Falling Leaves

The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter

Grade 9A
Ivan Montenegro
Emman Manila
Charles Macalinao
Alia Cayacap
Alliya Cruz

Submitted to:
Sir Carlos Gajudo
Date:
February 26, 2015

I.Overview

Falling Leaves is a biography written by Adeline Yen Mah. It tells true story of Adeline as
she was born without knowing her mother and she is known as the one who brings bad luck to
her family. A stepmother who torments and punishes the children while giving all her love and
attention to Adelines step-brother and step-sister.

II. Parts of the Story

A. Key Characters

Adeline The fifth child to her father and his first wife. The main protagonist of the

story.
Joseph Yen Adelines father. An affluent business man in Shanghai and Hong Kong
Jeanne Prosperi Adelines stepmother. The storys main antagonist who hated the five
siblings of her husband. Coming from a half Chinese and half French heritage. A

beautiful yet spoiled woman who took control of the Yen household.
James Adelines brother. Among the other siblings, James was the one who never bully

Adeline yet never actually protected her.

Aunt Baba Together with Ye Ye, they are the only family members who cared for
Adeline.

B. Setting
The story took place in 20th century China. In Adelines childhood took place in Tianjin (a
port north of Shanghai) but moved to Shanghai due to their father and stepmother owning a
house along Avenue Joffre. The Yen family moved to Hong Kong due to the threats made by the
communists and Kuomintangs troops.

C. Plot
Born in Tianjin, Adeline was the fifth and the youngest child, but her mother died of
illness shortly after giving birth. Her father remarried a beautiful but spoiled half-Chinese and
half-French woman named Jeanne Prosperi, whom they refer as Niang (Chinese term for
mother). She immediately took power and control in the household. Adeline and the siblings,
continuously being tormented both physically and mentally by her mother, starving them,
slapping and being whipped. She gave birth to two more children, who Niang pamper and love
the most, but its just as of a brute to Adeline. Although their family is very affluent in their
lifestyle, the children however, are always tied with a collar on its neck and little to none cash to
spend with. Even if Adeline escaped all of this with her journey to US, the communists, the
torments and betrayals in their family, still haunts Adelines memory to this day. Because of this,
Adeline finally accepted her roots, battled her demons, and move forward into studying in United
States.
III. Important Events
The key events that took place and the main reason why Yen wrote this is due to the harsh
childhood she experienced. Right from the start when her father married Jeanne everything
changed for Adeline.

Adelines mother died of puerperal fever shortly after giving birth to her. Adeline didnt

even have the chance to recognize her and didnt have any photographs of her.
Niang repeatedly slapping Susan (a 2 year old at the time). Because Susan did not

recognize Niang thus throwing a tantrum.

Adelines pet duckling, PLT (Precious Little Treasure for short), was used as a test to see
if their fathers German shepherd was obedient enough to not eat PLT, it failed. It broke

Adelines heart at the time and she gave PLT a burial.

Being accused of a liar to her parents and being whipped by her father due to Adelines

classmates going to their house, this was against the rules at the time in their household.
Adeline being shipped to Sacred Heart School and Orphanage when they moved to Hong
Kong. It showed how lonely Adeline felt because nobody in their family ever visited her.

At the age of fourteen, she won a writing competition. This was her ticket to freedom to

escape Hong Kong and study in England.

Marriege to Byron Bai Lun-Soon in 1964. But he was abusive and in the end was

divorced by Adeline.
Having stated in the prologue and in the final chapters. In the reading of the will of
Adelines father. Niang stated that he died penniless and have no money in the estate and
no one will inherit anything. Additionally Niang ordered to not read past the front page of
the will, the reason why they followed Niangs command, Adeline said that she must
return to her roots.

IV. Reaction
Alia Cayacap
In this book, the writer shows how to be brave and never give up with any difficulties.
What I love in this book is the writer, Adeline Yen Mah, discuses us not only her life but the
history of her place, communism, Cultural Revolution, and many more. I learned many things
about this book. Feminism is important in Adeline's case. She is a very good example to all the
girls out there.
Even if her father puts his money into her stepmother's name, she followed her dreams.
She became independent and in that way she already have a family that she can rely on. I don't
like the thought of her father who doesn't prioritize his family. Well for me, family doesn't leave
you like others do. You can consider others as your family. But your true family is only one and
they are priceless.

Emman Manila

This book has a nice drama, even though Adeline got many rejections in her life but still
survive this hard life. When you read the book for a few pages it gets boring but when you
realize that Adeline narrate her life it became interesting for me. Im not interested in books like
this one but this one is different , I mean those books that you cant put down. I like non-fiction
books but this book is more on negative side of love. I visualize in the case of Adeline our
government, people rally through the streets but the government ignore what people says about a
problem. You cannot see what is the meaning of equality in our country , even in Adelines life.
For me, Adeline lived a selfish life. Lived in a selfish life because she had a selfish or tyrant stepmother.
Once you finished the book youve realized that Adeline is finished taking up her cross. A
nice story that combines heartbreak and suffering in just one book.I was motivated when Adeline
determination to succeed despite the problems that she encounter
Ivan Montenegro
The word family has many definitions. For me it can be my place of fortitude and
motivation. But for Adeline, it is her everything; pain, joy, life, suffering and her comfort.
Falling leaves is an autobiography of the author which describes her tragic childhood, how she
struggles to cope and try to gain the love and acceptance of her parents and how she survives
through it all. It is a book that actually drove me to tears as well as giving the strength to endure.
The things that I liked the most about this book are the ways how Adeline ables to pass
all obstacles in front of her. She often relies on the ones that are the closest to her, and they are;
James, Aunt Baba and Ye Ye. But when they arent around for her, she uses her most valuable
asset, her mind. At first, she always fantasized how her true mother will swoop down and save
her from the cruelty in this world. But, Aunt Baba snapped her out of her fantasy. That one must
separate the facts and the fiction.
Writing has become part of her life ever since. Its given her hope, the freedom to express
oneself in pen and paper. For me, Id say that this is her gift. And because of that gift, she got the
break she needed. She won an international play-writing competition, thus giving her a chance to
attend school together with James. Giving her the freedom she needed. This, in the end made me
happy.

When I was reading the book, It felt like I grew up with Adeline, the weak, the bullied
who went all kinds of obstacles with incredible strength. And no matter how cruel her family was
to her, she continued to love her family. She always extended her hand whenever they needed
help. I started to reflect about my attitude to my parents. Do I greet them everyday? Do I show
gratitude every time they did something for me? From now on, including today, Adeline is now
my role model. For today and for the future.

V. References
Falling Leaves; Adeline Yen Mah; ISBN 0-7679-0418-4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adeline_Yen_Mah
http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/07/12/reviews/980712.12seelt.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution
http://www.adelineyenmah.com/books/chinese-cinderella/teachers-notes