Diary Entry
Dear diary,
Today is an absolute catastrophe. Even now the extreme grief is still tearing me violently. Please don’t prevent me, let me die!
It is the first day of winter by the lunar calendar and it is chilly and dreary with the bitter northeast wind blowing all the time. I didn’t go to the factory this morning because I missed my daughter so terribly and I was dying to get her back. So I simply grabbed an old faded jacket of Loyal without combing my hair properly, then stepped out of the house and directly went to the orphanage where I abandoned my baby close to.
When I saw the woman standing in front of the orphanage, I immediately rushed up to her without a second thought, wringing my hands and whispered:” I want my daughter back……please. Her name is Dong-mei.” Then I desperately dropped to my knees and began to sob with pleading words endlessly coming out of my trembling lips. Well, it was the time when the lady said that the baby described had never lived here before with a complicated expression hanging on her face that I regretted going there because if I didn’t do so, I could at least force myself to picture my dear baby living happily somewhere and relieve myself of this dreadful guilt. Unfortunately, I did this.
A freezing for a moment followed by loudly cry and roar but I suddenly became dumb because of the cruel warning from the woman that my action might implicate my family as well. This was certainly another terrible hit to me because it seemed that I do not even possess any power to be sad. So I helplessly ceased all my weeping and begging then turned, went out after saying “Liuhe Village” and went back home as if my soul had left me.
Without any greet towards Loyal and my parents-in-law, I climbed to the second storey and slowly approached the double window, opened it, then stood onto the sill totally in a trance. The only thing I could perceive was the bone-chilling northeast wind like an executioner who was urging me to jump down and embrace the death. I then closed my eyes gently and took a deep breath--I was just ready to jump, suddenly my wrist was grasped by a strong hand and followed by so much persuasion from the outside world which became so faint in mine. Finally, after some time without any perception, I slowly opened my eyes and found myself being tied to the bed frame by my wrists and ankles……
Today’s memory will never fade away in the future and it will quietly stay in my heart forever.
Chun-mei
Dear diary,
Today is an absolute catastrophe. Even now the extreme grief is still tearing me violently. Please don’t prevent me, let me die!
It is the first day of winter by the lunar calendar and it is chilly and dreary with the bitter northeast wind blowing all the time. I didn’t go to the factory this morning because I missed my daughter so terribly and I was dying to get her back. So I simply grabbed an old faded jacket of Loyal without combing my hair properly, then stepped out of the house and directly went to the orphanage where I abandoned my baby close to.
When I saw the woman standing in front of the orphanage, I immediately rushed up to her without a second thought, wringing my hands and whispered:” I want my daughter back……please. Her name is Dong-mei.” Then I desperately dropped to my knees and began to sob with pleading words endlessly coming out of my trembling lips. Well, it was the time when the lady said that the baby described had never lived here before with a complicated expression hanging on her face that I regretted going there because if I didn’t do so, I could at least force myself to picture my dear baby living happily somewhere and relieve myself of this dreadful guilt. Unfortunately, I did this.
A freezing for a moment followed by loudly cry and roar but I suddenly became dumb because of the cruel warning from the woman that my action might implicate my family as well. This was certainly another terrible hit to me because it seemed that I do not even possess any power to be sad. So I helplessly ceased all my weeping and begging then turned, went out after saying “Liuhe Village” and went back home as if my soul had left me.
Without any greet towards Loyal and my parents-in-law, I climbed to the second storey and slowly approached the double window, opened it, then stood onto the sill totally in a trance. The only thing I could perceive was the bone-chilling northeast wind like an executioner who was urging me to jump down and embrace the death. I then closed my eyes gently and took a deep breath--I was just ready to jump, suddenly my wrist was grasped by a strong hand and followed by so much persuasion from the outside world which became so faint in mine. Finally, after some time without any perception, I slowly opened my eyes and found myself being tied to the bed frame by my wrists and ankles……
Today’s memory will never fade away in the future and it will quietly stay in my heart forever.
