kashiplotqs

Plot Questions Kashi

Chapter 1

 * 1. What are the psychological transformations the Monkey King experiences in the first chapter?**

In the first chapter, the Monkey King becomes dissatisfied with being a monkey.
 * Chapter 2 **

The message of the parable is that people adapt and change when the situation around them changes. This is relevant to American Born Chinese because the characters that come from Asia must adapt to America.
 * 1. p 23 - 24 What is the message of the parable? What is its relevance to ABC?**

The conversation in which the herbalist asks Jin what he wants to be when he grows up is significant because it introduces us to his interest in shape-shifting and changing. The fact that he wants to be a transformer makes it apparent that he wants to be able to adapt to many different situations. It could be that, subconsciously, he wishes he could transform into an American. Her warning shows that trying to change yourself means giving up your soul. This foreshadows the Monkey King’s transformation into the Great Sage, as well as Jin’s transformation into Danny.
 * 2. p 27 - 28 What is the significance of the conversation with the herbalist? His response? Her "warning?" How does this work as a foreshadowing device?**

The fact that Jin’s mentions the smell of his old home lingering in his clothes implies that his new home smells different. Also, the people from his old home were probably nicer to him because he fit in.
 * 3. p 30 - 31 What do we learn about Jin's new life in comparison to his life in San Francisco's Chinatown?**

The fact that the kid who calls Jin “bucktooth” has buckteeth himself symbolizes how people often insult other people for their own faults and insecurities.
 * 4. p 33 The kid who calls Jin "bucktooth" is drawn with buckteeth himself. What purpose does this serve?**

Jin wanted to beat up Wei-Chen because he reminded him of himself before he was adjusted to America.
 * 5. p 36 What happens that makes Jin want to beat up Wei-Chen?**
 * Chapter 3 **

To me, the clap clap clap and ha ha ha turns the Chin-Kee chapters into a sitcom with the audience laughing and clapping. The author does this to show how Danny’s life is like a sitcom, and he is the main character who is caught in an awkward situation. The title, “Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee” touches on Chin-Kee’s accent, and provides the sitcom with a title.
 * 1. What does the use of the clap clap clap and ha ha ha mean to you? Why does the author do this? What about the title, "Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee?"**

Chin-Kee: trying to be American, heavy accent, buckteeth, braided hair, wearing a robe, slanted eyes, bowing, not cool and obnoxious Danny: not accepting, attracted to girls, easily embarrassed
 * 2. What stereotypes are exploited in this section? Make a list of them. Be sure to note stereotypes for both Chin-Kee and Danny.**
 * Chapter 4 **

In this chapter, the Monkey King is taller, more muscular, and more humanlike. This shows how he is trying to be a god, instead of just a monkey.
 * 1. p 62 - 63 examine the way that the Monkey King is illustrated. In what way does his transformed appearance reflect his transformed character?**

Each time the Monkey King is laughed at by another god, he uses his kung fu to frighten or injure that god. He tries to beat his new name into the gods so that he will no longer be considered a monkey.
 * 2. What happens to the Monkey King each time he is laughed at by another god? Can you connect this to question #1 from chapter 1?**

At the end of this chapter, the Monkey King realizes that he cannot win, but is unwilling to accept it.
 * 3. p 80 - 81 explore again the theme of the Monkey King's psychological profile. What might he be experiencing here?**
 * Chapter 5 **

Melanie and Amelia are both girls who the main characters are attracted to.
 * 1. Look at the Melanie in the Chin-Kee chapters and Amelia Harris in Jin's chapters, they are nearly identical. What other connections can you trace between these two story lines?**

Wei-Chen is represented as a bit less accustomed to America than Jin. When he dates Suzy, Wei-Chen is probably trying to take advantage of the fact that he is in America. In doing this, he is teaching Jin not to be afraid.
 * 2. p 89 What differences are there between Jin and Wei Chen in how they are represented? What psychological information can we infer about Wei Chen when he dates Suzy Nakamura? What lesson is Wei Chen teaching Jin?**

Dashed lines around the speech bubbles indicate whispering. Cloud shaped bubbles indicate thinking. A rod shaped part between two large bubble parts indicates different parts of the person’s speech.
 * 3. p 90 - 92 Why the dashed lines around the speech balloons? What other kinds of lines are around the speech balloons throughout the story? What information does the line convey?**

The author shows the blur by putting a white splattered outline around the pictures.
 * 4. p 104 - 105 Jin says "everything was a blur," how does the author show this?**
 * Chapter 6 **

