Aim for the A*: From Chinese Cinderella

The title of this piece of writing, and the repeated use of ‘C’ is interesting. ‘Cinderella’ is a Western fairy tale, and the juxtaposition of words suggests the meeting of Eastern culture with the West. 

Yen Mah’s use of ‘Cinderella’ as a title for her memoir is not accidental. By referencing Cinderella’s classic tale of mistreatment at the hands of her stepmother and siblings, she is drawing parallels with the events of her own life. 

Despite the story’s setting being Hong Kong, the circumstances of her life reflect many aspects of classic British and Western culture, which is again a reference to East meeting West. Instances like boarding school, playing Monopoly and bridge, and an education in English, are examples of this. 

The game of Monopoly is an effective use of symbolism. Monopoly is a game played on capitalist principles, and this reflects the economy of Hong Kong then (and now), which is noted for its work-hard, business-friendly culture. 

She uses dramatic language (‘time went by relentlessly’), vivid figures of speech (thought of leaving…. like a persistent toothache’), coupled with exaggeration (‘I ran downstairs as in a nightmare’) to emphasise the conflicting emotions she is experiencing.
Her use of dark humour ‘I wonder who had died this time’ is a tribute to her intelligence, and tendency to self-deprecate. 

She emphasises the lack of closeness and alienation she experiences even with known members of her social circle. Her father’s chauffeur for example, acts dismissively towards her. Furthermore, her siblings are not referred to by their given name, but by the relative importance of their birth: ‘Little Sister, Third Brother’. 

The fact that she does not know her family has moved house shows how little personal attention she receives from them. As seen again later, her opinions carry no weight in the household.

One can also say that she is unfazed by the relative wealth and privilege of her family. She uses simple, straightforward language to describe their new house as ‘an elegant villa’. 

She reverts back to exaggeration to refer to her father and his office. ‘Father’ becomes capitalised, and the result suggests respect, formality and fear. Her father’s room is termed the ‘Holiest of Holies’ and the exaggeration adds a dose of humour that borders on the absurd. 

The ensuing scene that plays out between father and child lacks any amount of familiarity or warmth. Instead, it is a cold, clinical and traditional exchange between a father and his progeny. Yen Mah references the psychological abuse she has been subjected to when she poses the rhetorical questions ‘Is this a ruse?’, ‘Dare I let my guard down?’ Being uncomfortable as such is not the hallmark of a healthy, loving parent-child relationship, so her claims of a miserable childhood are well-founded. 

When her father announces that she has won the writing contest, she continually expresses doubt and confusion- which is accounted for by the rhetorical questions she has used. Yen Mah thus humanely portrays her insecurities in life. 

Her father does not congratulate her directly. He sees the merit in her accomplishment in having triumphed over a colleague’s daughter. As such, he is shown to lack empathy and understanding. To add insult to injury, he expresses scepticism at her achievement, even asking her directly ‘How come you won?’

The answer she gives is formal and well-reasoned. The dialogue between them again shows no sign of familiarity, and is conducted almost like a business transaction. 

She uses a simile to characterise what going to England to study would be like to her. By describing England as ‘heaven’, she emphasises how desperately she wants to quit her oppressive family. She adds weight to her feelings with the rhetorical question that follows the comparison. 

Her father is shown to be tactless and cruel, as he dismisses her choice of study without any further questions. The use of the strong verb ‘scoffed’ emphasises this. He refuses to see her literary merit (even when she has just won an international writing contest), and appears to heartlessly crush her dreams. 


His choice of profession for her is sexist and shows stilted ways of thinking. He suggests that she become an obstetrician as it might be a more ‘feminine’ field of study. He even attacks her intelligence by denoting the profession as being ‘fool proof’; casting erroneous doubt on her intelligence and capabilities. 

As discussed earlier, Yen Mah’s opinions are shown to carry no weight in the household, and so she meekly accepts his suggestion. But she is delighted at the chance to go to England and escape her current circumstances. She quotes Wordsworth in her mind to great dramatic effect, to highlight her elation. She finishes the chapter by profusely thanking her Father for the chance she has been given. 

In conclusion, the passage also shows an interesting reversal of context with regards to the traditional fairy tale of ‘Cinderella’. In the original story, Cinderella is born poor but marries a rich prince and lives happily ever after. Yen Mah is born to wealth and privilege, but by the end of the story she chooses to become a doctor. However, the fact that her escape is through career rather than a traditional marriage adds a strong touch of feminism and inspiration to the text. The similarity between the fairy tale and her circumstances lies in the fact that both protagonists escaped the tyranny of their families to live better lives.