Character List
The Monkey King: Based upon Sun Wukong from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, The Monkey King is a deity determined to prove to the other deities that he is more than just a monkey. He is embarrassed by the guards in heaven by not letting him attend dinner with all the other deities. He is really upset and indignant, so he defeats all the deities in heaven. After he came back to his home, he starts spending days and nights training and meditating, trying to find a way to get rid of his identity as a monkey. Eventually, he learns to accept himself as a monkey, and disguises himself as Danny's cousin "Chin-Kee."
Tze-Yo-Tzuh: Tze-Yo-Tzuh is the creator of the world and all of the deities.
Wong Lai-Tsao: Based upon Xuanzang from Journey to the West. Wong Lai-Tsao is a monk sent on a journey for Tze-Yo-Tzuh. He is promised the Monkey King as a disciple.
Jin Wang: Jin Wang is a Chinese American boy who wants to fit in with the white students at his new school in a suburb. He doesn't like talking too much at school, especially in front of Amelia, the girl he has a crush on. He is finally encouraged by Wei-Chen Sun, his friend, to ask her out. But this relationship doesn't remain long. Amelia's friend asks Jin to break up with her because he doesn't think Jin is right for Amelia
Amelia Harris: Amelia Harris is a white American girl that Jin has a crush on.
Wei-Chen Sun: Wei-Chen Sun is a Taiwanese immigrant who slowly becomes Jin's best friend. His girlfriend is Suzy Nakamura. He is actually the Monkey King's son in disguise.
Suzy Nakamura: Suzy Nakamura is a young Japanese American girl in Jin and Wei Chen's class. She starts dating Wei Chen.
Greg: Greg is a white American boy who disapproves of Jin's relationship with Amelia Harris.
Danny: Danny is a white American boy and Chin-Kee's cousin. Danny is always really irritated and embarrassed by his cousin Chin-Kee. Since Chin-Kee's annually visit, Danny has to change school every year because the appearance of Chin-Kee screws up everything about him and makes him a terribly unpopular weirdo. He turns out to be Jin Wang with a new identity. He also has a fight against Chin-Kee at last because he can't stand him anymore, but Chin-Kee beats him badly with various Kung Fu skills; however, he still knocks off Chin-Kee's mask, which reveals his true identity as Moneky King.
Chin-Kee: Chin-Kee is Danny's Chinese cousin with Chinese old-fashioned clothing who comes to visit every year. He speaks extraordinary "Chinglish" really loudly all the time and likes to play tricks on people. It turns out he is actually the Monkey King in disguise.
Melanie: Melanie is Danny's study partner, who he has a crush on.
Steve: Steve is Danny's friend from basketball. He is pushed farther away from Danny by Chin-Kee.
Lion, Eagle, Ox, Human: These four characters are deities that disguise themselves as hungry, injured peasants. They are actually messengers that deliver the message of Tze-Yo-Tzuh to the priest and to the monkey king.
Read more about this topic: American Born Chinese
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