English Year 7 - Chinese Cinderella: Home

A Chinese proverb says, “Falling leaves return to their roots.” In Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah returns to her roots to tell the story of her painful childhood and her ultimate triumph and courage in the face of despair. Adeline’s affluent, powerful family considers her bad luck after her mother dies giving birth to her. Life does not get any easier when her father remarries. She and her siblings are subjected to the disdain of her stepmother, while her stepbrother and stepsister are spoiled. Although Adeline wins prizes at school, they are not enough to compensate for what she really yearns for — the love and understanding of her family.

What does Historical Context mean? : Historic context refers to information about the period, the place and the events that form the background of a story. 
 

Historical Context of Chinese Cinderella
From page 138 Adeline describes, from a historical viewpoint, some of the background to the period through which she lived as a child. Though these events certainly affected her life and that of her family at the time, as political and social events they were not fully understood by the young Adeline. Whilst Adeline is unceremoniously placed in a convent boarding school in Tianjin (p.142), the Communists, under their leader Mao Ze-Dong, are moving through China swiftly taking power. At the very time when Adeline is placed in this convent, away from family and friends, the members of the population who can afford it, or are able, are fleeing China in droves. In only a short time Adeline finds herself the only student remaining in the convent (p.148) as everyone else has been collected or evacuated by their loved ones. It is only well-meaning relatives who, without consulting Adeline’s parents, collect Adeline at the last minute (p.153).

Niang (Step mother)
Niang is a central character in Adeline’s young life. A source of cruel and cold treatment for all of her stepchildren, she has a particular hatred for Adeline. Calculating and manipulative, though outwardly charming and stylish, Niang is the stereotypical evil stepmother. Whilst Adeline appears to crave the approval of her father, she senses this is not possible with Niang and only wishes to disappear in her presence.

Father
Adeline’s father is a mysterious character, aloof and seemingly untouchable. At times indulgent, at others cruel and uncaring, he is portrayed as ruled by his new wife’s whims and having little regard for his elder children except when he may be able to bask in reflected glory. Adeline’s only early memory of him is his pride at her having topped the class during her first week at school (p.11). This pattern of being noticed only for academic success is recurrent throughout the book. Affluent, intelligent, business savvy and ambitious, Yen is thoughtless of others. Continually abandoning Adeline, ignoring the wishes of his own father, he appears to value only the opinion of his new wife Niang and chase success for himself based on wealth and power.

Brothers
Adeline’s three older brothers are treated with marked difference to Niang’s son within their father’s household. Neglected and starved of affection, they survive due to the possibilities that they offer as sons as opposed to Adeline, female and the apparent cause of her mother’s death. Whilst the younger children, Adeline’s half brother and sister, are allowed to wear modern western dress and eat special foods, the brothers are treated like ancient Chinese monks. Whilst their younger brother (fourth brother) has the latest page-boy haircut and a navy jacket with matching trousers, they endure shaved heads and traditional high collared robes. (p.102).

Big Sister (Lydia)
The view we have of Adeline’s older sister is only fleeting. She is portrayed as both manipulative and manipulated, prepared to beg and obey for the trifles she wishes to have (tram fare p.47). For most of the novel she is symbolic of the arranged marriage that Adeline wishes desperately to avoid for herself. In her dealings with Niang involving the jade necklace (p.104) Adeline’s big sister is shown as weak and unable to help anyone except for herself. She too, craves acceptance as do the other children within the family.

Aunt Baba
Aunt Baba is a fascinating, impenetrable character, unmarried and hardworking she should perhaps be a figure of power in Adeline’s life, but this is not so. Partly this is cultural, as in Chinese society at this time an unmarried older Aunt must bow to the wishes of the male head of household. Adeline describes the circumstances that lead to her closeness to Aunt Baba, ‘ordered to take care of me’ (p.5) Though she is a comfort and support, and there is obvious affection between them, Aunt Baba is unable to affect what happens in Adeline’s life. Aunt Baba puts great faith in Adeline’s intellectual abilities and praises all of her academic efforts, often being the only one to recognise and celebrate her achievements. It is Aunt Baba who reverently saves all of Adeline’s reports and commendations.

Ye Ye (Grandfather)
Despite his encouragement and support Adeline’s grandfather is unable to give her any truly constructive help in her struggles. Though we are not aware of what he may have done away from Adeline’s sight, perhaps he did remonstrate with Adeline’s father over his treatment of his older children. Certainly Adeline cannot understand how her grandfather has been made to feel dependent, answering to his daughter-in-law for money. (p.42) Through the eyes of Adeline we see that her grandfather tries to alleviate some of what she, and her older siblings, suffer, but he is powerless to do much. Upon seeing him after her time in St Joseph’s convent, Ye Ye has changed, grown older. Adeline realises then that he has given up, there was ‘defeat’ in his eyes. (p.168).