American Panda

In what ways are secrets internally and externally destructive in the novel? How do they affect each character?

How does the MIT campus and its “lingo” represent its own culture? Why is this setting important to the story and Mei’s character development?

Mei meets with other Taiwanese American peers throughout the story: Leslie, Helen, Eugene Huang, and Christine Chu. How is each character’s life and family different? What role does each person serve in Mei’s life?

What is the significance of Darren’s Japanese heritage? How does his ethnicity highlight the significance of Mama Lu’s change at the end of the novel? How does Darren’s perspective of his own culture shift after meeting Mei?

The novel explores the ideas of prosperity and success. What is each character’s definition or understanding of success? Why? How does each definition compare?

Mei is often caught between two things, people, or ideas: dance versus biology, Xing versus her parents, and Darren versus Eugene. How are these conflicts emblematic of her coming-of-age experience? What other pairs can you identify?

Why is Mei’s fear of germs an important part of her identity? How does it help her embrace her independence?

People often make assumptions about Mei because of how she looks or behaves, stereotyping her and her family. In what ways does Chao illustrate the damaging effects of assumptions and stereotypes?