孙悟空被唐僧从两界山下的石匣中救出后，变成了唐僧的徒弟，保护唐僧西天取经。
为救唐僧，悟空打死了六个强贼。唐僧批评悟空：“只因你没收没管，暴横人间，欺天诳上，才受这五百年前之难。今既入了沙门，若是还象当时行凶，一味伤生，去不得西天，做不得和尚！忒恶！忒恶！”原来这猴子一生受不得人气，他见三藏只管绪绪叨叨，按不住心头火发道：“你既是这等，说我做不得和尚，上不得西天，不必恁般绪口舌恶我，我回去便了。”悟空一气之下，将身一纵，说声“老孙去也！”回东而去。观音给唐僧一领绵布直裰和一顶嵌金花帽，叫唐僧把那衣帽给悟空穿戴，同时教唐僧一篇咒儿，唤做定心真言，又名做紧箍儿咒。观音在途中遇着悟空并问道：“你怎么不受教诲，不保唐僧？”慌得个行者在云端里施礼道：“向蒙菩萨善言，果有唐朝僧到，揭了压帖，救了我命，跟他做了徒弟。他却怪我凶顽，我才闪了他一闪，如今就去保他也。”菩萨道：“赶早去，莫错过了念头。”悟空回到唐僧身边。唐僧哄悟空道：“这帽子若戴了，不用教经，就会念经；这衣服若穿了，不用演礼，就会行礼。”行者道：“好师父，把与我穿戴了罢。”三藏见悟空戴上帽子，就默默地念那紧箍儿咒一遍，行者叫道：“头痛！头痛！”那师父不住地又念了几遍，行者“痛得竖蜻蜓，翻筋斗，耳红面赤，眼胀身麻”。三藏问道：“你今番可听我教诲了？”行者道：“听教了！”“你再可无礼了？”行者道：“不敢了！”他口里虽然答应，心上还怀不善，把那针儿幌一幌，碗来粗细，望唐僧就欲下手，慌得长老口中又念了两三遍，这猴子跌倒在地，丢了铁棒，不能举手，只教“师父！我晓得了！再莫念！再莫念！”
三藏道：“你怎么欺心，就敢打我？”行者道：“我绝不敢打。”从此，孙悟空被控制住了，被他对师父的忠心和极度头痛的威胁控制住了。他被迫改变自己的雄心壮志，入了佛门，遵守种种道德规范。西天取经路上，他学会了适应环境，学会了人情世故，学到了很多关于人间、天上和恶魔三界的知识。这类知识结果发挥了至少与他神力、神速、多变的魔力一样重要的作用。孙悟空自己高超的本领使他能战无不胜，但正是他的这类专门知识使他知道要找的人，知道或能找出每个人的背景，并能打败那些妖魔。有了这类知识和大闹天宫反叛者的声望以及他现在保护唐僧取经这种地位，他能向任何有能力制服阻拦道路的一切妖魔的“神、仙、佛”寻求帮助而获得通过。凭着最后手段，不是孙悟空，而是孙悟空知道谁能给他最强大的力量去制服妖魔。这就是孙悟空成熟和老于世故的典型。
Sun Wukong was saved from inside the stone box under the Double Boundary Mountain by the TangPriest and became his disciple and protected him on the way to the western Paradise to fetch the ure.
