Chinese Cinderella

Chinese Cinderella

by

Adeline Yen Mah

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Chinese Cinderella makes teaching easy.
Niang is Father’s second wife and Adeline’s abusive stepmother. She is the memoir’s primary antagonist. Niang is a half-French, half-Chinese, and her European heritage contributes to her extreme vanity. She despises the five children of her husband’s first marriage, favoring her own two biological children to an extreme degree by giving her children good food, fashionable modern clothing, and every luxury they desire, while denying the stepchildren any provision aside from the barest minimum. However, even towards her own children, Niang is occasionally psychotic and abusive: when Little Sister is reunited with Niang as a toddler, Niang beats her furiously for not wanting to be held by Niang and for accidentally breaking her necklace. Niang also demonstrates an extreme level of narcissism and is enraged anytime that Adeline—whom she hates and regards as utterly worthless—has any sort of success or happiness, such as when her friends throw a surprise party to celebrate Adeline’s election as class president. Though the youngest adult in the house by many years, Niang dominates the family, due in part to her control over Father and in part to her furious demeanor. She subjugates both Ye Ye and Aunt Baba, especially when they show compassion to the stepchildren—this causes Aunt Baba to go live in Communist-controlled Shanghai after Adeline has been sent away, rather than in the same house as Niang. Pointedly, Niang is never depicted as having any character development. She is depicted as evil and selfish throughout the length of the memoir until Adeline leaves for England.

Niang (Jeanne Prosperi) Quotes in Chinese Cinderella

The Chinese Cinderella quotes below are all either spoken by Niang (Jeanne Prosperi) or refer to Niang (Jeanne Prosperi). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Physical and Emotional Abuse Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1: Top of the Class Quotes

“But then Mama died giving birth to you. If you had not been born, Mama would still be alive. She died because of you. You are bad luck.”

Related Characters: Big Sister (Lydia) (speaker), Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang, Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen), Third Brother (James), Big Brother (Gregory), Second Brother (Edgar)
Page Number: 3
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5: Arrival in Shanghai Quotes

As we climbed the stairs, Big Brother muttered, “To her, we are not separate people. Here we have become one single unit known as all of you. Seems like this is how it’s going to be from now on.”

Related Characters: Big Brother (Gregory) (speaker), Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang, Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen), Big Sister (Lydia), Second Brother (Edgar)
Page Number: 25
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7: Family Reunion Quotes

In those few moments, we had understood everything. Not only about Niang, but also about all the grown-ups. Now that Nai Nai was dead, there was no doubt about who was in charge.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Grandfather Ye Ye, Grandmother Nai Nai, Little Sister (Susan)
Page Number: 35
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9: Chinese New Year Quotes

We began to question Third Brother’s sanity—had he imagined that Niang overheard us?—but he stuck to his story. “Perhaps,” he suggested darkly, “we’re being kept deliberately in a state of uncertainty because that’s what Niang most enjoys. The cat-and-mouse game.”

Related Characters: Third Brother (James) (speaker), Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang, Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Big Sister (Lydia), Big Brother (Gregory), Second Brother (Edgar)
Page Number: 48
Explanation and Analysis:

I was no longer the lonely little girl bullied by her siblings. Instead, I was the female warrior Mulan, who would rescue her aunt and Ye Ye from harm.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Grandfather Ye Ye, Aunt Baba
Page Number: 53
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11: PLT Quotes

I felt quite guilty about my favoritism and couldn’t help blaming myself for not having gotten more worms that each duckling could have its own.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi)
Related Symbols: PLT
Page Number: 76
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13: A Birthday Party Quotes

Finally, I sat there with my eyes tightly shut, wishing with all my heart that when I opened them again, I would be Jackie and Jackie would be me.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen)
Page Number: 104
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14: Class President Quotes

“It’s because we won the election today. I’m now class president. We worked hard at it—”

Niang interrupted me in the middle of my explanation. “Stop bragging!” she screamed. “Who do you think you are? … You are getting altogether too proud and conceited! No matter what you consider yourself to be, you are nothing without your father. Nothing! Nothing! Nothing!”

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen)
Related Symbols: The Holy of Holies
Page Number: 117
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16: Hong Kong Quotes

That was how [Aunt Reine’s] family treated me throughout the time I spent with them. They made me feel as if I were their third child. For the first time in my life, I did not automatically get the short end of the sick but was given an equal share, just like Victor and Claudine.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Victor (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Aunt Reine , Claudine
Page Number: 142
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17: Boarding School in Hong Kong Quotes

Afterward, Ye Ye and I sat by ourselves on the long couch, not saying a word. I looked at my grandfather defeated and resigned with a blanket around his drooping shoulders in the blistering heat, his face contorted with sadness and anguish. A tired old man with no one to turn to, imprisoned by his love for his only son.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen), Grandfather Ye Ye, Fourth Brother (Franklin)
Page Number: 159
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20: Pneumonia Quotes

“Don’t talk like that! … You mustn’t talk like that! You have your whole life ahead of you. Everything is possible! I’ve tried to tell you over and over that far from being garbage, you are precious and special. Being on top of your class merely confirms this. But you can vanquish the demons only when you yourself are convinced of your own worth.”

