Hello everyone. Do not panic! I am posting early so that everyone has plenty of time to read and respond to this post. It's not due until Monday, though.
Thoughts on narrative and audience:
We’ve looked at Shortcomings that examined some of the
tensions of racial identity and interpersonal relationships. I think it is
interesting to pose American Born Chinese alongside this when we consider the
fact that Yang’s work is shelved as a Children’s book. On Amazon, it’s listed
with an age range of 12-17 years or for students in 7th grade and up
(see here) and is part of the curriculum for many high school students.
How does the form of American Born Chinese work to communicate similar themes of Shortcomings (or even Persepolis) but to a younger audience? For example, things like the use of color, the style of drawing, narrative content and the frame narratives all come to mind here.
How does the form of American Born Chinese work to communicate similar themes of Shortcomings (or even Persepolis) but to a younger audience? For example, things like the use of color, the style of drawing, narrative content and the frame narratives all come to mind here.
Responding to issues of race and otherness:
I’m sure you all see it coming, but at this point in the book, where do you see the frame narratives converging?
All talk about a similar sense of not belonging with markedly different situations—On the divine spectrum we have the Monkey King being rejected because of his species, Jin Wang being uncool and othered in the American school system, and the sitcom character Danny’s reputation being wrecked by his visiting cousin Chin-kee (who is the butt of all jokes but apparently oblivious to all of it).
Why such drastic, contrasting scenarios where the characters all inhabit a different universe? What are the implications of otherness that is literally species against species (and cemented by the very will of god) and otherness felt by walking stereotypes (because even Danny is, really—the whole thing is a sitcom) written by an unseen writer and spectated by an imagined audience juxtaposed together?
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I’m sure you all have great things to say, and we’re only halfway through. Musing on the prompts above and/or some of the larger topics we’ve been grappling with in this course (the comic medium, memoir, race, gender, identity) what do you think?
I love the color...that being said I also feel that this is the first time that color can actually work for one of the novels that we have read. The book is vibrant like that of the Chinese culture...red dragons and colorful fireworks. I think Yang is using color to show us that being Chinese is different and it is more than black and white.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the idea that it is a book for young adults, I have to agree that because it starts out almost like a bed time story. I really thought that is how we would meet the little boy in the book that we would pan away to a child in bed with a mother telling him a story. Although, I think we all have to agree that we were hooked immediately into this story about a boy moving and a monkey wanting to be accepted.
I like that these are humans, and that they are not as realistically drawn as Shortcomings. It allows the reader a chance to be a monkey, or Danny, or Jing and yet to also not be them. We feel for them and we also understand that we cannot know exactly what they are feeling. Yang has drawn us in and at the same time excluded us, very impressive.
American Born Chinese
ReplyDeleteAmerican Born Chinese was very easy to read. I’m not saying that it was a simple read, but that it was really well formed. I love the intertwining of different stories. There’s the story of the monkey who strives to be accepted in heaven, the authors life story, and a story about a boy whose life seems to always be ruined by his constantly visiting cousin. Each of these stories expands on the idea of identity and sometimes human rights. The story of the monkey explores equality, the one about the cousin visiting explores acceptance of identity, and the author’s story reflects on someone’s transition into a new place. In the author’s story, we see how people treat him and how it affects him personally in respect to race. It is made obvious how his classmates treat Jin Wang differently. It shows how strong he is as a person and his overall desire to be seen as a part of the whole.
A younger audience can easily accept this story because it is a combination of stories that are visually interesting through color and even comedy. This story is like the opposite of Shortcomings in respect to artistic style. This story includes large amounts of color and the stories are drawn in a more a more animated look. The constant shift in stories will keep a younger audience interested by not focusing on one intense serious situation at a time. I love that this story explores common racial stereotypes and leaves them out in the open for a younger audience to see and explore for themselves.
