American Born Chinese Violence

All three of our main guys engage in various forms of violence because in American Born Chinese violence is a way of releasing frustration and anger. It's also a way of showing how manly you are. Of course, the book doesn't condone that violence—in fact, each of these characters' journeys involves learning how to manage violent tendencies and become peaceful beings.

Questions About Violence

1. Why is violence the Monkey King's go-to method for showing his superiority over others?
2. How does Jin engage in violence?
3. How does school bullying affect Jin?
4. Why does Suzy Nakamura react to bullying differently than Jin?

Chew on This

People who are bullied become bullies.

Violence is a masculine thing.