Reading Guide for American Born Chinese (Chapter 5, pages 85-106)
After you read American Born Chinese pages 85-106 answer the following questions. Write in complete sentences and give specific examples from the text when necessary to support your interpretation or answer.
Please answer on a separate piece of notebook paper or word process.
1. Look at Melanie in the Chin-Kee section (chapter 3) and Amelia Harris in Jin's chapters; they are nearly identical. What other connections (visual similarities, parallel moments in the plot) can you trace between these two story lines? You may have to look back through previous chapters to answer this question.
2. On page 89, what are the differences between Jin and Wei Chen in terms of their personalities and what they eat for lunch? What do we learn about Wei Chen from the way he behaves in dating Suzy Nakamura? What lesson does Wei Chen teach Jin?
3. On pages 90-92, why are the lines around the speech balloons dashed? What other kinds of lines are around the speech balloons throughout the story? What information does the line's appearance convey?
4. On pages 104 – 105, Jin says "everything was a blur." How does the author visually reinforce this statement?