I sort of already see them converging. Each of their personal interactions in their own tales intertwines into each other’s stories. For example, the tale of the monkeys demand for acceptance can be seen as a parallel into Jin Wang’s desire to make friends in school. The messages in each piece can be easily understood with the other stories response to racial issues. I believe the author chose to use these three different stories to explore race because one, it is visually interesting, and two, he wants to target every group of readers through taste and show how race can be seen in many different forms even outside of normal human interaction. For me, these stories intertwine so well. I never lost interest while reading because of the intertwining of each other’s stories. Once one tale hit a serious point, we switch to a story taken less serious. This piece explores race in every major form by bringing racial stereotypes and situations to the foreground.
I agree with your point that American Born Chinese is easy to read, although not necessarily because it's at a lower level than the comics we've been reading. I also just found myself sort of breezing through it and I really admire when a writer is able to communicate complex messages and stories in a simple and entertaining way like Yang has done here.
Delete1) I’m really surprised to hear that American Born Chinese is shelved as a children’s book. I definitely think that this comic would be far more accessible to kids than Shortcomings, but I wouldn’t list it exclusively for this age range. Having said that, I also believe many factors of this comic would make it an enjoyable read for kids - the color, the illustrations, and the tales of the monkey king especially. I also think that while some of the content might be better understood by an older audience, most kids probably have a sense of what it’s like to not fit in, especially in a school environment so this is a good theme for kids that age.
ReplyDelete2) I’m enjoying the way Yang took these three stories and put them together. I don’t know what his intentions were for this, but the end result isn’t a choppy and confusing story (which it could easily be with three plot lines) but something that flows very well because of the similarities in the stories. I will definitely be interested in hearing other people’s takes on this question, because I think there can be many reasons the stories seem to fit together so well. The main reason seems to be that, as you mentioned, all of these plots deal with the theme of otherness in various circumstances. The monkey king tales have a feeling of parables or fairy tales, the sitcom shows the media, and then we have Jin Wang’s story - which seems to be most real of the three. It seems at this point that the other two are side stories that amplify and sometimes contrast with Jin Wang’s story. Using three stories like this also shows that these feelings of otherness and excluding and judging people is a tale as old as time and happens everywhere. It’s also relative - who is and isn’t accepted in one place and time will be different elsewhere and at another time. This really undermines any claims of certain people being inherently different or substandard because the criteria for making this claim is just dependent on changing and varying factors.
3) So far, I really like the topics we’ve been getting into and I’ve really enjoyed hearing everyone’s opinions on these subjects - it’s been very thought provoking and interesting. Also, I feel like I have a better awareness of what comic books can offer as a medium. The only comic books I had every picked up in the past where some Archie comics and the odd superhero comic, so this class has been completely new for me. During the course of the semester, I find my appreciation for this medium growing and I’ve also been reading a couple of other comics like the first volume of The Walking Dead and another really interesting one called Meanwhile. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this comic as well as the next ones we’ll be reading.
There's also a whole lot of comics out there as opposed to what kinds we read in class and from what you've experienced I bet you'll enjoy. I'd check out new stuff by Image and some less new Vertigo lines :)
DeleteCheck out Wake or Trillium... Jeff Lemire has some amazing stuff out there.
DeleteThanks for the recommendations! These look great :)
DeleteThe narratives are driving towards social awareness. The entire novel is at this time a great guide to how people handle prejudice. I see each of the stories as differing expressions of our experiences. The first one, the young boy, is an expression of our internal struggle to fit in, and the way that those that are seen to be "like us", can effect the way that others see us. This is central to life, and naturally, its central to the story. The second with the king of monkeys is pure and simple racism. A fantastic show of how feeling limited because of your differences can be turned into strength. He becomes one of the strongest people in his universe by fighting. The monkey king is in time stopped by God and reminded of what he is, he can not leave his race behind. His feeling of being unique drove him. While I'm not finished with his story but I expect that he will in time come back to his people, and be comfortable with himself. The final story, I expect will be on looking inward about who you are. It will likely have more to do about self image.
