American Born Chinese Character Analysis

In Gene Luen Yang’s comic book “American Born Chinese” various examples of cultural and social commentary are strewn throughout the page’s panels. The diversity of the character’s backgrounds and upbringings give a multifaceted look on how society views different races, genders, classes and so on. One character in particular, Wei-Chen, is a great example of a character whose alienation uncovers the ugly truth of society's assumptions and moral values when judging others. Through dialogue, plot twists, and conflicts, Wei-Chen’s character is progressively developed and altered by the American society.
Social and cultural commentary are at the center of every slight personality and emotional shift in Wei-Chen. At the beginning of the book, on page 36, Wei-Chen is introduced as the outcast character with no friends or social skills who can only speak broken english. During this initial introduction, the teacher announcing his presence to the class mispronounces his name and confuses his place of origin, claiming that he is Chinese rather than Taiwanese. In the very first lines where Wei-Chen is added

Jin used the derogatory, racist term “fresh off the boat” to characterize Wei-Chen in his anger. Ultimately calling him a F.O.B highlights not only Jin’s feelings in that moment, but the lens through which society views Wei-Chen throughout the entirety of the book. Although Wei-Chen is able to make friends, get a girlfriend, and ultimately succeed at life in America, he never actually crosses over the border separating America from the rest of the world. He lives in a continuous state of harassment and neglect from other characters who automatically, sometimes even unknowingly, make assumptions about him based on his accent and how he looks. This is an important detail in the book because it shows America’s inability to look past cultural differences in order to see people as