American Born Chinese

by

Gene Luen Yang

The novel’s protagonist. Jin is a Chinese American boy whose mother and father emigrated from China to San Francisco’s Chinatown, where Jin is born. Jin spends most of his childhood playing with his Transformer toys with other boys in his apartment complex. Not long before Jin’s family moves to the suburbs, the wife of Jin’s mother’s herbalist tells Jin something that sticks with him: that he can be anything he wants as long as he’s willing to sacrifice his soul. In the suburbs, Jin is one of only a couple Asian students and experiences overt racism. This is extremely difficult and isolating, and Jin dedicates himself to become as American and as white as possible. Early on, this means that he “befriends” bullies and takes sandwiches for lunch rather than dumplings or foods that his classmates find disgusting. By the time Jin is in fifth grade and Wei-Chen, a Taiwanese boy, join his class, Jin is so ashamed of his own ethnicity that he wants to beat Wei-Chen up. The two quickly become friends, however—they both love Transformers—and in Wei-Chen’s eyes, Jin is good and kind. This assessment is called into question in seventh grade, when Jin falls in love with Amelia. To woo her, Jin perms his hair so that he looks like his blond and popular classmate Greg, and bullies Wei-Chen into lying for him so he can go on a date with Amelia. At school the next day, Greg asks Jin to not date Amelia because being associated with him could ruin her reputation, and Jin snaps. He kisses Wei-Chen’s girlfriend, Suzy, and insults Wei-Chen instead of apologizing. That night, the herbalist’s wife comes to Jin in a dream and turns him into Danny, a handsome white boy. Danny is obsessed with being popular, so yearly visits of his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee, pose major problems for him. Chin-Kee embodies many negative, racist stereotypes about Chinese people, and his antics cause Danny’s classmates to think of him only as Chin-Kee’s cousin. When other students are kind to Danny, he lashes out and only seems interested in wooing his love interest, Melanie. Danny eventually discovers that Chin-Kee is actually the Monkey King and Wei-Chen’s father, and that Wei-Chen is an emissary of Tze-Yo-Tzuh who was sent on an earthly mission to live without vice for 40 years. Danny reassumes his form as Jin and seems to take the Monkey King’s advice to take pride in who he is to heart. As Jin, he makes up with Wei-Chen.

Jin Wang/Danny Quotes in American Born Chinese

The American Born Chinese quotes below are all either spoken by Jin Wang/Danny or refer to Jin Wang/Danny. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Identity and Prejudice Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

“Yeah, but Ma-Ma says that’s silly. Little boys don’t grow up to be Transformers.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I’m going to let you in on a secret, little friend: it’s easy to become anything you wish...

...so long as you’re willing to forfeit your soul.”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), The Herbalist’s Wife (speaker), Jin’s Mother
Related Symbols: Transformers
Page Number: 29
Explanation and Analysis:

“Class, I’d like us all to give a warm Mayflower welcome to your new friend and classmate Jing Jang!”

“Jin Wang.”

“Jin Wang! He and his family moved to our neighborhood all the way from China!”

“San Francisco.”

“San Francisco!”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), Mrs. Greeder (speaker)
Page Number: 30
Explanation and Analysis:

“My momma says Chinese people eat dogs.”

“Now be nice, Timmy! I’m sure Jin doesn’t do that! In fact, Jin’s family probably stopped that sort of thing as soon as they came to the United States!”

Related Characters: Mrs. Greeder (speaker), Timmy (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny
Page Number: 31
Explanation and Analysis:

“Class, I’d like us all to give a big Mayflower Elementary welcome to your new friend and classmate Chei-Chen Chun!”

“Wei-Chen Sun.”

“Wei-Chen Sun! He and his family recently moved to our neighborhood all the way from China!”

“Taiwan.”

“Taiwan!”

Related Characters: Wei-Chen Sun (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Mrs. Greeder
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:

Something made me want to beat him up.

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), Wei-Chen Sun
Page Number: 29
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

“Silly monkey. You were never out of my reach. You only fooled yourself.”

Related Characters: Tze-Yo-Tzuh (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, The Monkey King/Chin-Kee
Page Number: 78
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

“When I move here to America, I was afraid nobody wants to be my friend. I come from a different place. Much, much different. But my first day in school here I meet Jin. From then I know everything’s okay. He treat me like a little brother, show me how things work in America. He help me with my English [...] I think sometimes my accent embarrass him, but Jin still willing to be my friend.”

Related Characters: Wei-Chen Sun (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Amelia Harris
Page Number: 102
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“Ooh ooh! Chin-Kee know dis one!”

