Question

What is the stepmother’s motive in the Chinese version of “Cinderella” when she refuses to allow Cinderella to go to the festival?

Answer 1

The first lines we hear from Big Sister set the tone of both the novel and the character. The blame that rests on Adeline from her birth prohibits any hope of an easy childhood; with her siblings believing that she brought about the end to their idyllic lives, she is in no position to convince them otherwise. The endless cycle of hate and bias has already begun, fed by any negative turns or disappointing results. Although this is brutally unfair, it--like being a daughter and being Chinese—is a part of realities that Adeline has no choice but to overcome.