American Born Chinese Lesson Plan

On a metaphorical level, what does Chin-Kee mean when he says he will stay in America forever?

With both individuals having been revealed to be someone else, it will become apparent that Chin-Kee was always intended to be a symbol of what Jin was trying to escape from. Some students may recall here Suzy's comment from a chapter ago about always feeling like a "chink"; here, it becomes apparent that Jin also seems to have felt the same way. For Chin-Kee to "stay in America forever" would therefore entail Jin having to deal with these feelings of otherness for the rest of his life.

Did it surprise you to learn that Chin-Kee wasn't a real person? Why or why not? What...