Blog #4

 

 

       Adeline goes to Wu Chun-mei’s birthday party on their day off from school without telling Niang there was no school and she was going to the party. Adeline has to rush back home for lunch to pretend that it was a normal day, except Niang found out that they actually had the day off, and so Adeline got in huge trouble. She ended up having to tell Wu Chun-mei she couldn’t come back and Niang scolded her severely for going without telling her. When Adeline’s friends show up to her house after she was elected class president, Niang was furious that they had come and screamed at Adeline for them coming over when it was supposed to be quiet for her father to sleep. Not only that, but all the girls brought really nice presents, which made it even worse. Adeline’s friends seemed shocked to hear Niang screaming at Adeline, and left feeling saddened and disappointed. Wu Chun-mei was angry at Adeline's parents for treating her that way as well, and left frustrated and sad for her friend. Adeline thought she would lose her friends after this, but instead Father and Niang decided for her to leave the school all together, and she leaves to a school deep in Communist territory expected to be taken over quickly. Adeline probably would have been captured there if not for Niang’s sister, who provided her with an escape route as well as a short-lived experience of what it was like to be with a kind, loving family who treated their children as equals to each other. The Schillings provided way more support and showed so much more kindness towards Adeline in a couple months than her own family did her whole life. There was such a stark contrast with the way the Schillings treated Adeline and Adeline’s mood and thoughts because of being treated so well for once.