Intertextual Studies
Intertextuality is the shaping of a text's meaning by another text, either through deliberate compositional
strategies such as quotation, allusion, calque, plagiarism, translation, pastiche or parody. Or by interconnections between similar or related works perceived by an audience or reader of the text." American Born Chinese shows optional intertextuality by referencing storylines and characters from Journey to the West.
Optional intertextuality
Optional intertextuality is where a remix or hypertext utilizes optional information from an original or hypotext in order to connect the two pieces. "The intent of the writer when using optional intertextuality, is to pay homage to the 'original' writers, or to reward those who have read the hypotext. However, the reading of this hypotext is not necessary to the understanding of the hypertext."
Hypotext and Hypertext
Journey to the West would be considered the hypotext to American Born Chinese, which would be the hypertext. By knowing more about the monkey king and his struggles within the hypotext, the reader is rewarded with additional knowledge of why the character acts the way he does within the hypertext. This novel gives excellent examples of intertextuality that could easily be explored and discussed in various literary classes.