In order to save the Tang Priest from being killed， Wukong killed six of the bandits. The Tang Priestcriticized Wukong，“It was precisely because you acted with such tyrannical cruelty among mortals andcommitted the most desperate crimes against Heaven that you got into trouble five hundred years ago. Butnow you have entered the faith， you’ll never reach the Western Heaven and never become a monk if youdon’t give up your taste for murder. You’re too evil， too evil.”Wukong， who had never let himself be putupon， flared up at Sanzang’s endless nagging.“If you say that I’ll never become a monk and won’t everreach the Western Heaven， then stop going on at me like that. I’m going back. Wukong leapt up in a fury，shouting“I’m off.”He went back to the east. Guanyin gave Sanzang an embroidered tunic and a hat insetwith golden patterns and asked him to give them to Wukong to wear. At the same time she taught the TangPriest a spell called True Words to Calm the Mind or the Band-tightening Spell. Guanyin met Wukong onhis way and asked him，“Why did you reject the Tang Priest’s teaching and stop protecting him？”BrotherMonkey frantically bowed to her from his cloud and replied，“As you had predicted， Bodhisattva， a monkcame from the Tang Empire who took off the seal， rescued me， and made me his disciple. I ran away fromhim because he thought I was wicked and incorrigible， but now I’m going back to protect him.”“Hurryup then，”said the Bodhisattva，“and don’t have any more wicked thoughts.”Wukong returned to theTang Priest， who fooled Wukong by saying，“With that hat on you can recite ures without ever havingbeen taught them， and if you wear that tunic you can perform the rituals without any practice.”“Dearmaster， please let me wear them，”Monkey pleaded. As soon as Monkey had the hat on， Sanzang silentlyrecited the Band-tightening Spell，“My head aches， my head aches，”cried Brother Monkey， but hismaster went on and recited the Spell several times more. The pain was so bad this time that Monkey stoodon his head， turned somersaults， and went red in the face and ears. His eyes were popping and his bodywent numb.“Will you accept my instruction now？”Sanzang asked.“Yes，”Monkey replied.“Will youmisbehave again in future？”“I certainly won’t，”said Monkey. Although he had made this verbal promise，he was still nurturing evil thoughts， and he shook his needle in the wind till it was as thick as a rice-bowl.
He turned on the Tang Priest， and was on the point of finishing him off when the terrified Sanzang recitedthe spell two or three more times. The monkey dropped his cudgel and fell to the ground， unable to raise hisarm，“Master，”he shouted，“I’ve seen the light. Stop saying the spell， please stop.”“How could you havethe perfidy to try to kill me？”asked Sanzang.“I’d never have dared，”said Brother Monkey. From then onSun Wukong was controlled both by his loyalty to his master and by the threat of excruciating headaches. Hewas forced to change his great ambitions， to enter the Buddha’s religion， to comply with all kinds of ethics. Onthe way to the Western Heaven to fetch the ure he learnt how to adapt himself to his new surroundingsand also learnt the ways of the world. He learnt a lot of knowledge about the ways of the human， the heavenlyand the demonic worlds. It was just this kind of knowledge that brought into play another of his talents thatturned out to be at least as important as his strength， speed and power of transformation. Monkey’s ownfighting prowess made him all but invincible， but it was his expertise in knowing the right people， and inknowing or finding out what everybody’s background was， that enabled him to beat the monsters. With thatknowledge， his old prestige as a heaven-smashing rebel and his present status as the Tang Priest’s escortMonkey could get past the underlings who would block anyone else’s access and ask for help from whoeverhas the power to subdue the monster in question. In the last resort it was not what Monkey could do but whohe knew that could give him most power. This was typical of Monkey’s worldly wisdom and maturity.
