Stereotypes in "American Born Chinese"

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All women are too sensitive! All Mexicans are illegal immigrants! If you’re from the South, then you are ignorant! Most people have heard at least one of these stereotypes pertaining to a certain group. Some people believe them whilst others do not. American Born Chinese illustrates three stories depicting the custom of stereotypes surrounding society: “The Monkey King”, the story of Monkey King’s thirst for infinite power, and his quest for atonement; “Jin Wang”, the story an awkward boy who tries to “fit in” the community around from but constantly fails; and “Danny”, the story about a high schooler who feels uncomfortable by his stereotypically negative Chinese cousin Chin-Kee. In this day-and-age, stereotypes are what bring people together, and stereotypes are what set people apart. To be ignorant of stereotypes would be a disastrous event as one would consequentially be ignorant to the prejudices engulfing them daily. Even though this causes problems throughout different communities, the way some individuals choose to address stereotypes is through laughter. From start to finish the graphic novel, American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang purposefully satirizes Asian stereotypes in hopes that the reader opens up to the fact that stereotypes are indeed existent in today’s society.

Chin-Kee in the ‘Danny” storyline is interpreted as Yang’s attempt to show overt examples of stereotypes. Chin-Kee’s vocabulary brings forth the stereotype that “Asian people talk funny”. In American Born Chinese, Chin-Kee exclaims, “Harro! Cousin Da-Nee finarry come” (Yang 204). The way Chin-Kee speaks as he addresses his cousin is stifled, so Chin-Kee’s language enforces the opinion of some that poke fun of Asian people speaking “that way”. By po...

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...able they really are with overtly racist stereotypes; and even with all the “human right”’ movements that spring about there is still the need for long-lasting solution against combating prejudices. By displaying stereotypes jokingly, especially ones that pertained for the Asian population, Yang proves not only do people hold prejudice against other groups with his examples of Asian stereotypes, but that stereotypes are still prevalent in today’s society.

Works Cited

"William Hung." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 25 July 2011. .

Woan, Sunny. "Interview with Gene Yang American Born Chinese." Kartika Review - an Asian American Literary Journal. Kartika. Web. 25 July 2011. .

Yang, Gene Luen, and Lark Pien. American Born Chinese. New York: First Second, 2006. Print.

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