised befriended Jin and, as the reader saw in previous chapters, behaved
to visit once per year to check in and sent him with a kindly, generously, and without vice.
Transformer to remind him who he was. Wei-Chen leapt off
the cloud and fell to Earth, transforming into a human as he
went. The Monkey King says that Jin met Wei-Chen during
Wei-Chen’s first week, and Wei-Chen always spoke highly of
Jin.
During the Monkey King’s third visit, things began to go The lie that Wei-Chen refers to is the lie he told Jin’s mother, while
downhill. Wei-Chen confessed to the Monkey King that he told Wei-Chen’s new assessment that humans are petty and soulless is
a lie. The Monkey King scolded his son, but Wei-Chen angrily likely reflective of Jin’s horrendous behavior. Especially combined
asked for the exact duties of an emissary. The Monkey King with the revelation that Tze-Yo-Tzuh finds humans superior to
explained that Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s emissaries serve him and all that emissaries, even if there are some bad ones like Jin and Timmy, Wei-
he loves, and Wei-Chen asked if that included humans. The Chen comes to the conclusion that everything he’s ever been told is
Monkey King said that Tze-Yo-Tzuh considers humans to be the a lie—and so it’s better to just focus on himself while he can.
pinnacle of his creation—even more so than the emissaries.
After a moment of silence, Wei-Chen said that Tze-Yo-Tzuh is a
fool and that he didn’t want to be an emissary anymore. In his
experience, humans are petty and soulless, and he didn’t want
to serve them. The Monkey King pleaded with Wei-Chen to
change his mind so he could face Tze-Yo-Tzuh, but Wei-Chen
leapt off the cloud and said that anything was better than
serving humans.

The Monkey King tells Jin that after this, Wei-Chen stopped The idea that the Monkey King has been coming as Chin-Kee to
accepting his visits, so he started visiting Jin instead. Jin serve as Jin’s conscience suggests that the Monkey King believes it’s
accuses the Monkey King of punishing him for Wei-Chen’s essential for Jin to accept that whether he likes it or not, he’s going
failure, but the Monkey King says this isn’t true—Wei-Chen to have to deal with the stereotypes surrounding what it means to
made his own choices and Jin doesn’t control Wei-Chen. be Chinese—and along with that, he must understand that he can’t
Instead of coming to punish Jin, the Monkey King has been change who he is, just as the Monkey King couldn’t effectively turn
coming to serve as a conscience or a signpost to Jin’s soul. Jin himself into a human. Indeed, the Monkey King suggests that it’s
looks at Chin-Kee’s head and then looks straight ahead. The most fulfilling to be exactly who one is, no matter what other people
Monkey King looks downcast and then summons a cloud to might say about one’s identity.
leave, but Jin asks him to wait. Jin asks what he should do now.
The Monkey King smiles and says he would’ve gladly saved
himself from 500 years of imprisonment had he realized how
good it is to be a monkey.
The Monkey King turns and flies away into the sky, but he This passage continues to make the connections between the
drops a business card for a Chinese bakery and restaurant. Jin novel’s three stories extremely clear. Chin-Kee is evidently someone
catches it and then heads home. He asks his father to borrow who Jin’s parents expect to have around, since Jin is Danny, which
the car keys. Jin’s father asks if he’s taking Chin-Kee out, but Jin makes them Danny’s parents too. Notably, though Jin leaves out
says that Chin-Kee went home early. Jin fetches the keys from important information in his excuse as to why Chin-Kee is gone, he
his mother and waves goodbye. His parents argue over which doesn’t actually lie. This suggests he’s making strides toward being a
of their sisters is Chin-Kee’s mother and who needs to make more truthful and kind person.
the call to share that Chin-Kee is coming home early.
Jin goes to the restaurant listed on the business card from the That the Monkey King sent Jin to a Chinese restaurant and bakery
Monkey King, the 490 Bakery Cafe. When the waitress comes is important, as it suggests that the Monkey King is trying to guide
to take his order, Jin points to something on the menu. The Jin back to his identity as a Chinese person. Importantly, however,
waitress informs him that he pointed to a notice reading “cash the Monkey King doesn’t force Jin to go; Jin has to make the
only,” not a dish. Jin blushes in shame but stays until closing, conscious choice himself. When Jin can’t read the menu (which is
drinking pearl milk tea. For the next month, Jin goes to the presumably in Chinese), he has to face up to his ignorance of his
restaurant every day after school and stays until closing time. own culture, even if his parents came from China. Extending his
One Friday night, Wei-Chen arrives just as Jin orders his pearl hand to Wei-Chen, meanwhile, allows Jin to begin to do some of the
milk tea. Jin can hear Wei-Chen’s tricked out car outside as its same things the Monkey King did: now, he’s trying to help others
engine revs and it blasts bass-heavy music. Jin goes to the and make things right.
window and greets Wei-Chen, who’s smoking and wears dark
sunglasses. Wei-Chen angrily asks Jin what he wants, but
seems to shrink and turn into a monkey when Jin says he met
the Monkey King and wants to talk.
Over some pearl milk tea, Jin shares with Wei-Chen about his Jin’s apology is incredibly meaningful: it’s an admission that he was
visit from the Monkey King. Wei-Chen asks why Jin is sharing wrong in his treatment of Wei-Chen and of himself. Now, Jin is ready
this at all. Hesitantly, Jin says he’s just trying to say that he’s to move forward with a more humble outlook on life and without
sorry. Wei-Chen continues to silently smoke and sip his tea. trying to hide who he really is. When Wei-Chen accepts the apology
Finally, he says that the milk tea at this restaurant is terrible: it’s and the friendship appears to be saved, the novel suggests that one
oily, like someone stir-fried something next to it, and the boba of the most positive effects of humbling oneself and accepting one’s
are like rabbit poop. He takes off his sunglasses and says that identity is gaining a community of friends.
there’s a hole-in-the-wall place down the street that has the
best pearl milk tea ever, and offers to take Jin sometime. Jin
says he’d like to go. They talk and laugh at the restaurant until
late in the night.

To cite any of the quotes from American Born Chinese covered in

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MLA Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. Sqaure Fish. 2008.
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Jan 2020. Web. 21 Apr 2020.
Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. New York: Sqaure Fish.
CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
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Brock, Zoë. "American Born Chinese." LitCharts LLC, January 27,
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American Born Chinese

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THE LAUGH TRACK Related Symbols:

Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee

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Monkey King as an individual worthy of respect or kindness. Danny, Amelia Harris

Explanation and Analysis

Chapter 5 Quotes Related Themes:

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Explanation and Analysis

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Related Characters: Suzy Nakamura (speaker), The

Related Characters: The Herbalist’s Wife, Jin Wang/Danny

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to be so that he can serve humanity and spread the word of

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SUMMARY AND ANAL

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To cite any of the quotes from American Born Chinese covered in

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