One of the aspects of transitioning from childhood to adolescence involves acceptance into a social circle with new peers and new roles. Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel, American Born Chinese, illustrates the struggle for acceptance. Jin faces the battle of keeping his Chinese culture and at the same time being accepted by his American friends as just another kid. These opposing forces are the root of Jin’s dream of being a Transformer.
Accompanying his mother on her weekly visit to the Chinese herbalist, the herbalist’s wife (a senior citizen), asks Jin what he wants to be when he grows up. Jin excitedly tells her that he wants to be a Transformer. The old lady represents old world customs. First, she is keeping track of bills on an abacus and not a calculator and her inability to pronounce the word transformer (Trans-fo-ma?”, she says), and does not know the definition of the word, “Transformers”, are two more indicators of her presence as a bastion of Chinese tradition. “Jin then explains the concept behind the Transformer toy and changes it from a robot into a truck. Jin then tells the old woman that his mother dismisses his dream. “But Ma-Ma says that’s silly. Little boys don’t grow up to be Transformers.” Jin’s mother wants to strip Jin of his ability of self-identification. Jin also understands that being able to transform comes with a special ability that not too many possess. The Transformer toy that Jin has “… got a trailer that magically appears whenever he transforms.” Jin verablizes his ability to change because like the toy’s motto, he too is “more than meets the eye.” He can follow Chinese customs and traditions with his Chinese friends and family and celebrate American culture when he is around the “typical” American society one is made to follow. “It’s easy to become anything you wish… so long as you’re willing to forfeit your soul”, the old woman tells Jin. To the old woman, tradition and culture is what defines a person and any desire to veer from its path is complete and utter destruction. Jin, who was earlier excited to tell another person of his dream, becomes fearful and unsure of what his future holds. While the mother and the old woman were raised in a society that shares one tradition and the same history, it is very simple to dismiss Jin’s dreams of being a Transformer. The old woman and Jin’s mother fail to recognize the pressure Jin faces growing up in multi-cultural society.
Hi Luis, I think you present a good understanding of what the Old Woman represents, and have correctly identified her use of “antiques” as an almost stubborn hold on tradition. Where I’m not sure I agree with you is your claim that the Old Woman (along with Jin’s mother) does not recognize the pressure that Jin faces as a bi-cultural youth. Certainly, this woman has struggled with her own crisis of cultural identity, albeit not in the same way or depth that Jin struggles. What she says to Jin about forfeiting one’s soul is her understanding of what it takes to become something you’re not–which is something that comes into play for Jin when he tries to “become” American. His efforts to “become” American are painted in a way that kind of make him look like an ass, and not genuine. Jin does transform, in the end, into himself–an “American Born Chinese.”
**As an “ABC” myself, I have always taken issue with the term, as it seems to suggest “Chinese” is one’s nationality, while “American” is one’s ethnicity. I have always seen it as the other way around, “CBA.”
I didn’t read the old lady scene the way you did, but I think your take on it is intriguing . I saw it as her just telling Jin that becoming something requires your entire soul to be involved, and you might lose yourself trying to become that. I wasn’t seeing it as her telling Jin that veering away from his Chinese roots would cause his destruction or anything. However, I can visualize the symbolism of the old lady and what she represents as being the Chinese culture that Jin is trying to leave. At that age, I don’t think Jin even understood his own distaste for himself and his culture yet. I see that scene as foreshadowing of what’s to come and how he literally transforms into another person. Still, it’s really cool how you saw that she was stuck with old customs and all. I didn’t notice that. It shows how different people can interpret text in multiple ways.