As knowledgeable as the public is about efforts to combat racism in today's world, Gene Luen Yang proves in his graphic novel American Born Chinese that racism exists on a global level notable strength today. Through three intertwining stories, Yang demonstrates the ostracism and fear that alien cultures receive from a so-called "normal" society, where those who blend in are accepted. Its goal remains to prove the claim that “racism damages the ego, degrades the identity of cultures and individuals, and leads to forced assimilation under the control of the so-called normal public.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The above statement represents the journey of each character in the book, as they experience racism, lose their sense of ego, and undergo forced assimilation. The Monkey King is perhaps the oldest protagonist represented in the book, almost a deity, his story resonates most clearly as a personification of the beginning of the thematic statement. At the beginning of the story, the Monkey King is detained by a guard under the pretext of being a monkey and denied entry to a celestial festival: "You may be a king - you may even be a deity - but you are still a king". a monkey… Good evening sir” (Yang 15). The Monkey King subsequently gives in to an animalistic nature, beating the assembled populace and then leaving for his mountain, the next morning decreeing that everyone under his kingdom must wear his shoes. Primarily, this serves to emphasize ego damage due to racism, the Monkey changing the foundations of his kingdom to better emulate the accepted culture. He feels less, dejected, an ancient form of racism towards a holy being that resonates deeply throughout his story. The ramifications of the impact on an individual as such are not only manifested in this specific story, it is seen in the other two plots intertwined in the book as well as in real life. Those who are hurt often lash out and attempt to change themselves, often for the worse. Human nature is to try to please everyone as well as oneself, and to please the whole, it is often necessary to give up a part of oneself, a part that makes them who they are and defines them as individuals. Elsewhere in the narrative, Danny is a representation of Jin's wishes and desires personified, a typical white, all-American, sitcom male. However, it clearly represents the secondary part of the statement of the theme; how racism degrades the identity of individuals. Danny literally represents a change in identity, Jin creates a separate character that reflects the expectations set by American society, namely his peers. His change is fully illustrated on page 198, where he is called Danny. The consequences of identity change are multiple, as mentioned in the theme statement, identity change leads to a loss of culture and identity. Danny, or Jin, effectively gives up his identity or, as the herbalist's wife says, his soul. The loss of his soul is an analogy to the loss of culture; it gives up what makes it unique for what homogenizes it. However, most prominent in his loss of identity is Chin-Kee. Chin-Kee not only personifies stereotypes, but also personifies regret over the loss of the unique characteristics that made Jin who he was. Chin-Kee's constant presence represents a constant return to the characteristics that Danny and Jin wish to hide, and her actions represent their inability to suppress their true nature. Jin represents the final part of the.