The Monkey King tries to be a god but continually gets rejected. The Monkey King tries every way he can think of to be a better version of himself. However, when the Monkey King acted and tried to be accepted as something he was not, the guard told him, “You may be a king- You may even be a deity- but you are still a monkey” (Yang 15). After many more struggles, the Monkey King does not want to be a mortal figure, which is seen as less than in his eyes, but in his encounter with monk Wong Lai-Tsao, his idea changes. Wong Lai-Tsao says to the Monkey King, “The form you have taken is not truly your own. Return to your true form and you will be freed” (145). Wong Lai-Tsao shows the Monkey King why being true to yourself is the best option, and trying to change for others’ approval will only lead to hardship and discomfort.
This idea is reflected in the plot
of Jin’s story when Jin faces the same problem of trying to be something he is
not. In the beginning, Jin feels out of place at his new school so tries to cover
up whom he is by converting to Danny. Jin felt that “[a] new face deserved a
new name” (198). However, Jin’s life as Danny was not any easier than his life
as Jin. Just as Jin did, Danny still struggles to make friends and be
comfortable with girls. After the Monkey King visits Danny, Danny comes to the same
realization that the monkey king came to, it is better to be yourself.
Both stories show the struggles of
trying to fit in and be someone a person is not. Both follow the same plot and have
the same realization at the end. Fables are meant to guide a person through hardships
and issues and provide a lesson that many can learn. Side by side, the Monkey King's story, and Jin's story show that fables are relevant in everyday life and
should be paid attention to.
I agree that the fable of the Monkey King is a vital part of understanding the other plots of the graphic novel. I found it interesting how all of the separate plots eventually came together. I agree that the Monkey King story and Jin’s story are very important to everyday life because their storylines are important for children growing up thinking they should change for the norms of society. Self-acceptance is a major theme in the graphic novel and at the beginning both the Monkey King and Jin do not accept themselves. Jin eventually transforms into a white male to fit in with the stereotypes of American boys and the Monkey King shape-shifts into a human to be considered worthy. I agree with your take on how the stories fit into one another by both characters, Jin and the Monkey King, trying to be someone they are not. When the Monkey King visits Jin they both come to the realization it's better to not try to be something you are not. The realization came when the Monkey King told Jin, “You know, Jin, I would have saved myself from five hundred years of imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock had I only realized how good it is to be a monkey” (Yang 223). There is so much that can be learned from these stories and it is a great lesson for everyone to learn, to be your true self. Not what society is trying to tell you to be.
ReplyDelete