“Put your hand down!”

“Go ahead...Chin-Kee, was it?”

“Judicial, executive, and registrative!”

“Good, Chin-Kee! Very good! You know, people—it would behoove you all to be a little more like Chin-Kee.”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker)
Page Number: 111
Explanation and Analysis:

“Every year around this time, I finally start getting the hang of things, you know? [...] Then he comes along for one of his visits.”

“Who?”

“Chin-Kee, my cousin. He’s been visiting me once a year since the eighth grade. He comes for a week or two and follows me to school, talking his stupid talk and eating his stupid food. Embarrassing the crap out of me. By the time he leaves, no one things of me as Danny anymore. I’m Chin-Kee’s cousin.”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), Steve (speaker), The Monkey King/Chin-Kee
Page Number: 126-27
Explanation and Analysis:

“People here aren’t like that. No one ever says anything about my weight. Well, maybe that’s because I broke Todd Sharpnack’s nose for calling me ‘Mr. Jiggles’ when we were freshmen. But whatever. People here are different. You’ll see. Heck, if anyone ever gives you trouble, I’ll break his nose.”

Related Characters: Steve (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, The Monkey King/Chin-Kee
Page Number: 128
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

“It’s just that she’s a good friend and I want to make sure she makes good choices, you know? We’re almost in high school. She has to start paying attention to who she hangs out with.

Aw, geez. Look, Jin. I’m sorry. That sounded way harsher than I meant it to. I just don’t know if you’re right for her, okay? That’s all.”

Related Characters: Greg (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Amelia Harris
Related Symbols: Shoes and Hair
Page Number: 179-80
Explanation and Analysis:

“About twenty minutes into the party, though, I figured out that Lauren didn’t actually invite me. Her mom wanted to hang out with my mom, and I sort of just got brought along. Lauren and her new friends had their own thing going, so I spent the rest of the party watching TV in the living room. I felt so embarrassed.

...Today, when Timmy called me a...a chink, I realized...deep down inside...I kind of feel like that all the time.”

Related Characters: Suzy Nakamura (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, The Monkey King/Chin-Kee, Timmy
Page Number: 187
Explanation and Analysis:

I replayed the day’s events over and over again in my mind. Each time I reached the same conclusion: Wei-Chen needed to hear what I had to say. It was, after all, the truth. And at around three in the morning, I finally believed myself.

I dreamt of the herbalist’s wife.

“So, little friend. You’ve done it. Now what would you like to become?”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), The Herbalist’s Wife (speaker), Wei-Chen Sun, Amelia Harris, Greg
Related Symbols: Shoes and Hair, Transformers
Page Number: 192-94
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

“Take this with you. It’s a human child’s toy that transforms from monkey to humanoid form. Let it remind you of who you are.”

Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Wei-Chen Sun, Tze-Yo-Tzuh
Related Symbols: Transformers
Page Number: 217
Explanation and Analysis:

“You misunderstand my intentions, Jin. I did not come to punish you. I came to serve as your conscience—as a signpost to your soul.”

Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Wei-Chen Sun
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:

“You know, Jin, I would have saved myself from five hundred years’ imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock had I only realized how good it is to be a monkey.”

Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny
Page Number: 223
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire American Born Chinese LitChart as a printable PDF.
American Born Chinese PDF

Jin Wang/Danny Quotes in American Born Chinese

The American Born Chinese quotes below are all either spoken by Jin Wang/Danny or refer to Jin Wang/Danny. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Identity and Prejudice Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

“Yeah, but Ma-Ma says that’s silly. Little boys don’t grow up to be Transformers.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I’m going to let you in on a secret, little friend: it’s easy to become anything you wish...

...so long as you’re willing to forfeit your soul.”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), The Herbalist’s Wife (speaker), Jin’s Mother
Related Symbols: Transformers
Page Number: 29
Explanation and Analysis:

“Class, I’d like us all to give a warm Mayflower welcome to your new friend and classmate Jing Jang!”

“Jin Wang.”

“Jin Wang! He and his family moved to our neighborhood all the way from China!”

“San Francisco.”

“San Francisco!”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), Mrs. Greeder (speaker)
Page Number: 30
Explanation and Analysis:

“My momma says Chinese people eat dogs.”

“Now be nice, Timmy! I’m sure Jin doesn’t do that! In fact, Jin’s family probably stopped that sort of thing as soon as they came to the United States!”

