Graphic novels have been considered entertainment for many
years, but they have proven to have literary value as well as shown through
examples like American Born Chinese. Graphic novels give the reader another way to
experience the story besides the traditional words only way. In American
Born Chinese the reader can gain insight from the dialog between characters
as well as the body language and facial expressions of the characters. The artist can also emphasize certain
emotions or instances through their artistic choice. For instance, on page 40 Jin and Wei-Chen are
put into the background and given very little detail in comparison to the
American boys playing football in the foreground. This helps to illustrate their feeling of isolation. Since they are different and the other kids discriminate
against them, they fade into the background both in the image and in their
lives.
Graphic
novels also help make hard to deal with stories a little more palatable. American
Born Chinese focuses on the racism that Jin and other Asian-Americans face
in their everyday lives. The character
Chin-Kee embodies many common stereotypes placed on Asian-Americans from old
political comics: he is dressed in stereotypical Chinese clothes, has a long
braid, and frequently mixes up L’s and R’s.
Even though the scenes with Chin-Kee are formatted like a funny sitcom, the
book is calling out many harmful stereotypes in the hopes that readers will
recognize them and refrain from perpetuating them. Throughout the book, Jin is under immense
pressure to fit in with the other American kids. When he is first introduced one kid says, “My
momma says Chinese people eat dogs.” The
teacher’s immediate response is to mildly chide him and to say, “I’m sure Jin
doesn’t do that! In fact, Jin’s family probably stopped that sort of thing as
soon as they came to the United States!” (31)
This shows just how severe the discrimination and stereotyping was for
Jin and how immigrants are immediately pressured into conforming to “normal” American
ways. It is one thing for kids to buy
into ridiculous stereotypes, but it is a bigger problem if the adults do
nothing to correct such behavior.
By being
a graphic novel, American Born Chinese
is able to reach a broader audience due to its approachability. People think that graphic novels will be easy
to read and understand, so they are more likely to pick a graphic novel version
than a traditional novel of the same story.
Most people would not grab a memoir of a childhood filled with discrimination,
but the friendly exterior and simple format make American Born Chinese more approachable for young adults. Overall, graphic novels can be a good gateway
to deeper stories for young adults since it combines education with a fun and accommodating
format.
I agree with your view on how graphic novels have the ability to be a more approachable vehicle of difficult or controversial topics. You brought up a very good point of how Jin and Wei-Chen deal with feelings of isolation, and I feel that they are many other occurrences of this isolation through the book. On Jin Wang’s first day at Mayflower Elementary, he is placed in isolation immediately by his teacher. As an introduction she says, “give a warm Mayflower Elementary welcome to your new friend and classmate Jing Jang” (30)! Jin corrects her, but she repeats his name with no apology and continues to incorrectly introduce him to be from China when he is actually from San Francisco. The bluntly incorrect and stereotypical introduction makes it hard for Jin to feel like he fits in, because if a teacher does not care to pronounce his name correctly why would a student? This speaks to the point you make about how it is a bigger problem if adults do nothing to correct kids buying into ridiculous stereotypes. Not only is it a big problem for the adults and teachers in American Born Chinese to be allowing students to buy into stereotypes but it is a bigger problem that they are buying into them as well. As teachers it is their job to model behavior and by isolating Jin Wang as a stereotypical Chinese person they are teaching their students that it is okay for them to do the same.
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