Chinese Cinderella

1) Characters
a) Adeline
i) she hides her embarrassment I had forgotten
ii) She is respectful of her father / in awe of her father - "He looked radiant. For
once, he was proud of me" (line 58). "I had given him face." (Line 58-59).
iii) She agrees with her father almost without question to go to England
iv) She is surprised at being invited to enter the Holy of Holies Her fathers room
which in the book she refers to as the Holy of Holies" - in the novel her father never
invites Adeline and her siblings from the previous wife, but welcomes children of the
current wife.
v) At the start of the extract she was expecting that someone had died- for
someone who hasnt read the book I think this can be interpreted as a pessimistic
thought
b) Adelines father
i) Shows the characteristics of a typical/stereotypical Chinese father.
(1) Very strict with his children
(2) Tends to love only some of his children, usually male children
(3) Believes that all of his childs achievements are because of his doing. (e.g.
Adeline winning the writing competition was his doing.)
2) Themes and Motifs
a) Detached Family
i) Line 53-54
ii) How come you won Seems like father doubts his daughters achievements.
iii) Dont look so scared scared shows Adelines fear in turn suggesting there is
a distance between family members
iv) See me in his room? I was overwhelmed by the thought that I had been
summoned by Father to enter the Holy of Holies
v) she does not even know that the elegant villa is her home. Our car stopped at
an elegant villa Where are we?
b) Chinese Culture or Religion
i) does it matter what you do after you go to heaven Religion (Catholic)
ii) summoned- Chinese religion/ culture
c) Motifs
i) Dreams vs. Nightmare
(1) nightmare
(2) heaven- associated with a deep eternal slumber or dream-like
(3) Am I dreaming
(4) I only had to stretch out my hand to reach the stars. (Line 61-62)
(5) I had forgotten- I believe that forgetting is like how we sometimes forget our

dreams when we wake up.

3) Tone
a) Fear
i) Foreboding and nightmare (Line 15-16)
ii) my heart gave a giant lurch (Line 71)
iii) Dont look so scared (Line 40)
iv) uneasy when I wondered why he was being so nice, thinking, Is this a giant ruse
on his part to trick me? Dare I let my guard down? (Line 37-39)
b) Excitement/ gratefulness
i) Agree? Of course I agreed. (Line 86)
ii) Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive (Line 88)
iii) Thank you very, very much (Line 89-90)
IV) My whole being vibrated with all the joy in the world. I only had to stretch out
my hand to reach the stars.(Line 60-61)
4) Literary Devices
a) Reference to other quotes Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive (line 88)
b) Rhetorical questions Study?... and Does it matter what you do after you get
to heaven? (Line 72-73) and Is it possible? Am I dreaming? Me, the winner? (Line
51)
c) Metaphor I only had to stretch out my hand to reach the stars. (line 61-62)
d) Repetition very, very and heaven.. heaven
e) Alliteration replied rudely and warm wind
5) Context
a) Setting: In her house, mainly in the Holy of Holies
b) She is having a conversation with her father about her winning the writing
contest and eventually leading up to the point where she agrees with her father to
study medicine in England
c) Text Type: Book (Autobiography)

Introduction
It is an autobiography written by Adeline Yen Mah. In this extract she relates the
only moment when she was ever praised by her father for winning a play writing
competition. Her father recognizes that she has talent and agrees to let her study in
England.
How the writer helps to understand a life in china?
The writer's family is a wealthy family."May I go to England, stopped at an elegant
villa at mid-level"
Her physical wealth is contrasted with emotions because nobody shows regard for
her."Don't you know anything...","where is everyone, My heart is full of dread...
She feels out of place because of the number of questions she asks. Where is
everyone?"
She is unhappy in her present surroundings. In my case perhaps end of school
forever, my heart was full of dread"
Her Relationships with her Father
She has a poor relationship with her father because she was overwhelmed at being
summoned. She suspects that he is playing some sort of "trick" on her expression
as her father tells her not to look so scared.
She has never been in her father's room. Being a stepchild she used to be
isolated/sidelined.
Her father is old fashioned, gender prejudice, for e.g. when he says: "women
patients prefer women doctors"
She is differential to her father and she is dismissive of her own talents as a mark of
respect. Eg: "well, the rules and regulations..." LINE 64.
The order to return home is represented as a "NIGHTMARE" .Eg: Adeline heart was
full of dread", The chauffeur is described as defensive.
How she presents herself with her father?
She is modestly putting down her success being the only entrant in the competition.
"Perhaps I was the only one determined..."
She is clearly educated. She wins an international competition. She also quotes
'Wordworths Poem' when she expresses her joy. "Bliss was it in that dawn to be
alive"

Her father is very unkind. He dismisses her desire to study literature. He mocks her
and dictates her on what she will study. Eg: "Writer! he scoffed. You are going to
starve!"
Language
The writer uses the present tense to emphasize the strength and immediacy of her
worry. Eg: "Then why are you taking me home?"
Use of Rhetorical questions for eg: "see me in his room? ","Is it possible?" and many
more.
The question "How come you won?" shows the readers disbelief and confusion.
Use of clichs, eg: "reach for the stars, now or never" shows the youthful
inexperience of the writer.
The use of numbers rather than names by the father suggests that there is a distant
approach towards the children. Eg: "You will go to England with third brother this
summer"
Use of repetition to show impatience and vigor. "Sit down! Sit down!","Thank you
very much" etc.
Use of short sentences to develop readers' understanding of the characters. "I'll be
a writer." It shows intelligence because she doesn't want to raffle (create problems)
father. She doesn't want to contradict him.