ReplyDeleteLike you said this course certainly has been centered on asking the questions of social cues. Prejudice has been a point throughout. One of the things I want to drive into in my upcoming post on the second half of this story is on how much more relatable the characters are due to the art style. Its drawn in a more symbolic style. McCloud called it out, and wow does it ring true comparing this to shortcomings. Grant it shortcomings had some very uninspiring characters (in my opinion), but it really does show in how much more I care about the characters.
I understand why these books are being discussed together in this way, but really want to avoid doing it as to not ruin American Born Chinese (I'll just call it ABC) since I disliked Shortcomings intensely. I think the audience for comics is broadened in both directions, young and old, as soon as you start making comics more comprehensible to the younger group. The "G rated" stories tend to sell in very broad age ranges, whereas Shortcomings would end up being much more specific, and both narrowing off either end of the age spectrum. I would argue against it discussing similar themes than Shortcomings and Persepolis as well. Though race has been a huge part of pretty much every comic so far, this one has race appear more as a part of the setting. The main character just happens to come from somewhere else which is just the reasoning behind him being the relatable outsider. I don't think the intention was to make a racial standing. At least I'm saying that and sticking to it since I'm getting tired of the racial discussions, and don't want to ruin ABC since I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteNow that implies I read the whole thing, which I have, and can't really answer the questions on where I think it's going, but I'm glad to say without spoilers that I was very surprised and shocked at the way it finally did converge!
The monkey stories felt like old school dragon ball episodes. I even had the theme song in my head reading them. The school days stories felt very autobiographical due to how fresh they felt. But the sitcom parody felt really forced and out of place, and is the only portion of the book I try to pretend isn't there because it's the one that (in the end and once again I'll try and avoid spoiling anything) seems to throw the monkey wrench into the mix. Ah puns how I hate them. But also it's the only one that really forces racism on the reader. Maybe that's why I didn't like it. But mainly its how it comes together in the end. Or arguably falls apart but I won't go there. I liked this book and I'm scared the more I talk about it the more I'll dislike it!
Also I'd like to add that the animated film "The Dark Knight Returns Part 2" is incredibly gory and violent aside from disturbing and... man. Mature on SO many levels let's just say that, and is ALSO shelved as a kids DVD.
ReplyDeleteSo if something claims to be "for kids" and it looks like or even slightly resembles a comic, it's probably not at all ok for kids. I don't believe in those rating systems. It's just a marketing trick to aim for a closer audience. And Walmart will sell more Batman if more stupid moms will thoughtlessly buy their kids anything that resembles a cartoon in the kids section.
I didn't go into this book with very high expectations, simply due to the fact that it looked like it was going to be written to cater to this 12-17 year old demographic, but I was pleasantly surprised. The book has a more serious tone than I was expecting. Some classmates have questioned if because of these serious tones and themes if it should be marketed to this demographic at all, but I definitely think that it should. There is a lot of material for children out there and most of it has little value other than entertainment. This book is something that a kid could pick up and really want to read just based on how it looks, only to find themselves thinking about things that they've never thought of before. I read a lot as a 12 year old, and would have loved this book then. And just because a 12 year old can love something does not mean that a 22 year old or a 42 year old couldn't love it just as much. Look at the success of “children's” shows like Adventure Time or Spongebob.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting that we have read four books so far that have been largely autobiographical, but in the most recent two the authors change the names of the main characters slightly. I think that they did this to be more open and able to embellish certain details without criticism. In Maus or Persepolis, when the authors begin the story with the fact that this character is themselves, the audience is much more willing to accept every word as truth, even if it may be exaggerated. This detachment of the Asian identities makes me think of the main character in Shortcomings racism complex. Maybe the reason that the authors wanted to further distance themselves from their characters was because they felt that they had not experienced such blatant racism? Or maybe they wanted to take the experiences of people they know and use them to tell one story?