常言道，江山易改，本性难移。尽管如来能“将五指山化作金木水火土五座联山，唤名五行山”，把孙悟空压在下面，又通过观音菩萨劝孙悟空“秉教伽持，入我佛门，再修正果”，教唐僧紧箍儿咒控制孙悟空，从而改变了孙悟空的人生并使他改变人生态度。但孙悟空的本性确实难移。他一点儿都没有丧失斗战精神，一如继往，敢于斗争，敢于胜利，在取经途中“炼魔降怪有功”，赢得了“斗战胜佛”的高位。他仍有反抗精神，蔑视权威，无视礼法，见了玉帝只唱个喏，“玉帝道：‘那孙悟空过来，今宣你做个齐天大圣，官品极矣，但切不可胡为。’这猴亦止朝上唱个喏，道声谢恩。”见了如来也直呼其名，甚至跪在宝莲台下，悟空还闻言笑道：“如来，若这般比论，你还是妖精的外甥哩。”当阿傩、伽叶两尊者向唐僧、悟空等索要人事不成，同谋作弊，故意将无字的白纸本儿教他们拿去时，孙悟空嚷道：“快回去告在如来之前，问他们罥财作弊之罪。”孙悟空始终追求平等自由，即使在他被加升大职正果为“斗战胜佛”后，仍对唐僧道：“师父，此时我已成佛，与你一般，莫成还戴紧箍儿，你还念甚么《紧箍咒》儿罥勒我？趁早儿念个松箍儿咒，脱下来，打得粉碎，切莫叫那甚么菩萨再去捉弄他人。”孙悟空对师父或其他任何人的忠心都不会达到拍马屁的程度。悟空总是个乐天派，“是人间之喜仙”。他坦率、急躁、虚荣、自负、专横，依然故我，本性难移。天生圣人的特性根本没变！
As the saying goes， rivers and mountains may be changed but it’s hard to alter a man’s nature. It wasindeed very hard to alter Sun Wukong’s nature although the Lord Buddha could turn his five fingers intoa mountain chain belonging to the elements Metal， Wood， Water， Fire and Earth， renamed them the FiveElements Mountain and pressed Monkey down and told the Bodhisattva Guanyin to persuade Monkeyto“observe and uphold the faith， enter our Buddha’s religion， and cultivate good retribution for yourselfin the future”， to teach the Tang Priest the Band-tightening Spell to control Monkey and consequentlychanged Monkey’s life and made him change his attitude towards his life. He did not at all lose his fightingspirit， daring in his struggles and victories， just as before. He was rewarded with high office as the VictoriousFighting Buddha， for he won glory by defeating monsters and demons along the journey. Charged with arebellious spirit， he showed contempt for the authority and disregarded for all rules of etiquette. When hesaw the Jade Emperor， he just chanted a“na-a-aw”.“The Jade Emperor said，‘Let Sun Wukong comeforward. We do now proclaim you Great Sage Equalling Heaven. Your rank is now very high. Let therebe no more mischief from you.”The monkey simply chanted‘na-a-aw’to express his thanks to theEmperor.”When he saw the Tathagata， he also just called the name. Even when he knelt at the foot of thelotus throne and heard what the Tathagata said， he cried with a smile，“By that line of argument， Tathagata，you’re the evil spirit’s nephew.”When the two arhats， Ananda and Kasyapa， tried to extort things from theTang Priest and his disciples and conspired and deliberately let them take away blank paper versions withouta single word written on them， Sun Wukong yelled，“Let’s go back， report them to the Tathagata and getthem accused of extortion.”Monkey was all along seeking for equality and freedom. He still said to the TangPriest even though he had been rewarded with high office as the Victorious Fighting Buddha，“Master， nowthat I’ve become a Buddha just like you， surely I don’t have to go on wearing this golden band. Do you planto say any more Band-tightening Spell to tighten it round my head？ Say a Band Loosening Spell as quicklyas you can， take it off， and smash it to smithereens. Don’t let that Bohhisattva or whatever she is make lifemiserable for anyone else with it.”Monkey’s loyalty did not extend to toadying， whether to his master or toanyone else. Wukong was always optimistic. He was“one of the happy immortals in the human world.”Inhis frank speaking and impatience， vainglory， pomposity and tyrannical government he was the same Monkeyas always， very hard to alter his nature. He’s really a heavenly-born Great Sage whose nature can never bechanged！