Chun-mei
Voicethread transcript
One autumn day when I was in elementary school, my teacher told me that she had called my mother at lunchtime in order to let her know about what I haven’t done for homework. So today’s dinner was just like a torture to me. After the dinner, my mother finally mentioned my crime.
MOTHER(M):“Dong-mei, dear, Mrs. Crossly called me today. Would you like to tell us why?”
DONG-MEI(D):”Didn’t she tell you?”
M: Your dad and I would like you to explain.
D: I didn’t hand in my project.
M: Why not?
D: I didn’t have one to hand in.
M: Because?
D: Because I didn’t do it.
M: Dong-mei, stop being obtuse and explain yourself.
D: Okay, okay… well, I will tell you the situation: two weeks before, Crossly had announced what she proudly called a special history project which is actually a personal history. She gave us the instructions, and it required us to give our name, date of birth, city of birth. I could proudly write my name on it, but then I just stopped proceeding because, how could I? I don’t know the exact facts about my birth! And moreover, she repeated that the information should be “absolutely exact”. I did not want the information to be false, so I just didn’t do it.
M: What were the questions again?
D: Birthday. Where I was born-that kind of stuff.
M: But why didn’t you…
D: Because all that stuff you told me is not real! And Mrs. Crossly would find out! She’d get me in trouble for putting down lies.
M: Well, there is still a project that should be completed. Or I will call Mrs. Crossly to give you a substitute assignment. Maybe I should remind her how insensitive she was to give her this kind of project. I’ll phone her tomorrow.
D: Alright, I’m not feeling well, I will go to bed….
It seemed like they have solved the problem, but they haven’t at all.
After a deep breath I stood up and went back to my room.
单击此处进行编辑.
One autumn day when I was in elementary school, my teacher told me that she had called my mother at lunchtime in order to let her know about what I haven’t done for homework. So today’s dinner was just like a torture to me. After the dinner, my mother finally mentioned my crime.
MOTHER(M):“Dong-mei, dear, Mrs. Crossly called me today. Would you like to tell us why?”
DONG-MEI(D):”Didn’t she tell you?”
M: Your dad and I would like you to explain.
D: I didn’t hand in my project.
M: Why not?
D: I didn’t have one to hand in.
M: Because?
D: Because I didn’t do it.
M: Dong-mei, stop being obtuse and explain yourself.
D: Okay, okay… well, I will tell you the situation: two weeks before, Crossly had announced what she proudly called a special history project which is actually a personal history. She gave us the instructions, and it required us to give our name, date of birth, city of birth. I could proudly write my name on it, but then I just stopped proceeding because, how could I? I don’t know the exact facts about my birth! And moreover, she repeated that the information should be “absolutely exact”. I did not want the information to be false, so I just didn’t do it.
M: What were the questions again?
D: Birthday. Where I was born-that kind of stuff.
M: But why didn’t you…
D: Because all that stuff you told me is not real! And Mrs. Crossly would find out! She’d get me in trouble for putting down lies.
M: Well, there is still a project that should be completed. Or I will call Mrs. Crossly to give you a substitute assignment. Maybe I should remind her how insensitive she was to give her this kind of project. I’ll phone her tomorrow.
D: Alright, I’m not feeling well, I will go to bed….
It seemed like they have solved the problem, but they haven’t at all.
After a deep breath I stood up and went back to my room.
单击此处进行编辑.
Book review of “throwaway daughter”
This book is about a Chinese girl named Grace who was abandoned by her birth parents when she was born but was then fortunately adopted by a Canadian couple. With the help from her Canadian parents, the people in charge of the orphanage and many relatives of her back in China, she gradually changed her perception of China as well as her natural parents a lot, and finally came to understand the whole story.
I regard this book as a very real, thoughtful and novel one. I believe that the author of the book conveyed a fabulous idea of family and identity by focusing on this little family’s story and making each chapter of the book a monologue of a different character, which is the first time seen by me. Therefore the following contents are my thoughts focusing on the idea of family and self-identity.
