1. Journal
Write about a time where you didn’t feel like you fit in, and how you responded to the situation. You have 10 minutes – create!

2. Day 1: An Introduction to Graphic Novels
American Born Chinese
Day 1: An Introduction to Graphic Novels

3. Gene Yang

4. Yang’s American Born Chinese
In 2006, Yang published American Born Chinese, a graphic narrative comprised of three storylines that eventually unite.
The Story of the Monkey King
The Story of Jin Wang
The Story of Chin-Kee
In addition to winning the Printz award for Young Adult Literature, American Born Chinese has garnered both praise and controversy.

5. Story 1: The Monkey King
The Monkey King, or Sūn Wùkōng, is a character in an extremely important Chinese novel, The Journey to the West.
Written in the 17th century, it chronicles a journey to India made by a Buddhist monk and his companions.
The Monkey King is cunning in battle and has the ability to transform himself 72 ways.

6. Story 2: Jin Wang
For the first nine years of his life, Jin lives in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
However, when his parents are able to afford a home in the suburbs, Jin is ill-prepared for the identity crisis that will ensue.
In addition to struggling with others’ prejudice, he has to struggle with his own insecurities.
The motif of “transformation” fits nicely with the transformative powers of The Monkey King.

7. Story 3: The Chin-Kee Show
The third storyline in American Born Chinese features a sitcom-like structure, as popular, “normal” Danny contends with the annual visits of his Chinese cousin Chin-kee.
Chin-kee is the embodiment of every stereotype that many Americans hold regarding persons of Chinese nationality or descent.

8. Controversy
"I do get some reactions to the Cousin Chin-Kee that worry me a little bit," said Yang…. "There's some people that come up and tell me, 'He's so cute, so funny, endearing.' That's definitely not what I was going for.”
"I think the vast majority of the responses are positive, but I have had some Asian-Americans and come up and tell me I was perpetuating the stereotype by explicitly showing it," he said.

9. Identity Construction
Yang notes: "I think the Asian American community right now is in the midst of defining itself. For a while I think we were all trying to be white. Then there was a period of time when we were trying to be black. And now we're finally coming up with something that's truly our own."

10. Important Themes Transformation Friendship
Identity and Being “the other”
Stereotypes and Generalizations
Coming of Age

11. Graphic Novel Terminology
Panels – shapes that contain a single scene
Gutters – space between panels
Dialog balloons – words spoken between characters
Thought balloons – contain character’s thoughts
Captions – contain information about a scene or character (often setting related)
Sound effects – visual sound clues (POW!)

12. Caption
Panel
Gutter
Thought Balloon
Sound Effect
Dialog Balloon

13. Left to Right like always

14. Dialogue Order 1 4 2 3 5

15. Always Left to Right Top to Bottom

16. Concept Based Vocabulary
Perspective
Prejudice
Anachronism
Generalization
Tyranny
Justice
Integrity
Ramification
Morality
Misperception
Stereotype
Obligation