Always stay true to who you are. The worst thing you can be
is someone other than yourself. That is the lesson that Yang teaches in “American
Born Chinese.” The Monkey King helps Jin Wang learn this lesson by the end of
the novel; however, Jin Wang was taught this lesson much earlier, he just didn’t
know it yet. The herbalist’s wife taught this lesson to Jin Wang early in his
story. The herbalist’s wife asked little Jin Wang what he wanted to be when he
grew up. With a large grin, Jin Wang responded that he wanted to be a
transformer. The herbalist’s wife paused and replied “Trans fo ma?” Her hesitation
and the perplexed look on her face is suggestive of what is to come later (Yang
27).
Yang uses foreshadowing to help emphasize this lesson to the
reader. Yang uses a lot of foreshadowing in the scene where Jin Wang meets the herbalist’s
wife. By bolding certain words, Yang communicates the lesson and its importance
to the reader. On page 27, Jin Wang tells the herbalist’s wife he wants to be a
transformer when he grows up. Yang bolds “transformer” drawing the reader’s
attention to it. On the next page as Jin Wang is describing his toy, Yang bolds
the phrases “Robot in disguise” and “More than meets the eye.” Yang carefully designs
the text layout and formatting to emphasize the transformer and the lessons
behind. It is more than just a toy. The transformer carries an important lesson
with it; therefore, Yang ensures the reader focuses on it. By bolding these
phrases, Yang helps the reader build the connection between the transformer and
the lesson the book is trying to teach.
Even without knowing the whole story, the reader understands
the lesson Yang is teaching early on in the book. Throughout the novel, the
reader watches Jin Wang come to the same realization when the Monkey King
reveals the lesson to him. When Jin Wang learns the lesson, he is again
reminded of the transformer. The transformer is an important symbol used to help
the lesson be visualized. It also serves as a metaphor for how people change,
but one should never stray too far from their true self.
Foreshadowing is very apparent in Yang's action-packed novel. Another big turning point in the novel also occurs in the herbalist's shop when his wife says, "It's easy to become anything you wish, so long as you're willing to forfeit your soul" (29). This line is one of the most telling lines in the book and directly relates to Jin Wang's later change in identity. Throughout the novel, this idea is seen as Jin Wang live his life as Danny. Yang also uses pictures to give his readers a hint as to what might happen next, such as when Jin Wang looks jealously at a young boy resembling Danny. However, despite all his seemingly obvious hints, many readers still do not expect his dramatic reveal in the end of the novel. Through his use of intense foreshadowing, he reveals the main purpose and meaning of his novel throughout the book. Yang emphasizes the importance of an individual’s identity and heritage in defining who they are and suggests that one should not change who they are to meet society’s standards. The foreshadowing does not directly reveal his plot twist; in fact, it reinforces the final idea that it pushes and makes the idea much more apparent.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated the amount of foreshadowing in the novel. The fact that the Monkey King was really Chin-Kee definitely ties in with the transformer symbolism. Jin wants to be separated from his Chinese heritage so badly that he transforms into a completely different person. Chin-Kee's character acts as the blockade that Jin thinks his heritage creates. Greg told Jin him to stop going out with Amelia because he is Chinese. Going out with Amelia was the one thing that made him equal to the other kids at school. When Jin realizes that even who he dated could be restricted because of his heritage, he decides to reject it completely. In doing so, Jin becomes Danny who looks very similar to Greg. However, the Monkey King comes yearly in the form of Chin-Kee. Just as a transformer acts as two things in one, the Monkey King reminds Jin that he is his own person and also his heritage. Not the horrible stereotypes that Chin-Kee embodies. The Monkey King explains this: “I came to serve as your conscience - as a signpost to your soul” (Yang 221). Through this symbolism, Yang teaches the lesson that one should be true to oneself. However, as you stated, he does so throughout the novel.
ReplyDelete