Relatability of American Born Chinese

 As a half-Asian person, "American Born Chinese" really related to me in a personal and eye-opening way. Many people also agree that this book has helped them with self acceptance and such which I can understand. When reading the book, the readers can see that one of the main characters Jin, is uncomfortable in his own skin being Asian. However as the book progresses and the three separate stories come together, he embraces his ethnicity. The book translated towards me in the way of embracing my culture which was once difficult to do when I was growing up. Jin really connected to me because I understood the thoughts and feelings he had for his culture and such growing up in a predominantly white town. When going to school I also got the same commentary of others wondering what I was eating for lunch and making sly comments about the food I would bring to school. (Yang 32). When the comments continued, I told my mom to start packing me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chicken nuggets, food that I knew wouldn't stir any more comments up. 

I also related to Jin with the comments he got about eating dogs. That was also a popular comment others would say to me in elementary school that was difficult to hear growing up. Jin in the book tries his best to blend in with his peers and try not to be Asian in a sense. He would always get embarrassed with Wei-Chen when he would embrace his culture (38) and tried his best to Americanize so he wouldn't get made fun of anymore. I understand that because I also did that as well. As well as when Jin turned into Danny, a white student he was confident and happy. Growing up, every kid just wants to fit in and Jin believed that becoming Danny (198), would make him happy, however he realizes that he should rather embrace his identity. I have also understood that, wanting to just be white so I wouldn't have to hear any racist comments about myself or my culture but now, I realize it is what makes me unique and I love my Korean background and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I really enjoyed reading the book because it was a more interesting and more visually appealing way to translate a positive message that has helped all sorts of people, even others who aren't Asian but just feel different. When first beginning this book and having no idea what the book was about, I had no idea that a graphic novel would have had such an impact on myself and affect me the way it did.