孙悟空在保护唐僧西天取经的过程中，与他师父一起经历了千难万险，经受住了各种考验和磨难。但他们能勇敢地面对一系列危险并战胜了很多妖魔鬼怪。在去西天的路上，不管是在山上或林中，在村里或镇上，都充满了危险。各种恶魔都试图阻挡他们的去路，甚至到想极力杀害并吃掉唐僧的程度。这些可怕的敌对者中，有些公开敌对，有些进行狡猾地伪装，有些对一些王国行使魔力或伪装成官员履行其合法的职责。孙悟空在每次与妖怪的战斗中都起了中心的作用，不仅与他们面对面地争斗，还要帮助他的团队克服内部引起的障碍和制约。为了他师父，他使碎六叶连肝肺，用尽三毛七孔心。他常说：“岂知一日为师，终身为父，父子无隔宿之仇！”“他是个有仁有义的猴王。”
In the course of protecting the Tang Priest to the Western Heaven to fetch the ure， Sun Wukongand his master underwent numerous difficulties and dangers and withstood all trials and tribulations. But theybraved a series of dangers and defeated devils and monsters. The road to the Western Paradise was fraughtwith danger， whether in mountains and forests or in villages and towns. Demons of all deions tried tobar their way， even to the extent of endeavoring to kill and eat Xuanzang. Some of these ghostly opponentsappeared openly hostile， while others were cunningly disguised； some wielded power over kingdoms orfeigned to be officials carrying out their lawful duties. Monkey played a central role in every battle with themonsters， not only contending with them face to face， but also helping his companions overcome the obstaclesand restraints that originated within themselves. For his master he’d wear out the six blades of his lungs andliver and the three hairs and seven apertures of his heart. He often said“that when a man has been yourteacher for a single day， you should treat him as your father for the rest of his life， and that father and sonshould never let the sun set on a quarrel.”“He’s a good and honorable Monkey King.”
从孙悟空对天竺国王所奏：“父天母地，石裂吾生，曾拜至人，学成大道。下海降龙，登山擒兽。消死名，上生籍，官拜齐天大圣。只因乱却蟠桃宴，大反天宫，被佛擒伏。困压在五行山下，饥餐铁弹，渴饮铜汁，五百年未尝茶饭。幸我师出东土，拜西方，观音教令脱天灾，离大难，皈正在瑜伽门下。”可见孙悟空是天地之子，是天子——人们称他们的皇帝为“天子”，也即是说，《西游记》中的头号主人公孙悟空是作者心目中的皇帝；他生于石头，表示他来自大自然，与社会没有关联，因此，他没有恋情和恐惧。他闯龙宫，扰地府，闹天宫，追求自由，勇敢无畏，不怕天，不怕地，浑身是胆。在他眼里，玉帝是个激不起愤怒的懦夫，老君是个吝啬的马屁精，天上的文武百官都是媚上欺下的无用笨蛋。天宫中严格的等级制度和令人窒息的礼仪，孙悟空视为荒谬可笑。幽默而精灵的孙悟空能从闪亮的眼里看透数千年来已僵化的传统核心。他的洞察力来自他直接而自然的孩子气心灵和抓住了万物的因果关系。大闹天宫有些政治和宗教方面的因素，但中心意思是直接嘲笑和鄙视吴承恩所处的时代当局和社会秩序，并揭示人的自然纯洁的童心。他疾恶如仇，富有正义感，有顽强的斗争精神，即使对佛和尊者，他也一视同仁，例如，“行者嚷道：‘如来，我们师徒受了万蛰千魔，千辛万苦，自东土拜到此处，蒙如来吩咐传经，被阿傩、伽叶罥财不遂，通同作弊，故意将无字的白纸本儿教我们拿去，我们拿他去何用！望如来敕治！”，在去西天的路上，他一路降妖除魔，战斗不息，没有他的保护，唐僧根本就到不了西天，更无法取到真经。同时，他专秉忠良之心，与人抱不平之事，济困扶危，恤孤念寡，除暴安良，为沿途国家和黎民造福，如“车迟国猴王显法救出五百囚僧”，“孙行者朱紫国行医”，“比丘孙大圣施威救出一千一百一十一个小儿”，“凤仙郡冒天止雨孙大圣劝善施霖”等等。从这个意义上说，《西游记》是孙悟空的《西游记》。他光明正大、英勇无畏。他象征正义和光明，而妖魔象征邪恶和黑暗。最终，正义总是能战胜邪恶，光明总是能战胜黑暗。孙悟空是一个被理想化的民族英雄，在他身上体现出明代中后期追求个性自由的文化精神，表现出时代对英雄的呼唤。他的人生反映出《西游记》的深层次主题。
From what Sun Wukong reported to the king of India“My father was heaven， my mother earth，And I was born when a rock split open.