That's a really good point - that just because the content is a little heavy for what might typically be considered kid-friendly, it shouldn't necessarily only be read by an older audience. I feel like I've seen a lot of books lately that discuss important social issues being written and marketed for kids and I think that's really good. On one hand, it's probably difficult to make sure things are okay for kids to read, but on the other hand it would be worse if children growing up had no exposure whatsoever to these important issues. I think that it would be really beneficial, for instance, to start talking to kids about issues of alienation, othering, and racism and a comic book like American Born Chinese is a great way to entertain kids but also talk about important issues. And I definitely agree that even if something is made for kids, doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed by an older crowd (especially since I'm a big fan of cartoons). I think that in some cases, kids may be entertained and get some of the message, whereas sometimes it helps to be an adult to pick up on all of the nuances - although I believe all ages can enjoy it, maybe just in slightly different ways.
DeleteI think that comics have some license to do things that other works can't. The art in this piece is so good, and so likable, that it keeps its rather boring -- and, at places, trite -- narrative and writing from bringing the piece down. This a work of feeling. There are some works of art that are great because of their stories or their characters, and there are some that are great in spite of them. I read it all in one sitting, but looking at just the parts we've read as a class so far, I think the narrative threads are trying to tie together, and they do come close, but they never come together enough to justify their existences. I have really mixed feelings about this piece, and I'm trying to be cohesive but there's so much going on in my head right now that I'm sure it's not coming out like I want it to.
ReplyDeleteAmerican Born Chinese is bland and weak when looking at it from traditional narrative standards. But when you look at it from an empathetic and analytical position -- there's just so much sadness. And happiness, too. ABC grapples with some deep existential questions. Trying to respond to some of the questions presented, I think that this book is important for middle graders and high schoolers to read. It lays the groundwork for so much literature -- eastern and western -- and thought. I think I would think that ABC was more effective if I had read it at a younger age.
The colors and dynamics of the particular art style used in this comic does wonders in the telling of the story. In our other readings color might have been more of a distraction from the core story, but in American Born Chinese it helps move the story along. I love the use of the story of the Monkey King in this narrative when compared to the issues following our protagonists. The icon's used at the beginning of the story really stands out to me. The use of transformers to describe the connection that Jin had with his friends before he moved, and seems to play an interesting role in the story. A transformer is a robot that transforms into a car and vice versa. It changes itself to fit into a role on earth to blend in. This foreshadowing plays a great part in setting the mood of the story. My interest in comics has definitely grown over the semester. I normally read the typical superhero comics but have found myself gravitating toward more serious comic series.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree about the use of color in this comic and that it fits in well with the story. And I didn't pick up on the transformers bit at all! That definitely makes sense, and hearing it now I'm remembering some of the things that were said about the transformers, especially when Jin said he wants to grow up to be a transformer. I also thought it was a cute moment when the new kid shows up to Jin's school and has a transformer with him.
DeleteSo, the bright colors, and the style of drawing cartoonify the text and the stories. It would draw the interest of children because the realism is gone. It would also draw younger readers because the characters are not adults but young people like them.
ReplyDeleteI see the 3 stories coming together somewhere near the end, because all 3 stories have a similar tales, just different characters and elements. There all about about racial identity.
It is interesting that this is considered more of a children's book. I think a lot of the points might go over the heads of a younger audience. I can't really remember back that far but I don't think I would have got the Chin-Kee storyline in 7th grade like I do now. It definetely looks like it is for children with the cartoony and simplistic art style (which was the opposite for Shortcomings). I think its most similar to Maus in regards to audience and level of understanding.
