Chinese Cinderella Themes Essay

Chinese Cinderella Themes Essay

The 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.

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

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