First, the definition of family is elaborated exceedingly well in this novel because of the complexity in this story. Strictly speaking, Grace has two families. On one hand, the Chinese family which is related to her by blood had no alternative but to abandon her due to the severe bias in the attitudes towards girls and boys in that period of time. Therefore, everybody was brainwashed by those endless propagandas including Grace’s families. In this way, from my point of view I think even though each of her families loves her, especially her mom who would have sacrificed everything to protect her, they are influenced too much from the outside. Therefore, the fault should not be theirs, but that of society. A family’s love will never change after all.
On the other hand, the Canadian family who were not related to her by blood but had offered her a complete family, boundless care and love. Moreover, the most precious thing was that they encouraged her to seek her Chinese root all the time which showed considerable tolerance and magnanimity. They were the people to whom Grace should appreciate forever even though they were not her natural parents. They were even greater and dedicated more to Grace. As a result, the author has demonstrated a comprehensive definition of family which is no matter whether the families are related to you by blood or not and despite what horrible things they have seemingly done to you, (as a result of external factors in this story), both families remain yours and will demonstrate endless love toward you from the bottom of their hearts.
Additionally, the idea of identity which I think was described as this in this book: no matter where you have been to, how long you have stayed outside rather than your hometown, what language you were keeping speaking all the time and how awful the idea you hold towards your very natural root; there is no doubt that it is your birth parents, your hometown and the culture of your hometown that means the most to you and will have a great sense of intimacy at the end. These are your roots which are just like the unique genes carried in your body all the time.
In conclusion, I think the ideas elaborated in this novel are magnificent and have taught me a lot. This book is really worth your intensive reading because it will bring you massive thoughts and thinking.
This book is about a Chinese girl named Grace who was abandoned by her birth parents when she was born but was then fortunately adopted by a Canadian couple. With the help from her Canadian parents, the people in charge of the orphanage and many relatives of her back in China, she gradually changed her perception of China as well as her natural parents a lot, and finally came to understand the whole story.
I regard this book as a very real, thoughtful and novel one. I believe that the author of the book conveyed a fabulous idea of family and identity by focusing on this little family’s story and making each chapter of the book a monologue of a different character, which is the first time seen by me. Therefore the following contents are my thoughts focusing on the idea of family and self-identity.
First, the definition of family is elaborated exceedingly well in this novel because of the complexity in this story. Strictly speaking, Grace has two families. On one hand, the Chinese family which is related to her by blood had no alternative but to abandon her due to the severe bias in the attitudes towards girls and boys in that period of time. Therefore, everybody was brainwashed by those endless propagandas including Grace’s families. In this way, from my point of view I think even though each of her families loves her, especially her mom who would have sacrificed everything to protect her, they are influenced too much from the outside. Therefore, the fault should not be theirs, but that of society. A family’s love will never change after all.
On the other hand, the Canadian family who were not related to her by blood but had offered her a complete family, boundless care and love. Moreover, the most precious thing was that they encouraged her to seek her Chinese root all the time which showed considerable tolerance and magnanimity. They were the people to whom Grace should appreciate forever even though they were not her natural parents. They were even greater and dedicated more to Grace. As a result, the author has demonstrated a comprehensive definition of family which is no matter whether the families are related to you by blood or not and despite what horrible things they have seemingly done to you, (as a result of external factors in this story), both families remain yours and will demonstrate endless love toward you from the bottom of their hearts.
Additionally, the idea of identity which I think was described as this in this book: no matter where you have been to, how long you have stayed outside rather than your hometown, what language you were keeping speaking all the time and how awful the idea you hold towards your very natural root; there is no doubt that it is your birth parents, your hometown and the culture of your hometown that means the most to you and will have a great sense of intimacy at the end. These are your roots which are just like the unique genes carried in your body all the time.
In conclusion, I think the ideas elaborated in this novel are magnificent and have taught me a lot. This book is really worth your intensive reading because it will bring you massive thoughts and thinking.
Voicethread Link:
https://voicethread.com/share/5145798/
https://voicethread.com/share/5145798/