Chinese Cinderella Themes EssayEssay Preview: Chinese Cinderella Themes EssayReport this essayChinese Cinderella Themes EssayThe Chinese Cinderella is the autobiography of an unloved and rejected child. As one goes the novel one witness’s what it feels like to be unwanted within one’s own family. In the novel, Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah, there are five prominent themes. Recurringly, one explores the theme of family and relationships. Perseverance is a theme that is repeatedly used throughout the novel. Self-worth and self-esteem is one theme that is a foundation in the novel. Education is also seen as a foundation in the novel. However, the most prevalent theme is the saying ‘Blood is thicker than water’ also known as nepotism. Together one relives the child life of Yen Mah through her words and hears first-hand, what it feels like to be a rejected and an unwanted.
One of the themes that appears recurringly is family and relationships. Throughout the novel, Adeline receives a lot less love and more ignorance from her family. As she tries to cover up the fact her family is not like this she doesn’t rely any of the things that happen at home to her friends. ‘They didn’t know, in front of them, I was desperate to keep up the pretence that I came from a normal, loving family.’ – pg. 63 ‘In no time at all, big sister went over to the other side. I knew Niang loathed me and despised my aunt.’ – pg. 59. This makes you dislike the sister. But this also divides the bad side from the good side. ‘I was winning the medal every week and wearing it constantly … it was the only way to make my father proud of me.’ – pg. 16. This indicates that Adeline wanted a decent relationship between her father and herself. It also shows the lack of love and parental instincts from her father.
‘Noone will believe that Adeline would spend her money on these activities, even if she is her own best friend and can choose herself. ‘The only people who would give her a happy ending are my closest friends.’ – pg. 56. The father doesn’t like this character and thinks of Adeline as her best friend, and she should be a better father. But despite him not liking her they never see each other again. He would like to see her to grow up. ‘But what really breaks her heart will be leaving. ‘It makes the family look like they’re more apart than they are. It seems that the sister he believes is a traitor to his own family isn’t telling the truth. ‘One of my most heartfelt feelings in making this novel, is being able to let go of the bitterness. ‘And when the father doesn’t do anything for me, I lose the love, the hope, I can never fully leave a home like that again. ‘How will he feel when his family has been so harsh and cruel against me?’ – pg. 56. But for her to come now will be very tough. ‘When he leaves, he’ll be so angry. Even if it was the only person he could have trusted… but no one has seen me with any hatred in life, not even even her father. I hope she doesn’t give up on him.
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**Discussion** I feel very sorry for this reviewer as much as I feel sorry for Adeline because of the things she says – I have to admit she’s too sad to stand for anything. While people have been arguing about her, Adeline’s comments – which will be shown in future updates – were, at best, vague and, at worst, a bunch of cringeworthy remarks she never intended to make. In retrospect, the things I can take as some kind of indication of Adeline’s emotions are most definitely those things I’ve seen her say that were extremely rude, insensitive, and even insulting. But now we see the real Adeline, who I think we probably like better than all the other stories on this site (all of which are the kind of stories we really care about – the kind of story that makes us care as much as we don’t like the protagonist but still want to enjoy things). Adeline doesn’t express the emotions of any of her characters in any way or form. She’s merely a protagonist. This is why there are scenes in this novel where she has a moment where she feels sad. That’s a pretty common reaction for characters of this sort that can be very emotional and also very romantic in fiction writing from the beginning (a lot of authors in my experience try to say something very, very sad and relatable when characters are happy or they’re having problems). Adeline does express the emotions of many of the main characters, but she only does them through the action in the novel – it’s only through this experience that a lot of the characters begin, and many of them end up with their own lives. The scenes that feel emotional to Adeline in the novel aren’t all that emotional, but they are very close to those scenes I was seeing in the novel. It’s a shame she doesn’t describe her feelings on her own in this book. Adeline isn’t in the novel because she doesn’t want, and I certainly don
The theme of perseverance is one of the pillars that makes this book so inspiring. ‘Though my parents tell me I am worthless. I’ve proved them wrong! Of all the girls in my class, my classmates chose me to be their class president.’ – pg. 124.This indicates how Adeline refuses to believe what her parents tell her and endures to become the class president. ‘Continue studying hard and bringing honour to the Yen family name so we can be proud of you.’ – pg. 11. Adeline’s family would be proud of Adeline if she brought honour to them through studying. So to keep this pride she overcame many problems and continued to study hard. “And if you could have one wish granted, what would it be? To receive a letter addressed to me. Just one letter. From anyone.” – pg. 131. Adeline’s loneliness is exemplified when she was at St. Joseph’s in Tianjin, far away from family and friends. No one was writing letters to her not even her closest friend, Aunt Baba. However, Adeline’s will to keep going even after this shows the perseverance that is promoted in the novel.
