Themes Flashcards
‘They didn’t know that, in front of them, I was desperate to keep up the pretence that you came from a normal, loving family.’
Family & relationships - Adeline is unhappy with her family life, but does not tell anyone out of embarrassment.
‘What’s going to happen to me? Will I be sold?’
Abandonment & loneliness - Adeline wonders what her fate will be when she os punished for her friends visiting her. She is constantly afraid of being made an orphan.
‘If you had not been born, mama would still be alive. She died because of you. You are bad luck.’
Self-esteem - Adeline is constantly reminded that the treatment of her and her siblings is her fault (despite that not really being true).
‘Now they knew the pathetic truth! Unwanted and unloved by my parents. How long did it take for a person to die of shame?’
Family & relationships - Adeline’s friends found out about her family situation and she gets really embarrassed.
‘To receive a letter addressed to me. Just one letter. From anyone.’
Abandonment & loneliness - Adeline is the only one at boarding that does not receive any letters from anyone.
‘She doesn’t know this but I think she should be candidate instead of me… Compared to her I am truly a nobody.’
Self-esteem - Adeline does not think she is capable of being class captain so she nominates her friend instead.
‘Continue studying hard and bringing honour to the Yen family name so we can be proud of you.’
Family & relationships - the only way her father is going to notice Adeline is if she is doing well in school.
‘Unlike my siblings, no-one looked down on me.’
Abandonment & loneliness - she only feels accepted for who she is at school and she is also not ignored at school.
‘I was winning the medal every week and wearing it constantly… It was the only way to make father take notice and be proud of me.’
Family & relationships - Adeline is trying to make her father be proud of her.
‘To her we are not separate people. Over here, we have become one single unit known as all of you.’
Family & relationships - Niang does not treat any of her stepchildren very well, especially Adeline.
‘One by one we they were greeted and led away by anxious mothers. Nobody came for me.’
Abandonment & loneliness - Adeline is left alone and forgotten.
‘What was it that bothered me.. It was the loss of the nicest parts of Third Brother that saddened me.’
Family & relationships - Adeline cares more about her brother than herself.
‘As soon as I heard Aunt Baba’s footsteps, I started to feel immediately.’
Abandonment & loneliness - No one else loves Adeline in her family other than Aunt Baba.
‘We merely want you to acknowledge your errors in the past… We’ll only give you gram fares if you are truly contrite.’
Family & relationships - Niang does not like it when the stepchildren talk to her in a “bad manner”.
‘In no time at all Big Sister went over to the other side. I knew Niang loathed me and despised my aunt.’
Family & relationships - Big Sister is being favoured by Niang because she’s the “leader” of our group.