I took as my master a Taoist adept，And mastered the Great Way.
In the ocean’s depths I subdued the dragons，Then climbed the mountains to capture wild beasts.
I removed us from the registers of death，Put us on the rolls of the living，And was appointed Great Sage Equalling Heaven.
But because I disrupted the Peach Banquet，And raised a rebellion in the palaces of Heaven，I was captured by the Lord BuddhaAnd imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain.
When hungry I was fed on pellets of iron，When thirsty I drank molten copper：
For five hundred years I tasted no food or tea.
Fortunately my master came from the eastTo worship in the west.
Guanyin told him to deliver me from heavenly disaster.
I was rescued from my tormentTo be converted to the Yogacarin sect.”
We can see Monkey is the Son of Heaven and Earth， the Son of Heaven—people call their Emperorthe Son of Heaven， i.e. Monkey， the No.1 hero in Journey to the West， is the Emperor in the writer’s mind.
He“was born when a rock split open”， signifying that he springs from nature， and has no connectionwith society， and thus has no attachments or fears. He breaks into the dragons’ palaces， stirs up Hades andcreates Havoc in Heaven. He is brave and fearless in pursuit of freedom and he has the guts to do everythingin defiance of any influences. In Monkey’s eyes， the Jade Emperor is a coward who cannot be roused toanger， Lord Lao Zi is a miserly sycophant， and the strutting officials in Heaven， both civil and military， whocringe before their superiors and bully their inferiors， are useless blockheads. The strict hierarchy of ranksand the stifling protocol in the Heavenly Palace， Monkey treats as ludicrous. The humorous and knowingtwinkle in Monkey’s eyes is able to penetrate to the core of a tradition which has congealed over thousandsof years. His power of insight comes from his straightforward and natural boyish heart， and his grasp of thereasons for things. There may be a number of political and religious aspects to the Havoc in Heaven episode，but its main idea is mockery and scorn directed at the authorities and order of the society of Wu Cheng’en’stime， and to reveal man’s naturally pure and childlike heart. He is possessed of the hatred for the wickedand evil， a sense of justice and a staunch fighting spirit. He acts fairly to all， even to Buddhas and arhats，for instance，“Monkey yelled：‘Tathagata， our master and the rest of us have had to put up with endlessmonsters， demons， troubles and hardships to get here from the east to worship you. You gave the orders for theures to be handed over， but Ananda and Kasyapa didn’t do so because they were trying to extort thingsfrom us. They conspired and deliberately let us take away blank paper versions without a single word writtenon them. But what’s the point in taking those？ I beg you to have them punished， Tathagata’.”Monkeyfights incessantly and subdues all monsters and demons on the Journey to the Western Heaven. Withouthis protection it would be impossible at all for Xuanzang to reach the Western Heaven and fetch the trueBuddhist sutras. At the same time he has a good and loyal heart， rights and wrongs， saves those in distress，helps widows and orphans， eliminates the evil and gives peace to the good people， does good deeds to benefitall people and states along the way to the West， e.g.“In the Kingdom of Tarrycart the Monkey King showshis powers to save five hundred captive Buddhist monks.”“Brother Monkey in his charity offers to be adoctor in the Land of Purpuria.”“In Bhiksuland the Great Sage Sun saves 1，111 little boys by using hismighty powers.”“When Heaven Is Offended in Fengxian It Stops the Rain The Great Sage Urges Goodnessand Brings a Downpour”， etc. From this point of view Journey to the West is Sun Wukong’s Journey tothe West. He is just and honorable， brave and fearless. He symbolizes justice and the bright while demonsand monsters symbolize evil and the dark. At last， justice always triumphs over evil and the bright alwaystriumphs over the dark. Monkey is idealized as a national hero and he breathes the cultural spirit in pursuit offree personality in the mid-and late Ming Dynasty as well as the call of the times for a hero. His life reflectsthe deep main-theme of Journey to the West.