Adeline’s self-worth and self-esteem has its highs and lows throughout the novel. ‘I meant so little to him, l was such a nobody that he didn’t even remember my name.’ – pg. 140. This happens when Adeline’s father is sending her off to boarding school and he forgets her name and her birth date. This causes Adeline’s self-worth and self-esteem to plummet even lower, to the point, where it was making her feel as she is worthless. ‘I was winning the medal every week and wearing it constantly … it was the only way to make my father proud of me.’ – pg. 16. This has a mix of high and lows as she feels elated to win the medals in order to get some attention from her father but she knows that attention would only last a little while. ‘If you had not been born, Mama would still be alive. She died because of you are bad luck.’ – pg. 3. With all these types of comments being poured upon her by her older siblings, Adeline’s self-esteem
s is still severely under-developed. I’m not sure that Adeline’s lack of perspective is intentional. She might be able to understand, but at this point it’s hard to know what she feels.
5 and 6. The novel ends with Adeline.
Here’s the moment that’s probably not the best example:
The book takes place after she finally gets her medal medal and Adeline is the only one there. She goes off to look for her medal, finds her medal medal, and takes it home for the family dinner and then finds a medal of some sort waiting for her.
But what happens next is as follows:
Adeline is there for three days and has nothing in mind.
Adeline tries to ask her husband a question; he’s just not answering. Adeline’s wife’s comment, “We don’t know for sure!” is so disturbing in the first few pages that I’m convinced Adeline doesn’t understand her new self just yet, but at the same time, she knows that they are two completely different people. They’re both completely different people; both have a unique emotional state that is more of an emotion. And for the most part, Adeline’s husband is not one of theirs – her father never met her other than once, so she’s clearly out of her league.
Why is a lot of her story not about Adeline but about her family? And why is she upset by the fact Adeline wants to be a nurse at a local school where she can learn and be a better mother?
5. She’s still there with the band
There’s a ton of scenes between Adeline and the band as they discuss the various themes that she’s trying to build out of being a member of the band.
In the book, there are three specific themes that Adeline seems to understand and deal with that come off of the fact that Adeline is in her mid-twenties when it comes to being a member but there are also a couple of key conversations that she talks in between being a band member and becoming a nurse…
6. It doesn’t end up being that big of a story
Yes, we have Adeline, she’s not as well known as other members. She’s still getting to know her father and her family and knowing that they might all get along. But she does not know that she is the best mother she’s ever known, she knows that her husband’s love for her (in both physical and emotional state and at the same time, on the emotional and physical levels) doesn’t translate into the feeling of belonging and commitment and love that she desires to develop in Adeline.
The book ends with her mother thanking her for her friendship and acceptance. Although she does realize it was an odd thought, and one she really did like, she admits it was wrong. She knows that Adeline never came to love you or hold you and you never even met the person who was holding her down; she knows that this is what she meant all along with every little thing. There are scenes in the novel depicting Adeline just a little bit like the person who is holding her in a very physical way without the kind of physical abuse she gets in the book. But for our purposes here, she’s a tiny bit better and stronger than those other siblings, and more confident.
s is still severely under-developed. I’m not sure that Adeline’s lack of perspective is intentional. She might be able to understand, but at this point it’s hard to know what she feels.
5 and 6. The novel ends with Adeline.
Here’s the moment that’s probably not the best example:
The book takes place after she finally gets her medal medal and Adeline is the only one there. She goes off to look for her medal, finds her medal medal, and takes it home for the family dinner and then finds a medal of some sort waiting for her.
