Summary
From pages 83 to 123, things for Yen Jun-ling have went up but also went down, like a roller coaster. In the beginning of these pages, Jun-ling gets a pet duck which she names PLT for Precious Little Treasure that she and her friend Chun-mei created. The pet is obedient and is described as Jun-ling's best friend other than her aunt Baba. Unfortunately, PLT dies by being attacked by Jack, the families pet dog. Later, in the next chapter, Jun-ling's older sister, at seventeen years old, gets married to a thirty-year old man, as a arranged marriage. Afterwards, Jun-ling has a day off, that her parents don't know about, and she decides to celebrate her friend, Chun-mei's birthday. When Jun-ling gets home she is punished, because Chun-mei called her house, waiting for Jun-ling, by being slapped and not having food until her father gets home. When he does, Jun-ling is punished again, but with a whip to the back. In these pages, she is also elected class president, but when her friends come over to celebrate her victory, she is again punished by her step-mother. Though, this time, she is to be disowned and sent to an orphanage in Tianjin. What else lies in her future?
Quotation
"How is it possible? I, the same despised daughter publicly rejected by my parents yesterday, an now being honored by my teacher and classmates? Which is the true me?"(Yen Mah 119)
Reaction
In these pages, i feel sorry for the narrator because bad things are happening to her, the next one worse than the last. I also feel like almost yelling in anger at her step-mother Niang because she accuses Jun-ling of theft, lying, and being a bragger because she was elected president. I also think that she gets bad parenting because she is beaten, insulted, and ,again, accused of things that lead to her being slapped, or whipped, or worse, having to be disowned and sent away to a Tianjin orphanage, for a new school, new family, and new friends. I personally think that having to leave friends is a miserable fate for her.
Showing posts with label Chinese Cinderella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinese Cinderella. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
"Chinese Cinderella" Pg 1-41
Summary
Chinese Cinderella, by Adeline Yen Mah, is about a young Chinese girl, living in the twentieth century of China, who is badly treated by her siblings and guardians. So far in the novel, Adeline earns a button that represents her leading her class. While her guardians applaud her for it, most of her siblings loathe her for it. Her big sister and second brother attack her when no one sees. Later, the narrator explains why her grandmothers feet are small: because during her time, she was forced to bind her feet to stay small so it would be attractive. Thirty years ago from the present time in the novel, that law in China was abolished. Afterwards, it is explained to us that there are Japanese businessmen who want to be partners with the narrators mother, and because of that, the father goes missing for about a year. During that year, the narrator's stepmother, Niang, leaves with the youngest brother and also disappears. It was a better life style for her as she states during the time her father is gone, until her grandmother dies of a massive stroke. After a year, the children finally meet with their father again, and move to Shanghai, where new rules are placed for their household and the children go to new schools. At first, the narrator is brought to school by the cook when everyone else is gone, and as she leaves school, no one picks her up. She tries to try to find the way home, but ends up lost and calls her father when she is welcomed in a restaurant. Apparently, no one misses her or knew that she didn't get home yet, so her father comes and gets her, and gives her a map for when she gets lost. Later, she and her siblings are forced to walk to school, even though it's a long way from home, and yet she and her siblings could take what was called a "tram".
Quotation
"Continue studying hard and bring honor to our Yen family name so we can be proud of you." (Yen 11)
Reaction
I think that this quote is a sad one because i thought that parents would already be proud of their children instead of a few years after they start school. I also find it really horrible that during the first 41 pages of Chinese Cinderella the narrator is the one who is always left out like when she waits for someone to bring her to her new school in Shanghai and who brings her home. But since it's titled Chinese Cinderella, I think that things will be a whole lot better for Adeline.
Chinese Cinderella, by Adeline Yen Mah, is about a young Chinese girl, living in the twentieth century of China, who is badly treated by her siblings and guardians. So far in the novel, Adeline earns a button that represents her leading her class. While her guardians applaud her for it, most of her siblings loathe her for it. Her big sister and second brother attack her when no one sees. Later, the narrator explains why her grandmothers feet are small: because during her time, she was forced to bind her feet to stay small so it would be attractive. Thirty years ago from the present time in the novel, that law in China was abolished. Afterwards, it is explained to us that there are Japanese businessmen who want to be partners with the narrators mother, and because of that, the father goes missing for about a year. During that year, the narrator's stepmother, Niang, leaves with the youngest brother and also disappears. It was a better life style for her as she states during the time her father is gone, until her grandmother dies of a massive stroke. After a year, the children finally meet with their father again, and move to Shanghai, where new rules are placed for their household and the children go to new schools. At first, the narrator is brought to school by the cook when everyone else is gone, and as she leaves school, no one picks her up. She tries to try to find the way home, but ends up lost and calls her father when she is welcomed in a restaurant. Apparently, no one misses her or knew that she didn't get home yet, so her father comes and gets her, and gives her a map for when she gets lost. Later, she and her siblings are forced to walk to school, even though it's a long way from home, and yet she and her siblings could take what was called a "tram".
Quotation
"Continue studying hard and bring honor to our Yen family name so we can be proud of you." (Yen 11)
Reaction
I think that this quote is a sad one because i thought that parents would already be proud of their children instead of a few years after they start school. I also find it really horrible that during the first 41 pages of Chinese Cinderella the narrator is the one who is always left out like when she waits for someone to bring her to her new school in Shanghai and who brings her home. But since it's titled Chinese Cinderella, I think that things will be a whole lot better for Adeline.
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