Chinese Cinderella
From Chinese Cinderella
Growing up in a wealthy family in 1950s Hong Kong, Adeline Yen Mah should have had an enviable childhood, but she was rejected by her dominating stepmother and despised by her brothers and sisters. She was sent to a boarding school and left there. In this extract from her autobiography she relates one of the few occasions when she went home. Time went by relentlessly and it was Saturday again. Eight weeks more and it would be the end of term … in my case perhaps the end of school forever. Four of us were playing Monopoly. My heart was not in it and I was losing steadily. Outside it was hot and there was a warm wind blowing. The radio warned of a possible typhoon the next day. It was my turn and I threw the dice. As I played, the thought of leaving school throbbed at the back of my mind like a persistent toothache. ‘Adeline!’ Ma-mien Valentino was calling. ‘You can’t go now,’ Mary protested. ‘For once I’m winning. One, two, three, four. Good! You’ve landed on my property. Thirty-five dollars, please. Oh, good afternoon, Mother Valentino!’ We all stood up and greeted her. ‘Adeline, didn’t you hear me call you? Hurry up downstairs! Your chauffeur is waiting to take you home!’ Full of foreboding, I ran downstairs as in a nightmare, wondering who had died this time. Father’s chauffeur assured me everyone was healthy. ‘Then why are you taking me home?’ I asked. ‘How should I know?’ he answered defensively, shrugging his shoulders. ‘Your guess is as good as mine. They give the orders and I carry them out.’
Comment [MK1]: Foregrounding of time- imply that author is paying particular attention to it and in this case because she values her education and does not want school to end. Comment [MK2]: Depress and wistful tone Comment [MK3]: Reinforces that time is going by too fast for her preference Comment [MK4]: Countdown, shows concern for event that is about to happen in this case- the end of school. Comment [MK5]: Cesura to show her despair at
Growing up in a wealthy family in 1950s Hong Kong, Adeline Yen Mah should have had an enviable childhood, but she was rejected by her dominating stepmother and despised by her brothers and sisters. She was sent to a boarding school and left there. In this extract from her autobiography she relates one of the few occasions when she went home. Time went by relentlessly and it was Saturday again. Eight weeks more and it would be the end of term … in my case perhaps the end of school forever. Four of us were playing Monopoly. My heart was not in it and I was losing steadily. Outside it was hot and there was a warm wind blowing. The radio warned of a possible typhoon the next day. It was my turn and I threw the dice. As I played, the thought of leaving school throbbed at the back of my mind like a persistent toothache. ‘Adeline!’ Ma-mien Valentino was calling. ‘You can’t go now,’ Mary protested. ‘For once I’m winning. One, two, three, four. Good! You’ve landed on my property. Thirty-five dollars, please. Oh, good afternoon, Mother Valentino!’ We all stood up and greeted her. ‘Adeline, didn’t you hear me call you? Hurry up downstairs! Your chauffeur is waiting to take you home!’ Full of foreboding, I ran downstairs as in a nightmare, wondering who had died this time. Father’s chauffeur assured me everyone was healthy. ‘Then why are you taking me home?’ I asked. ‘How should I know?’ he answered defensively, shrugging his shoulders. ‘Your guess is as good as mine. They give the orders and I carry them out.’
Comment [MK1]: Foregrounding of time- imply that author is paying particular attention to it and in this case because she values her education and does not want school to end. Comment [MK2]: Depress and wistful tone Comment [MK3]: Reinforces that time is going by too fast for her preference Comment [MK4]: Countdown, shows concern for event that is about to happen in this case- the end of school. Comment [MK5]: Cesura to show her despair at