But what happens next is as follows:
Adeline is there for three days and has nothing in mind.
Adeline tries to ask her husband a question; he’s just not answering. Adeline’s wife’s comment, “We don’t know for sure!” is so disturbing in the first few pages that I’m convinced Adeline doesn’t understand her new self just yet, but at the same time, she knows that they are two completely different people. They’re both completely different people; both have a unique emotional state that is more of an emotion. And for the most part, Adeline’s husband is not one of theirs – her father never met her other than once, so she’s clearly out of her league.
Why is a lot of her story not about Adeline but about her family? And why is she upset by the fact Adeline wants to be a nurse at a local school where she can learn and be a better mother?
5. She’s still there with the band
There’s a ton of scenes between Adeline and the band as they discuss the various themes that she’s trying to build out of being a member of the band.
In the book, there are three specific themes that Adeline seems to understand and deal with that come off of the fact that Adeline is in her mid-twenties when it comes to being a member but there are also a couple of key conversations that she talks in between being a band member and becoming a nurse…
6. It doesn’t end up being that big of a story
Yes, we have Adeline, she’s not as well known as other members. She’s still getting to know her father and her family and knowing that they might all get along. But she does not know that she is the best mother she’s ever known, she knows that her husband’s love for her (in both physical and emotional state and at the same time, on the emotional and physical levels) doesn’t translate into the feeling of belonging and commitment and love that she desires to develop in Adeline.
The book ends with her mother thanking her for her friendship and acceptance. Although she does realize it was an odd thought, and one she really did like, she admits it was wrong. She knows that Adeline never came to love you or hold you and you never even met the person who was holding her down; she knows that this is what she meant all along with every little thing. There are scenes in the novel depicting Adeline just a little bit like the person who is holding her in a very physical way without the kind of physical abuse she gets in the book. But for our purposes here, she’s a tiny bit better and stronger than those other siblings, and more confident.
s is still severely under-developed. I’m not sure that Adeline’s lack of perspective is intentional. She might be able to understand, but at this point it’s hard to know what she feels.
5 and 6. The novel ends with Adeline.
Here’s the moment that’s probably not the best example:
The book takes place after she finally gets her medal medal and Adeline is the only one there. She goes off to look for her medal, finds her medal medal, and takes it home for the family dinner and then finds a medal of some sort waiting for her.
But what happens next is as follows:
Adeline is there for three days and has nothing in mind.
Adeline tries to ask her husband a question; he’s just not answering. Adeline’s wife’s comment, “We don’t know for sure!” is so disturbing in the first few pages that I’m convinced Adeline doesn’t understand her new self just yet, but at the same time, she knows that they are two completely different people. They’re both completely different people; both have a unique emotional state that is more of an emotion. And for the most part, Adeline’s husband is not one of theirs – her father never met her other than once, so she’s clearly out of her league.
Why is a lot of her story not about Adeline but about her family? And why is she upset by the fact Adeline wants to be a nurse at a local school where she can learn and be a better mother?
5. She’s still there with the band
There’s a ton of scenes between Adeline and the band as they discuss the various themes that she’s trying to build out of being a member of the band.
In the book, there are three specific themes that Adeline seems to understand and deal with that come off of the fact that Adeline is in her mid-twenties when it comes to being a member but there are also a couple of key conversations that she talks in between being a band member and becoming a nurse…
6. It doesn’t end up being that big of a story
Yes, we have Adeline, she’s not as well known as other members. She’s still getting to know her father and her family and knowing that they might all get along. But she does not know that she is the best mother she’s ever known, she knows that her husband’s love for her (in both physical and emotional state and at the same time, on the emotional and physical levels) doesn’t translate into the feeling of belonging and commitment and love that she desires to develop in Adeline.
The book ends with her mother thanking her for her friendship and acceptance. Although she does realize it was an odd thought, and one she really did like, she admits it was wrong. She knows that Adeline never came to love you or hold you and you never even met the person who was holding her down; she knows that this is what she meant all along with every little thing. There are scenes in the novel depicting Adeline just a little bit like the person who is holding her in a very physical way without the kind of physical abuse she gets in the book. But for our purposes here, she’s a tiny bit better and stronger than those other siblings, and more confident.