Related Characters: Grandfather Ye Ye (speaker), Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang, Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen), Third Brother (James)
Page Number: 181
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Chinese Cinderella LitChart as a printable PDF.
Chinese Cinderella PDF

Niang (Jeanne Prosperi) Quotes in Chinese Cinderella

The Chinese Cinderella quotes below are all either spoken by Niang (Jeanne Prosperi) or refer to Niang (Jeanne Prosperi). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Physical and Emotional Abuse Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1: Top of the Class Quotes

“But then Mama died giving birth to you. If you had not been born, Mama would still be alive. She died because of you. You are bad luck.”

Related Characters: Big Sister (Lydia) (speaker), Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang, Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen), Third Brother (James), Big Brother (Gregory), Second Brother (Edgar)
Page Number: 3
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5: Arrival in Shanghai Quotes

As we climbed the stairs, Big Brother muttered, “To her, we are not separate people. Here we have become one single unit known as all of you. Seems like this is how it’s going to be from now on.”

Related Characters: Big Brother (Gregory) (speaker), Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang, Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen), Big Sister (Lydia), Second Brother (Edgar)
Page Number: 25
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7: Family Reunion Quotes

In those few moments, we had understood everything. Not only about Niang, but also about all the grown-ups. Now that Nai Nai was dead, there was no doubt about who was in charge.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Grandfather Ye Ye, Grandmother Nai Nai, Little Sister (Susan)
Page Number: 35
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9: Chinese New Year Quotes

We began to question Third Brother’s sanity—had he imagined that Niang overheard us?—but he stuck to his story. “Perhaps,” he suggested darkly, “we’re being kept deliberately in a state of uncertainty because that’s what Niang most enjoys. The cat-and-mouse game.”

Related Characters: Third Brother (James) (speaker), Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang, Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Big Sister (Lydia), Big Brother (Gregory), Second Brother (Edgar)
Page Number: 48
Explanation and Analysis:

I was no longer the lonely little girl bullied by her siblings. Instead, I was the female warrior Mulan, who would rescue her aunt and Ye Ye from harm.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Grandfather Ye Ye, Aunt Baba
Page Number: 53
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11: PLT Quotes

I felt quite guilty about my favoritism and couldn’t help blaming myself for not having gotten more worms that each duckling could have its own.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi)
Related Symbols: PLT
Page Number: 76
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13: A Birthday Party Quotes

Finally, I sat there with my eyes tightly shut, wishing with all my heart that when I opened them again, I would be Jackie and Jackie would be me.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen)
Page Number: 104
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14: Class President Quotes

“It’s because we won the election today. I’m now class president. We worked hard at it—”

Niang interrupted me in the middle of my explanation. “Stop bragging!” she screamed. “Who do you think you are? … You are getting altogether too proud and conceited! No matter what you consider yourself to be, you are nothing without your father. Nothing! Nothing! Nothing!”

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen)
Related Symbols: The Holy of Holies
Page Number: 117
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16: Hong Kong Quotes

That was how [Aunt Reine’s] family treated me throughout the time I spent with them. They made me feel as if I were their third child. For the first time in my life, I did not automatically get the short end of the sick but was given an equal share, just like Victor and Claudine.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Victor (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Aunt Reine , Claudine
Page Number: 142
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17: Boarding School in Hong Kong Quotes

Afterward, Ye Ye and I sat by ourselves on the long couch, not saying a word. I looked at my grandfather defeated and resigned with a blanket around his drooping shoulders in the blistering heat, his face contorted with sadness and anguish. A tired old man with no one to turn to, imprisoned by his love for his only son.

Related Characters: Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang (speaker), Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen), Grandfather Ye Ye, Fourth Brother (Franklin)
Page Number: 159
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20: Pneumonia Quotes

“Don’t talk like that! … You mustn’t talk like that! You have your whole life ahead of you. Everything is possible! I’ve tried to tell you over and over that far from being garbage, you are precious and special. Being on top of your class merely confirms this. But you can vanquish the demons only when you yourself are convinced of your own worth.”

Related Characters: Grandfather Ye Ye (speaker), Adeline Yen (Jun-Ling / Wu-Mei)Niang, Niang (Jeanne Prosperi), Father (Joseph Yen), Third Brother (James)
Page Number: 181
Explanation and Analysis: