American Born Chinese
An Exceptional Remix
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What is American Born Chinese, and why should it be added to the American educational system?
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Gene Luen Yang in 2006. A graphic novel is a novel where sequential art tells a story. In this story, Jin is a Chinese-American child whose parents moved to America from China. Jin faces discrimination and stereotyping at school which leads him to wishing that he was white so that he would fit in. American Born Chinese also weaves in the tale of the Monkey King, and uses themes, lessons and characteristics from the Monkey King to relate and teach Jin how to accept himself as a Chinese American.
Graphic novels are remixes of classic literature, and American Born Chinese contains various remix elements within it. A remix is "a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, and/or changing pieces of the item".
The graphic novel format American Born Chinese uses as is only one of the remix aspects contained within it. Assemblage, Genre Play, Redistribution, and Repurposing are all remix concepts which ABC utilizes throughout its text. These terms are detailed and defined within the Remix Studies page and are what make American Born Chinese an excellent choice to add to the American education system.
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Beyond Remix Studies
American Born Chinese's remix examples make it an excellent choice to add to any remix studies course. However, remix studies is not the only subject in which ABC can teach valuable information and life lessons. Intertextual & Intercultural Studies, Mythology, and General Education classes would all benefit from adding ABC to their educational track.
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