Finding self-acceptance in American Born Chinese

The key theme in the graphic novel American Born Chinese written by Gene Luen Yang is self acceptance. This theme can be seen with the symbolization of the transformer throughout the book. Many of the characters are able to “transform” themselves so that they are accepted into society. The transformations can be seen in all three stories and ultimately is what connects them all together. At the beginning of the graphic novel, the main character, Jin, is holding his toy transformer and says to the herbalist's wife that he wants to be a transformer when he grows up. This foreshadows the ending of the book and the transformation that Jin goes through to find self acceptance. 

When Jin moves and starts at a new school, he meets Wei-chen. In the beginning, Jin wants nothing to do with Wei-chen, as he does not want to seal his fate by being friends with the only other Chinese student at his school. However, when Jin sees Wei-Chen playing with a transformer he finds out that they have a lot more in common and become good friends. As Jin grows up, he starts to see the stereotypes and prejudice put against him and just wants to fit in. At the climax of the book, Jin is transformed into a white blond male. This is the stereotypical American that Jin believes will fit in. 

The second story that is told is a Chinese fable of the Monkey King. One night, the Monkey King goes to a dinner party with all the other gods and deities but is not let in because he is a monkey. The Monkey King is furious and shape-shifts into a human-like form to prove that he is worthy. As the story progresses, he learns that being true to himself as a monkey is the only way he can overcome his obstacles and live happily. 

The third story in the graphic novel follows Danny and his cousin Chin-Kee, who represents negative Chinese stereotypes. Danny doesn’t like it when Chin-Kee comes to visit and wants him to change to fit into American society. However, by the end of the story, you learn that Danny is really Jin after he transforms into a stereotypical American. The Monkey King is also revealed to have been Chin-Kee and represented Jin’s consciousness. Wei-Chen was one of the Monkey King's sons sent down to be an emissary. He was given a transformer of a robot to a monkey to remember who he truly is. In the last line, the Monkey King says, “You know, Jin, I would have saved myself from five hundred years’ imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock had I realized how good it is to be a monkey” (221).

In the end, Jin learns that being true to yourself is accepting being different. All the characters go through transformations in the book, which represents what they wish to be and what they believe will help them fit in. The transformer at the beginning of the novel acted as a warning, like the herbalist's wife said “ It's easy to become anything you wish, so long as you’re willing to forfeit your soul” (29). Jin and the Monkey King learn to accept themselves once they realize being themselves is not completely bad.