I think that the graphic novel is a fantastic way to communicate different themes and topics, and in doing so (with pictures), whole new meanings can open up. This again is represented in the stories and characters of the book, by their merging and then re-emerging of a new position of cross cultural communication.Īnother feature of this book worth mentioning is that it’s a graphic novel. What I can say is that this book represents a cross of institutionalized categories of identity into a hybrid identity. They join up in an interesting way at the end (but I won’t spoil that here), as you will see when you read the book yourself. Each story represents itself, but they are linked by content and theme in other ways. The most apparent feature of American Born Chinese is the way it has been divided into three allegedly separate stories.

In my interpretation of American Born Chinese, I will therefore focus on the ways in which he portrays both the aspects of being American and Chinese. Hybrid identity is very prevalent in multicultural literature, and Yang tackles this subject with grace. The reason I chose to write a book review about American Born Chinese was because of its brilliant depiction of cultural and racial hybrid identity in America. But news hasn’t reached Norway yet, despite the fact that is has been newly translated.

You can find reviews and articles about it on the Internet, and it has received a great deal of attention in America.

Publisher: First Second First Edition edition (September 5, 2006)Īmerican Born Chinese is by no means an unknown book.

The american born chinese