Adeline Yen Mah Biography and "Chinese Cinderella"

Biography of Adeline Yen Mah

• Born in 1937 in Tianjin, China, to a businessman father and accountant mother.
• Her mother passed away shortly after her birth.
• She experienced a traumatic and abusive childhood after her father remarried.
• She was allowed to study medicine in England after winning a play-writing competition.
• She chose to move to America to set up a medical practice causing her family to reject her again.
• Became a full-time writer after the success of her autobiography "Falling Leaves" in 1997.
• "Chinese Cinderella," a revised version of parts of "Falling Leaves," became a bestseller.

Background of "Chinese Cinderella"

• Published in 1999 with the subtitle "The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter".
• The story focuses on the mistreatment by her stepmother.
• The story also presents moments of kindness from her grandfather Ye Ye and Aunt Baba.
• The extract being studied is from the end of the book.

Summary of the Extract

• Adeline recounts an event during her school days.
• Her father's chauffeur unexpectedly arrives to take her home from boarding school.
• She is surprised due to the rare occasion she is summoned home.
• Her family moved without informing her.
• Her father shows her a newspaper article announcing her win in a play-writing competition.
• He allows her to study in England because her success reflects positively on him.
• She does not get to choose her subject and he dictates she study medicine.

Analysis: Autobiographical Features

• Written in first person and past tense, typical of the autobiography genre.
• Uses reported speech to make the characters lively.
• The narrative presents events as they happened without hindsight reflections.

Analysis: State of Mind at Boarding School

• Worried about the end of term and the uncertainty of her future.
• Personification of time: "Time went by relentlessly", illustrating time as an oppressor.

Analysis: Sinister Imagery and Anxiety

• Playing Monopoly without enjoyment, indicating her "heart was not in it".
• Alliteration of "warm wind" hints impending trouble
• Pathetic fallacy: radio warning of a typhoon mirrors her inner turmoil, suggesting potential disaster.

Analysis: Monopoly as a Metaphor

• Monopoly represents competition and materialism.
• Highlights the contrast between Adeline's literary aspirations and her father's materialistic values.
• Her father is only interested in her success because it allows him to look good to other businessmen.

Analysis: Simile of Worry

• "The thought of leaving school throbbed at the back of my mind like a persistent toothache".
• Compares her worry to chronic physical pain, indicating her family life is awful.
• She experiences physical discomfort at the prospect, unlike most children who look forward to the holidays.

Analysis: Dialogue and Interactions

• Interrupted by Ma-mien Valentino, an employee of the boarding school.
• The girls stand up and greet her, showing they have good manners.
• Ma-mien Valentino gently scolds Yen Mah for not responding to her call
• Yen Mah's family is wealthy.

Analysis: Foreboding and Distance

• She runs to the car "as in a nightmare, wondering who had died this time".
• This metaphor shows the distance between her and her family as she only expects contact during bereavement.
• The chauffeur avoids answering her questions, stating "They give the orders and I carry them out".

Analysis: Setting and Emotions

• The short drive home is sad as her family lives nearby but remains distant.
• "My heart was full of dread" expresses physical anxiety.
• The "elegant villa" contrasts with her unhappiness.

Analysis: Ignorance and Deception

• Yen Mah asks "where are we" and this is not taken seriously.
• The chauffeur responds rudely: "Don't you know anything?".
• Her family moved "a few months ago" without telling her.
• Yen Mah pretends to know about the move: "I had forgotten".

Analysis: Use of Adverbs

• Adverbs effectively describe people's emotions concisely.
• "Foolishly" shows Yen Mah's embarrassment and ignorance.
• The chauffeur shrugging "defensively" suggests a difficult working environment.
• The fact that he can talk to her "rudely" implies that Yen Mah is of little importance.

Analysis: Arrival and Summons

• Ah Gum opens the door, using the informal title "Ah," indicating a trusted servant.
• No one greets her; her stepmother is playing bridge, and her siblings are sunbathing.
• She is formally summoned to her father’s room.

Analysis: Religious Imagery

• "Summoned by Father to enter the Holy of Holies" alludes to the Temple in Jerusalem, where only priests could enter.
• The imagery conveys the magnitude of her father's power and the fear of entering his private space.
• Asks the question "Why?"

Analysis: Timidity and Wariness

• "Timidly, I knocked on the door" shows her fear.
• Her father seems harmless but she remains wary of him and has unanswered questions.
• Questions include "Is this a giant ruse on his part to trick me? Dare I let my guard down?".

Analysis: Father's Commands

• His first words are commands like "Sit down! Sit down!" and "Don't look so scared".
• Using the imperative form shows his authoritarian nature and expectation of obedience.

Analysis: Newspaper Revelation

• The paper reveals she won first prize in an international play writing competition in London in 1952.
• It is the first time a Chinese student from Hong Kong has won.
• The newspaper expresses national pride: "Our sincere congratulations, ADELINE YEN, for bringing honour to Hong Kong. We are proud of you".

Analysis: Disbelief and Doubt

• Questions: "Is it possible? Am I dreaming? Me the winner?" show her disbelief in her success.
• This shows how little encouragement or success she has experienced in her life.

Analysis: Father's Reaction

• Her father is happy because her achievements reflect well on him.
• He brags to his friend C.Y. Tung, a fellow businessman.
• He is "radiant" because she has "given him face".

Analysis: Hyperbolic Joy

• "My whole being vibrated with all the joy in the world. I only had to stretch out my hand to reach the stars".
• Uses hyperbole to describe her happiness and makes it clear she feels euphoric.
• The vastness of this feeling contrasts with how small she has been made to feel by her family.

Analysis: Belittling and Humility

• Her father asks, "How come you won?" implying she is not capable of success.
• She shows humility, underplaying her achievements, pleasing her father.
• Her father laughs "approvingly" at this

Analysis: Bold Request

• She asks her father "boldly" whether she can go to University in England like her brothers.
• "Boldly" contrasts with "timidly," showing her gaining confidence.

Analysis: Overwhelmed and Hopeful

• Her heart "gave a giant lurch" at the prospect of going to England.
• Going to England is like entering heaven. Does it matter what you do after you get to heaven?" displays that freedom is more important than her career choice.

Analysis: Contradiction and Silence

• Her father "scoffs" at her idea of creative writing and says she'll starve.
• She does not respond to this: "I waited in silence. I did not wish to contradict him".

Analysis: Future Control

• Her father dictates her future: "You will go to England with Third Brother this summer and you will go to medical school".
• He wants her to specialize in obstetrics, implying women can only be doctors in fields related to childbirth.
• His question- "Don't you agree?" is a rhetorical question, which means that he is not expecting an answer.

Analysis: Internal Revolution

• She thinks of Wordsworth's line: "Bliss it was that dawn to be alive," showing her excitement.
• Moving to England will be a revolution in her life and will bring her freedom.
• She complies with being a dutiful daughter: "Father, I shall go to medical school in England and become a doctor. Thank you very, very, very much".

Analysis: Questions and Imagination

• Constantly asks questions to others and herself, reflecting her anxiety.
• Defensive behavior contrasts with imaginative metaphors expressing her joy.
• She possesses a powerful imagination and strong spirit once she leaves for England.
• Where once she could only approach life "timidly", she can now act "boldly".