In this chapter, we see the stereotypes of Asians being teacher’s pets and Americans being into sports.
 * 1. Returning to the question of stereotypes, what other stereotypes do you notice in this section? Look at all of the characters.**

Danny tries to distance himself from Chin-Kee because He does this by excluding him from his conversation with the older boy. He does this because Chin-Kee embarrasses him.
 * 2. p 123 Why does Danny try to distance himself from Chin-Kee? How does he do it?**

Danny says his Chin-Kee comes to visit every year and embarrasses him. I think he comes to visit in order to get Danny to switch schools until he finds one where they appreciate him for who he is, instead of thinking of him as “Chin-Kee’s cousin.” Danny says, “So I can pee in it?” because he is afraid that people are thinking of Chin-Kee when they think of him.
 * 3. p 126 - 127 What clues can you find to explain why Chin-Kee comes to visit? Why, do you deduce, is it that Chin-Kee comes to visit? **
 * 4. p 128 Why does Danny say, "So I can pee in it?" What psychological impulse might make him say that?**
 * Chapter 7 **

Lai-Tsao finds favor with Tze-Yo-Tzuh by helping the poor people. In panel 4, Lai-Tsao says that the Monkey King will be able to escape if he accepts who he truly is and returns to his regular form. The Monkey King chose to release himself because he could not bear to watch Lai-Tsao get cooked. The two voices belong to Jin and his mother. Jin is represented as speaking out loud and his mother is in the square narration bubbles. The two voices and opinions greatly contradict each other. This panel shows a background or ambience of things going on in the room at the same time as Wei-Chen’s conversation. The author emphasizes Jin’s emotions by showing lightening bolts coming out of his head and showing what he is thinking. This also happens in the movie theater on page 169. I think Jin Kisses Suzy because he feels sympathetic towards her and he wants to kiss a girl, but he agreed not to date Amelia. Jin rejects Wei-Chen because they are actually very similar, but Wei-Chen has a girlfriend and Jin does not. Jin does not want to accept this because he feels it is unfair, so his distances himself from Wei-Chen. The dream symbolizes that Jin has given up his soul by distancing himself from his own life, and now he can become someone else. Jin has transformed into Danny. This moment made me feel happy, because Jin/Danny was happy, but I was also aware that he had lost himself.
 * 1. p 139 Why has Lai-Tsao found favor with Tze-Yo-Tzuh?**
 * 2. p145 What does Lai-Tsao mean when he talks to the Monkey King in panel #4?**
 * 3. Why does the Monkey King choose to release himself and follow Lai-Tsao?**
 * 4. p163 How do the two voices get represented on this page? To whom do they belong? How do they relate to each other?**
 * 5. p 175 panel #4 The author shows kids laughing while Wei-Chen is talking to Amelia. What does the juxtaposition of this panel with the other panels on the page do for the reader?**
 * 6. p 180 - 183 How does the author emphasize Jin's emotions? What other examples of this have you noticed throughout the book?**
 * 7. p 187 Why does Suzy say she feels embarrassed all of the time? Why do you think Jin kisses Suzy?**
 * 8. 191 Why does Jin reject Wei-Chen? What might be going on with Jin, from a psychological point of view?**
 * 9. 193 - 194 What is the significance of the dream? Make sure you look at all the illustrations carefully and study them for subtle meaning.**
 * 10. p 198 What has happened here? What was your own emotional/psychological reaction to this moment?**
 * Chapter 8 **

Danny is Jin trying to be an American. Chin-Kee is actually the Monkey King, who has been sent to make Danny rethink his life. Everyone has a place in the grander scheme of things, and that place is as who they are, not who they pretend to be. By “a sign post for your soul,” the Monkey King means that he was trying to guide Jin and make him leave school where he actually did not belong. When the Monkey King speaks on page 215, he means that Jin could be happier if he accepts what he is. The fact that Jin cannot read Chinese is significant because it shows how disconnected he is from his past and heritage.
 * 1. p 213 Who is Danny? Who is Chin-Kee? What does this mean? What are their true forms?**
 * 2. p 215 As it turned out, the star was the star of Bethlehem and the three boxes were the three gifts from the three wise men. What significance does this hold for the story //American Born Chinese//?**
 * 3. p 221 What does the Monkey King mean by a "sign post to your soul"?**
 * 4. p 223 How might the 4th panel apply to Jin?**
 * 5. p 226 Jin reveals that he can't read Chinese. What do you think is significant about that?**