ReplyDeleteThe Jin storyline reminds me of Shortcomings, but the PG rated version. He is really just trying to fit in and not be forced into stereotypical boxes like Ben. I can see parallels with the Monkey King story, where the Monkey is embarrassed by being a monkey and tries to deny himself although no one else is willing to go along with what he wants. Jin isn't denying himself so much as trying to conform under the radar, and the Monkey King is trying to force everyone else to acknowledge him as being different. The Danny/Chin-Kee storyline is the most... I would say, deep. Just because it is really pointing out like unabashed and horrific racism, and it is more from the perspective of Danny and we have to wonder if Danny will reform his ways and accept Chin-Kee or if he will continue to try to abandon him, and I don't really see that "converging" with the other stories.
I think this is a great and enlightening book.
Well the use of bright color and easy to understand caricature-like style would be attractive to the eye for 12-17 year old kids. There are also three different stories that the book holds, and they come up just when a reader might be getting bored of the story. It appeals to the attention span of the reader and then launches into a surprisingly deep story (until the fantastical end) that can actually teach kids a lot of race and life and school, and can even be related to by some one the readers.
ReplyDeleteRight at the end when Jin becomes Danny. He changes his look, his attitude, his friends, all to fit this American character he’s created. The character Danny dislikes his cousin and tried to make it clear that he wants nothing to do with him. He is embarrassed to be related to him, and, as the artist depicts, he is nothing more than a joke and a bad reminder of his heritage. The monkey king was all about wanting to change because he wanted more. He didn’t train himself because he lusted for power, but instead became strong because he wanted respect and to be treated like a human. He didn’t like what he was born as because it kept him from going certain places and being able to do certain things. The whole thing was set up like a sitcom meets early 2000’s Nick cartoon humor; it was funn and outlandish and it made a point. The Monkey King wanted so much and wanted to change so badly that he was sealed under a mountain of rock for five hundred years to learn a lesson. Chin-kee was a based of of every Asian stereotype i think I’ve ever heard, and when you find out that Danny is Jin, it’s very easy to see that that is, in fact, not a cousin, but his heritage catching up to him, and showing him every day that no, he is not a white American boy, and he would have to face his heritage sooner or later.
This is a really interesting read! All these stories we are reading back and forth between are perfect together. They all relate but are different at the same time. The Monkey King is the story that brings us back to his childhood and shows where his beliefs and upbringing are based around. Then there is his personal story of when he was in younger boy in middle school. Then the story of Chin-kee sums up both of those story's underlying message, race, into one story. That annoying character Chin-kee is the definition and ellaboration of F.O.B. stereotypes. When you sandwhich them all together and read between the lines you get Yang's perspective on being an American born Chinese. I have to say its a pretty creative way to show how you grew up and the emotional stresses you have as a teen. But not just an american teen, but a Chinese American teen.
ReplyDeleteThe color used here works perfectly in this situation. I feel like I’m watching one of Jin's cartoons on a Saturday morning, but instead, it’s about his life, the stories his mother used to tell him and another cartoon about growing up a foreigner. The main two colors used are red, yellow and blue. These are very strong primary colors that grab our attention in the utmost way. Bold, strong and crisp line weights show us more then generic figures but not enough to be realistic representations. It’s a happy balance of the different mediums. Again, relating back to Saturday morning cartoons, it’s his version of his young adult life.
I agree, in regards to the use of color, the style of drawing, the narrative, all play a very important role in how themes are portrayed to a younger audience. It was fun reading because it did feel like it was meant for younger children, but in all aspects, the morals of the stories are suitable for all ages, not just children.
ReplyDeleteI think it was important for the scenes to be so drastic and in contrast with one another, it made it all the better when the stories all converge. It is interesting to see how species were portrayed against one another, and as if they were stuck, that their fate was set in stone by the very well god. It was also interesting to see how each character dealt with their struggles with being the “other,” they were all ashamed to be what they really were because they were different, they were looked at and treated differently, brought on by ignorance, stereotypes and discrimination.
