American Born Chinese Webquest
Section One - Introduction to
American Born Chinese
1. Please visit this website to learn what a graphic novel is.
2. View pages 1-9 of this PDF to learn how to read a graphic novel. You DO NOT need to visit the link inside the PDF.
3. Visit Gene Luen Yang's own website where he explains who the Monkey King is.
4. Watch this short YouTube video to learn more about the novel.
Section Two - Introduction to Ethnic Communities
In American Born Chinese, Jin moves out to the California suburbs from Chinatown, in San Francisco. It is a section of San Francisco that is mostly made up of Chinese immigrants and their descendants, as well as others of Chinese descent.
1. Visit the Wikipedia page for the term "Chinatown" to learn more about the name and the term's history. Read the following sections of the page:
- Definition
- History
+ The history introduction ("Trading centres populated...")
+ Chinatowns in the West (Only the first 2 paragraphs)
2. Watch this short YouTube video to take a virtual stroll through San Francisco's Chinatown.
Section Three - Introduction to Stereotypes Part I
First, some definitions. A stereotype is a biased, widely held view of what a whole group of people is like, or a characteristic that they have. A stereotype is a view or image that is very simplified so that it paints a general idea about people instead of making important distinctions. Stereotypes often play on or use outdated and offensive conceptions of what a group of people are like. Stereotypes can often be hurtful because of these reasons. What we say then is that stereotypes are often prejudice– prejudice is a preconceived opinion that is not based on actual experience or is based on limited experience.
Stereotypes are often racial or racist and effect nearly every gender and ethnic and racial group. For this assignment we will be talking about American Born Chinese and Asian-American stereotypes. For a general example, we will be prominently talking about Jeremy Lin, the Chinese-American point guard for the Houston Rockets professional basketball team (he originally played for the Knicks, the articles you will be reading are from February of 2012).
1. Watch this lighthearted YouTube video on Asian stereotypes.
2. Check out this article by NBC news about Jeremy Lin and "Linsanity".
3. Check out this article by USA Today about Jeremy Lin and Asian stereotypes.
Section Four - Introduction to Stereotypes Part II
American Born Chinese deals prominently with Asian stereotyping in popular culture. Many Asian stereotypes, like other racist stereotypes, originated in the 1800s based on the the simple fact that east Asian cultures appeared vastly different to westerners. East Asia was seen as a place of great strangeness and described as "the Orient" and figured (set up in popular perceptions/literature etc.) as a fantastical, strange place. That has now changed and many older preconceptions and stereotypes have disappeared into the mists of time. Some, however, have stuck around. And, arguably, racist stereotypes about Asians and Asian Americans are one of the last few acceptable forms of prejudice. You'll see that in our first video.
Stereotypes, especially prejudicial ones can be extremely hurtful, even as jokes. American Born Chinese attempts to examine some of these stereotypes, to see how they still stick around today, and how dealing with them and transcending them is often part of being an Asian-American. American Born Chinese also looks at how hurtful these stereotypes can be, and how individuals can move beyond these stereotypes.
1. Watch this video from Saturday Night Live (also from February of 2012). It's hosted on Deadspins site and if it doesn't work just google "Saturday Night Live" and "Linsanity."
2. One of the oldest Asian stereotypes involves the form of dress worn by poor Chinese farmers and laborers in the 1800's. This is an example of traditional Chinese garb in the 1800's:
1. Please visit this website to learn what a graphic novel is.
2. View pages 1-9 of this PDF to learn how to read a graphic novel. You DO NOT need to visit the link inside the PDF.
3. Visit Gene Luen Yang's own website where he explains who the Monkey King is.
4. Watch this short YouTube video to learn more about the novel.
Section Two - Introduction to Ethnic Communities
In American Born Chinese, Jin moves out to the California suburbs from Chinatown, in San Francisco. It is a section of San Francisco that is mostly made up of Chinese immigrants and their descendants, as well as others of Chinese descent.
1. Visit the Wikipedia page for the term "Chinatown" to learn more about the name and the term's history. Read the following sections of the page:
- Definition
- History
+ The history introduction ("Trading centres populated...")
