Using graphics to convey the life of several young men and their struggles as minorities, the author first introduces us to the Monkey King who wants to be better than God. With a combination of old tales and everyday life, American Born Chinese shows us how important it is to not only love who you are, but to allow others to love you too.
Justification for Nomination:
This graphic novel was a unique little trio of stories with a higher meaning in the end. It brought together three stories and involved the reader in each one in a different way, specifically the story of Jin Wang who moved from San Fransisco (or China as his teachers think.) It is specifically a look at Asian stereotypes and makes the reader feel a little angered by how some of the high schoolers treat the characters.
It had a sense of adventure when following the Monkey King, a sense of sympathy and angst when focusing on Jin Wang and a little bit of humor when playing off of the overly stereotypic Chinese cousin Chin-Kee who cannot tell his 'r' from his 'l'. But the most powerful part of this story is when the author wraps all three stories together and shows the reader that there is a moral story behind each character and that there is a higher purpose. This was a completely unique graphic novel and really speaks to the read on a level of more than just entertainment or compassion. I think that this piece should be nominated because of its individualism and unique presentation. It is a story about acceptance, friendship, humility and pride. It tells us that although we may want to change who we want to be, we should embrace our identity and never try to be something we aren't no matter how right we think we are or how we are made to feel by others. Truly a timeless message.
No comments:
Post a Comment