Parallelism in ABC

            Despite the wholesome ending, all three sections of American Born Chinese progress in distinct settings for almost the entirety of the beginning two hundred pages.  Nonetheless, Gene Luen Yang utilizes repeated plot devices and parallel conflicts so that the sudden blend of monkey king, shy schoolboy, and stereotype sitcom doesn’t seem too out of place.  Transformation of identity is the most obvious recurring element, as the monkey king achieves “the four major disciplines of bodily form” (58) in hopes of being taken seriously by other deities.   In the same manner, Jin adopts his “nice perm” (98) to fit in with the white American students that he idolizes.  Both of these fit in with Jin’s childhood love of Transformers, robots that are “more than meets the eye” (28).  One may also view Danny’s three school transfers (126) as attempts to transform into new, fresh identities; after all, Yang’s emphasis on the F.O.B. experience always appears to commence with an introduction of a new classmate.  Even if students don’t always move between countries, the underlying parallel pattern persists.  Several smaller links are also present between the stories.  For instance, Wei-Chen possesses a transformer toy which has both monkey and robot forms (217).  Again, Suzy recounts being embarrassed when she realized Lauren did not actually invite her to the birthday party (187) just as the monkey king was denied entrance to the heavenly gathering.  All of these connections serve to foreshadow and legitimize the eventual collision between the three settings.

            After the plot lines clash together, Yang makes direct observations about these parallelisms to support his novel’s overall theme: identity should be embraced and prided more than it is shunned and mocked.  Perhaps the most pivotal moment occurs as Chin-Kee and Danny reveal their true identities.  The monkey king then advises “You know, Jin, I would have saved myself from five hundred years of imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock had I only realized how good it is to be a monkey” (223).  Here, Yang hopes to show his audience that if Jin and Suzy were less concerned with being seen as stereotypical “chink[s]” (187) and more content with their heritage and families, they would have a much easier time finding peace and purpose in this world.  The mountain of rock which Tze-Yo-Tzuh buries the monkey king under (84) until he embraces his true self parallels the peer pressure and societal stereotypes which Jin (and other Asian American children) often caves to.  Effective use of parallelism enables the author to construct a powerful real-world message from fictional and, at times, mythical stories.