Chinese Cinderella

• Intro - GAP and ATQ

  GAP

  • Genre: Autobiographical extract (non-fiction)
  • Audience: General readers, particularly young adults
  • Purpose: To explore the emotional impact of family neglect and rejection, and to highlight the significance of small moments of recognition

  ATQ

  • Yen Mah uses language, structure and tone to present a painful but significant memory from her childhood, evoking sympathy and admiration from the reader as she quietly perseveres through emotional isolation and yearning for approval.
• Main Body 1 - Beginning: SPEAR

  • S: The narrator begins by describing being summoned unexpectedly to her father's room.
  • P: This opening sets a tone of uncertainty and emotional distance between her and her father.
  • E: "I was not sure whether I had done something wrong."
  • A: 1) 1st person narration - creates intimacy and makes the emotional tension personal
  • A: 2) Uncertainty and insecurity - ”not sure“, “done something wrong” show her anxiety and fear of disapproval
  • A: 3) Short simple sentence - mirrors the child’s nervous inner thoughts
  • R: The reader immediately feels sympathy for Adeline and is alert to the emotional distance in her family life
• Main Body 2 - Early Middle: SPEAR

  • S: She describes approaching her father and noticing his calm mood, which contrasts with her fear.
  • P: The contrast between her father's calm and her internal panic emphasises how emotionally isolated she feels.
  • E: "Full of foreboding, I ran downstairs as in a nightmare."
  • A: 1) Simile - "as in a nightmare" conveys overwhelming fear and confusion
  • A: 2) Contrasting moods - her fear vs. her father's calm makes the distance starker
  • A: 3) Adverbial phrase - "full of foreboding" intensifies her dread
  • R: The reader becomes more emotionally engaged, recognising how abnormal it is for a child to be this frightened of a parent
• Main Body 3 - Late Middle: SPEAR

  • S: Her father surprises her with praise and mentions an opportunity to study in England.
  • P: This is the emotional climax of the extract, showing the rare moment of recognition Adeline deeply craves.
  • E: "Is it possible? Am I dreaming?"
  • A: 1) Rhetorical questions - reveal disbelief and emotional shock
  • A: 2) Internal monologue - shows how starved she is for approval and affection
  • A: 3) Short, fragmented structure - mimics breathlessness and emotional intensity
  • R: The reader feels joy for Adeline but also sadness, realising this is an unusually rare moment of validation for her
• Main Body 4 - End: SPEAR

  • S: The extract ends with her overwhelmed by this small gesture of kindness and her longing to make her father proud.
  • P: This reinforces the emotional fragility of her situation - a single act of praise becomes life-changing.
  • E: "My whole being vibrated with all the joy in the world."
  • A: 1) Hyperbole - "all the joy in the world" shows how deeply this moment matters to her
  • A: 2) Metaphor - "vibrated" suggests a physical, intense emotional reaction
  • A: 3) Juxtaposition - previous fear vs. current joy highlights how little affection she normally receives
  • R: The reader feels emotional conflict: happiness for Adeline, but also sorrow that such basic affection is so rare for her
• Conclusion

  Yen Mah uses first-person narrative, emotive language, and contrasting tone to show the deep emotional impact of a rare moment of validation. Through structure and personal reflection, she powerfully reveals the damage caused by family neglect and the desperate need for approval, drawing deep sympathy from the reader.