Related Characters: Mrs. Greeder (speaker), Timmy (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny
Page Number: 31
Explanation and Analysis:

“Class, I’d like us all to give a big Mayflower Elementary welcome to your new friend and classmate Chei-Chen Chun!”

“Wei-Chen Sun.”

“Wei-Chen Sun! He and his family recently moved to our neighborhood all the way from China!”

“Taiwan.”

“Taiwan!”

Related Characters: Wei-Chen Sun (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Mrs. Greeder
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:

Something made me want to beat him up.

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), Wei-Chen Sun
Page Number: 29
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

“Silly monkey. You were never out of my reach. You only fooled yourself.”

Related Characters: Tze-Yo-Tzuh (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, The Monkey King/Chin-Kee
Page Number: 78
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

“When I move here to America, I was afraid nobody wants to be my friend. I come from a different place. Much, much different. But my first day in school here I meet Jin. From then I know everything’s okay. He treat me like a little brother, show me how things work in America. He help me with my English [...] I think sometimes my accent embarrass him, but Jin still willing to be my friend.”

Related Characters: Wei-Chen Sun (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Amelia Harris
Page Number: 102
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“Ooh ooh! Chin-Kee know dis one!”

“Put your hand down!”

“Go ahead...Chin-Kee, was it?”

“Judicial, executive, and registrative!”

“Good, Chin-Kee! Very good! You know, people—it would behoove you all to be a little more like Chin-Kee.”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker)
Page Number: 111
Explanation and Analysis:

“Every year around this time, I finally start getting the hang of things, you know? [...] Then he comes along for one of his visits.”

“Who?”

“Chin-Kee, my cousin. He’s been visiting me once a year since the eighth grade. He comes for a week or two and follows me to school, talking his stupid talk and eating his stupid food. Embarrassing the crap out of me. By the time he leaves, no one things of me as Danny anymore. I’m Chin-Kee’s cousin.”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), Steve (speaker), The Monkey King/Chin-Kee
Page Number: 126-27
Explanation and Analysis:

“People here aren’t like that. No one ever says anything about my weight. Well, maybe that’s because I broke Todd Sharpnack’s nose for calling me ‘Mr. Jiggles’ when we were freshmen. But whatever. People here are different. You’ll see. Heck, if anyone ever gives you trouble, I’ll break his nose.”

Related Characters: Steve (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, The Monkey King/Chin-Kee
Page Number: 128
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

“It’s just that she’s a good friend and I want to make sure she makes good choices, you know? We’re almost in high school. She has to start paying attention to who she hangs out with.

Aw, geez. Look, Jin. I’m sorry. That sounded way harsher than I meant it to. I just don’t know if you’re right for her, okay? That’s all.”

Related Characters: Greg (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Amelia Harris
Related Symbols: Shoes and Hair
Page Number: 179-80
Explanation and Analysis:

“About twenty minutes into the party, though, I figured out that Lauren didn’t actually invite me. Her mom wanted to hang out with my mom, and I sort of just got brought along. Lauren and her new friends had their own thing going, so I spent the rest of the party watching TV in the living room. I felt so embarrassed.

...Today, when Timmy called me a...a chink, I realized...deep down inside...I kind of feel like that all the time.”

Related Characters: Suzy Nakamura (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, The Monkey King/Chin-Kee, Timmy
Page Number: 187
Explanation and Analysis:

I replayed the day’s events over and over again in my mind. Each time I reached the same conclusion: Wei-Chen needed to hear what I had to say. It was, after all, the truth. And at around three in the morning, I finally believed myself.

I dreamt of the herbalist’s wife.

“So, little friend. You’ve done it. Now what would you like to become?”

Related Characters: Jin Wang/Danny (speaker), The Herbalist’s Wife (speaker), Wei-Chen Sun, Amelia Harris, Greg
Related Symbols: Shoes and Hair, Transformers
Page Number: 192-94
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

“Take this with you. It’s a human child’s toy that transforms from monkey to humanoid form. Let it remind you of who you are.”

Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Wei-Chen Sun, Tze-Yo-Tzuh
Related Symbols: Transformers
Page Number: 217
Explanation and Analysis:

“You misunderstand my intentions, Jin. I did not come to punish you. I came to serve as your conscience—as a signpost to your soul.”

Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny, Wei-Chen Sun
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:

“You know, Jin, I would have saved myself from five hundred years’ imprisonment beneath a mountain of rock had I only realized how good it is to be a monkey.”

Related Characters: The Monkey King/Chin-Kee (speaker), Jin Wang/Danny
Page Number: 223
Explanation and Analysis: