American Born Chinese - First 20 pages

Gene Luen Yang pokes fun at Chinese culture in his first image, where the Gods and Goddesses are wining and dining. However, though lighthearted throughout, an serious tone underlines the first 20 pages of his story as well, reminding the audience about his central theme. Established once the Monkey King is confronted by the guard at the dinner party, he first realizes discrimination when the guard points out that he cannot enter because he is a monkey. The first reason the guard poses, which is that the Monkey King is wearing no shoes and thus cannot enter, is not the main reason he will not let the Monkey King in. The same can be seen in society today, were racism has become invisible because it is systematically embedded in American culture. Many excuses can be made to hide the real factor: racism. A fundamental turning point in the first 20 pages is when the Monkey King recognizees the smell of his species, and wonders how he can detach himself from it. The message Yang conveys is that as an outcast, many times instead of embracing the differences he or she will first turn to anger (as the Monkey King attacked everyone at the dinner party), and then to something far more dangerous: ways to change him or herself to fit in.