Characters
Who is the protagonist of Chinese Cinderella
Adeline Yen Mah
What does Adeline win at school that makes her feel proud?
A writing competition
What is the major theme in Chinese Cinderella that describes Adeline's constant struggle against adversity?
Perseverance
"You have your whole life ahead of you. Everything is possible!" Who encourages Adeline with these words?
Aunt Baba
What does the term "Niang" mean in Chinese?
Stepmother
Who is Adeline's cruel stepmother?
Niang?
Why does Adeline's father forget her name when introducing her to his friends?
He is distant and indifferent toward her.
What does Adeline's academic success symbolize?
Her hope for independence and escape from her family's cruelty
When Adeline's father enrolls her in school, what new name does he give her?
Jeanne Virginie
What is bound feet, a practice that Niang's generation might have been familiar with?
Which family member is the only one who shows Adeline love and support?
Aunt Baba
Where is Adeline sent as a form of punishment, cutting her off from family?
A boarding school in Tianjin
How does the duckling PLT serve as a symbol in the book?
It represents Adeline's innocence and cruelty she faces
Who says, "She is nothing. She is nobody." about Adeline?
Niang
What does "concubine" mean in the context of the story?
What is the name of Adeline's eldest brother who warns her about Niang?
Big Brother
How does Adeline end up studying in England?
She wins a prestigious writing competition impressing her father.
What does Adeline's father's business success contrast with in her life?
His neglect and lack of love for her
The superstition that Adeline's birth caused her mother's death, making her unlucky.
Why does Adeline's family value boys more than girls?
Traditional Chinese culture often prioritized sons for inheritance and family honor.
Which pet does Adeline Cherish but is taken from her, symbolizing her isolation
Her duckling, PLT (Precious Little Treasure)
What tragic event happens to Adeline's birth mother?
She dies giving birth to Adeline
How does the idea of "Cinderella" apply to Adeline's life?
Like Cinderella, she is mistreated by her stepmother and family but finds hope through perseverance
Why does Adeline say, "I longed to be loved...I longed to belong"?
She feels abandoned and unloved by her family.
What is the significance of the name "Chinese Cinderella"?
It compares Adeline's life to the Cinderella fairy tale, where she is mistreated by her family but eventually finds success