+ Chinatowns in the West (Only the first 2 paragraphs)
2. Watch this short YouTube video to take a virtual stroll through San Francisco's Chinatown.
Section Three - Introduction to Stereotypes Part I
First, some definitions. A stereotype is a biased, widely held view of what a whole group of people is like, or a characteristic that they have. A stereotype is a view or image that is very simplified so that it paints a general idea about people instead of making important distinctions. Stereotypes often play on or use outdated and offensive conceptions of what a group of people are like. Stereotypes can often be hurtful because of these reasons. What we say then is that stereotypes are often prejudice– prejudice is a preconceived opinion that is not based on actual experience or is based on limited experience.
Stereotypes are often racial or racist and effect nearly every gender and ethnic and racial group. For this assignment we will be talking about American Born Chinese and Asian-American stereotypes. For a general example, we will be prominently talking about Jeremy Lin, the Chinese-American point guard for the Houston Rockets professional basketball team (he originally played for the Knicks, the articles you will be reading are from February of 2012).
1. Watch this lighthearted YouTube video on Asian stereotypes.
2. Check out this article by NBC news about Jeremy Lin and "Linsanity".
3. Check out this article by USA Today about Jeremy Lin and Asian stereotypes.
Section Four - Introduction to Stereotypes Part II
American Born Chinese deals prominently with Asian stereotyping in popular culture. Many Asian stereotypes, like other racist stereotypes, originated in the 1800s based on the the simple fact that east Asian cultures appeared vastly different to westerners. East Asia was seen as a place of great strangeness and described as "the Orient" and figured (set up in popular perceptions/literature etc.) as a fantastical, strange place. That has now changed and many older preconceptions and stereotypes have disappeared into the mists of time. Some, however, have stuck around. And, arguably, racist stereotypes about Asians and Asian Americans are one of the last few acceptable forms of prejudice. You'll see that in our first video.
Stereotypes, especially prejudicial ones can be extremely hurtful, even as jokes. American Born Chinese attempts to examine some of these stereotypes, to see how they still stick around today, and how dealing with them and transcending them is often part of being an Asian-American. American Born Chinese also looks at how hurtful these stereotypes can be, and how individuals can move beyond these stereotypes.
1. Watch this video from Saturday Night Live (also from February of 2012). It's hosted on Deadspins site and if it doesn't work just google "Saturday Night Live" and "Linsanity."
2. One of the oldest Asian stereotypes involves the form of dress worn by poor Chinese farmers and laborers in the 1800's. This is an example of traditional Chinese garb in the 1800's:
3. These are immigrant Chinese workers working on the San Francisco Railroad in the 1800s:
4. This is a racist cartoon from the 1800s that exaggerates the physical features and dress of rural Chinese workers for political and humorous effect:
Section Five - Introduction to Chin-Kee and Popular Culture
Asian stereotypes didn't die off in the 1800s. Chin-Kee, Danny's Asian cousin who comes to visit him in American Born Chinese, visually and physically embodies several stereotypes from recent popular culture as well as the past.
1. Check out some footage from the 1980's film Sixteen Candles featuring an outrageous Asian stereotype, Long Duk Dong.
Video #1 - "What's Happening Hot Stuff" ...Notice the obnoxious gong sound in the background and how aggressively sexual Long Duk Dong is.
Video #2 - "Long Duk Dong in Tree" ...Notice how he is portrayed as "A Chinaman" and so odd.
2. Check out the comic below by Adrian Tomine, an Asian-American artist and cartoonist. It is about his anger towards the character Long Duk Dong. Keep in mind, "Gedde" is the name of the actor who played Long Duk Dong in the movie.
Asian stereotypes didn't die off in the 1800s. Chin-Kee, Danny's Asian cousin who comes to visit him in American Born Chinese, visually and physically embodies several stereotypes from recent popular culture as well as the past.
1. Check out some footage from the 1980's film Sixteen Candles featuring an outrageous Asian stereotype, Long Duk Dong.
Video #1 - "What's Happening Hot Stuff" ...Notice the obnoxious gong sound in the background and how aggressively sexual Long Duk Dong is.
Video #2 - "Long Duk Dong in Tree" ...Notice how he is portrayed as "A Chinaman" and so odd.
2. Check out the comic below by Adrian Tomine, an Asian-American artist and cartoonist. It is about his anger towards the character Long Duk Dong. Keep in mind, "Gedde" is the name of the actor who played Long Duk Dong in the movie.