American Born Chinese

by

Gene Luen Yang

Peter Garbinsky Character Analysis

A boy at Jin’s elementary school who’s a year older than Jin. He’s hulking, unpopular, and a bully, known to many as “Peter the Eater” due to his habit of picking his nose and eating his boogers. Though Jin insists that he and Peter are friends, in reality, Peter threatens and intimidates Jin into hanging out and going along with whatever games Peter finds funny. Many of these entail Jin getting hurt or humiliated, and Jin seems sad and afraid whenever he’s around Peter. Peter moves away over Christmas break when Jin is in fifth grade, ostensibly to live with his dad in Pennsylvania.
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Peter Garbinsky Character Timeline in American Born Chinese

The timeline below shows where the character Peter Garbinsky appears in American Born Chinese. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
Identity and Prejudice Theme Icon
Racism and Popular Culture Theme Icon
Jin makes his first friend about three months later. His name is Peter, and he’s known as “Peter the Eater” because he eats his boogers. At recess one... (full context)