Monkey King: Inspiration and Caution

        In American Born Chinese, the story of Monkey King depicts the universal experience of being an outsider and attempting to fit in at all costs. Such a figure is particularly relevant for Jin, who struggles to find his place in society as a Chinese-American teenager. Monkey King’s story illustrates the resilience needed to navigate the challenges of being an outsider, leading Jin to ultimately embrace himself for who he is. 

        Monkey King struggles to fit in with the other deities just as Jin does with his peers and is presented as an inspirational figure due to his strength in the face of adversity. After being ostracized and utterly embarrassed, Monkey King turns to training and meditation to become the best that he can be. He exemplifies the qualities of courage and determination, and works ardently to achieve his top form to then proclaim himself as “Great Sage, Equal of Heaven” (Yang 63). From Monkey King, Jin learns the power of self-confidence and persistence in the pursuit of his goals. However, Monkey King also serves as a warning to Jin of the dangers of trying to be someone he is not.

        Despite the inspiration which can be drawn from Monkey King, he also serves as a cautionary tale for Jin. Like Jin, Monkey King wishes to transform into something that he is not in order to obtain the approval of others and ultimately goes too far in his attempt to fit in with the rest. As he returns to his chamber after being denied entry into the party in heaven, “the thick smell of monkey greeted him. He’d never noticed it before. He stayed awake for the rest of the night thinking of ways to get rid of it” (20). Monkey King wishes to reject his identity to try to be more like the other deities in the same manner that Jin attempts to become more like the “standard” American teen. Monkey King goes as far as to wear shoes, which he does not need, in order to try to fit in. This is the same as Jin changing his hair unnecessarily. However, Monkey King learns to embrace who he is and passes this lesson on to Jin.

        Monkey King leaves his shoes behind when Tze-Yo-Tzuh’s disciple tells him that to be freed, he must “return to [his] true form” (144). Despite his flaws, Monkey King ultimately shows Jin what it means to accept one’s own identity. Monkey King learns that to find one’s true identity is “the highest of all freedoms” (149). He inspires Jin to come to terms with his sense of belonging as a Chinese-American teen, telling him, "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" (223). In the end, Jin is able to draw from Monkey King’s resilience while also learning from his mistakes as he navigates the struggle of finding his own place in society, learning that a true sense of belonging can only be found from within.