The Monkey King story allows any reader to understand the idea of feeling out of place and awkward being something in between. All of the stories are about not fitting in and reacting in different ways. The sitcom caricature reacts by being oblivious and unaware of himself or perhaps not caring to be like Danny. The Monkey King reacts with anger and arrogance and his story reflects upon the maturing of Jin, as he copes with being an outsider in a much more reserved manner. The other stories could also act as dreams or memories, that Jin has, coinciding with his actual life events.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that, despite Jin's unique experience as the child of immigrants, his struggles seemed typical of growing up in general. This may also be why Yang chose to include the other stories to provide details for reference that help define the experience of being raised by immigrants and trying to be normal and have a sense of belonging.
First of all the similarities between Shortcomings and American Born Chinese are endless and I did see similarities with Persepolis as well. I think that the ideals of race and being proud of your culture is addressed to help younger kids with their self-esteem. In all three of these stories the characters have a point where they hate their culture and act in a irrational manner. Seeing these instances when they hate their culture is because of the discrimination at the party, schools and in life in general.
ReplyDeleteSeeing all of the convergence is pretty easy to expect because these ideals are based in Chinese culture. Since the story switches panels and stories so often the foreshadowing cannot be ignored. Anytime that I see a religious influence at the beginning of a story I assume that the religion will have a strong influence at various points. The drastic change in my eyes is show that so many have gone through the same insecurities or variation of them.
American Born Chinese works very well as a piece of fiction for any age group. With its three narratives, it handles the topics of race and identity movingly, similar in substance to Shortcomings but more enjoyable in its delivery. One of the simpler ways in which American Born Chinese improves its accessibility is its highly pleasant color palette, where Yang employs smooth, crisp colors. This provides the story with a deceptive simplicity, since although such handling of color typically denotes content of minimal depth, Yang’s interweaving narratives offer a great deal of food for thought. American Born Chinese also improves its relatability by placing its setting in high school, a part of life everyone has experienced and, to a greater or lesser extent, endured. Not only does this make his story directly approachable for readers going through that part of their life, but it also fits in with the overarching themes of his story: acceptance of one’s self, appreciating one’s friends, fitting in, and so on.
ReplyDeleteFor what is generally considered to be a children’s book, American Born Chinese seems to focus a great deal on the concept of self-loathing, a topic which, needless to say, is more often associated with adulthood. And yet childhood is one of the biggest times in our lives to feel uncomfortable or uncertain about our identities. Like the monkey king, Jin longs for acceptance from a group that dismisses him and his background. While Ben Tanaka’s neurotic take on dating may provide a palpable sense of Asian American self-loathing, the monkey king’s stubborn behavior underneath the mound of rocks better articulates the internal struggle that defines minority assimilation in America.
American Born Chinese works very well as a piece of fiction for any age group. With its three narratives, it handles the topics of race and identity movingly, similar in substance to Shortcomings but more enjoyable in its delivery. One of the simpler ways in which American Born Chinese improves its accessibility is its highly pleasant color palette, where Yang employs smooth, crisp colors. This provides the story with a deceptive simplicity, since although such handling of color typically denotes content of minimal depth, Yang’s interweaving narratives offer a great deal of food for thought. American Born Chinese also improves its relatability by placing its setting in high school, a part of life everyone has experienced and, to a greater or lesser extent, endured. Not only does this make his story directly approachable for readers going through that part of their life, but it also fits in with the overarching themes of his story: acceptance of one’s self, appreciating one’s friends, fitting in, and so on.
ReplyDeleteFor what is generally considered to be a children’s book, American Born Chinese seems to focus a great deal on the concept of self-loathing, a topic which, needless to say, is more often associated with adulthood. And yet childhood is one of the biggest times in our lives to feel uncomfortable or uncertain about our identities. Like the monkey king, Jin longs for acceptance from a group that dismisses him and his background. While Ben Tanaka’s neurotic take on dating may provide a palpable sense of Asian American self-loathing, the monkey king’s stubborn behavior underneath the mound of rocks better articulates the internal struggle that defines minority assimilation in America.