After Yen Mah’s father and stepmother returned from their trip from Tianjin, the seven children got a gift from old family friends. They gave each child a baby duckling and after her siblings had chosen theirs, she was left with a tiny duckling. Yen Mah named her Precious Little Treasure (PLT) and the duckling became her best friend. They got very close to each other since Yen Mah was protective of her and told her all of her feelings as if she understood. Yen Mah would even feed PLT worms she dug up in the garden, even if Jackie, a large dog that belonged to her father. On the roof terrace was the duck pen and Second Brother found Yen Mah favoring her own duckling by giving her a worm. When that worm was taken away and she went to dig up a new one, Jackie bit her wrist and the only person who noticed was Aunt Baba. They decided not to tell anyone unless they notice and head to dinner. After dinner, the father and Niang was talking about Jackie’s obedience lesson and decided to test it out. Ironically, the lessons have been failing since Jackie only listens to her father and step family. Her father told his children to bring down one duckling and it turns out to be PLT. Yen Mah could only watch as her close companion was killed; the next morning she buried it in the garden when her father left with Jackie. In school, Wu Chun-mei begged Yen Mah to attend her birthday party, which after much pestering, Yen Mah agreed; she didn’t have time to retake her answer back because it would’ve ruined her friend’s mood. Her aunt knew of the event and gave her a silver coin so she could buy a gift. The party was on a holiday in which only her school had the day off so without telling her stepmother, Yen Mah attended the party. She soon had to return for lunch at home, causing Niang to become suspicious of her behavior. She found out that Yen Mah was lying and Aunt Baba was going behind their backs so her father decided to separate them. Wu Chun-mei did not know what happen and went on with the lie that Niang told her about her not being able to return back to the party. In school, there was an election for class president and run like a democracy, the students voted for Yen Mah but in her speech she refused and passed it onto her friend in fear of being late to go home. At home, her aunt tried to ask her what Yen Mah’s parents said yesterday but her grandfather said to leave her alone and don’t tear her down. The next day her friend won and Yen Mah went home like always but her friends secretly followed her home in hopes of a celebration. They don’t know the life she lives through and Yen Mah becomes afraid; her parents heard the commotion in their living room and they become furious at Yen Mah. In a separated room with the door open, they yelled insults and punished her; Yen Mah’s friends heard everything and left home, understanding her situation. Yen Mah’s punishment was that she is to live somewhere else, away from her aunt since Niang believes that her evilness rubbed off. In school the next day, Yen Mah was voted for class president, making her feel at home, but when she comes home, she finds out that she is to leave the next day to Tianjin with her parents and without her aunt. The chapter ends with Yen Mah and her aunt talking about how they would stay in contact with each other, how her aunt would always be with her and how Yen Mah is special.
“Let her study! She won’t disappoint you. When you’ve reached my age, you know which children are weak and which are strong. Don’t ask her too many questions. Don’t criticize her or tear her down. I don’t want her to grow up like Big Sister. She is going to be different!” (Yen Mah 110).
I picked this speech by her grandfather because once I read it, they way he said it jumped out to me. Knowing what she had went through in life and a gist of her pain, I feel like there are some people like her grandfather and aunt that still believe and care for her, even when everyone else in the family doesn’t. When I read the last sentence of his speech, I knew that he still had confidence that Yen Mah wouldn’t turn out like her sister, who submitted to Niang when gifts were given to her. I also know that he knows that she is strong, which is true because she was only around ten years old and she has to encounter all of these depressing feelings swirling around her life. Also, when I read this, I imagined Yen Mah still mentally standing while her sister is crumbled down with the criticized and questions.
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