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Big Brother (Gregory)
Second Brother is the third child of Father’s first marriage, stepson of Niang, and middle of the stepchildren. Though it is never fully revealed why, Second Brother is the cruelest sibling towards Adeline. He constantly blames her for their mother’s death, demeans her, and physically assaults her (often punching her hard in the back of the head). Second Brother similarly despises Niang and the humiliation she puts them through, though his wanton cruelty echoes her own, demonstrating the way in which children often absorb the abusive, cruel behavior they see modeled by their parents. Second Brother also leaves to study in England fairly early, removing him from the memoir’s second half.
Second Brother (Edgar) Quotes in Chinese Cinderella
The Chinese Cinderella quotes below are all either spoken by Second Brother (Edgar) or refer to Second Brother (Edgar). 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:
).
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.”
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Chapter 3: Nai Nai’s Bound Feet
Quotes
While I was basking in Third Brother’s praise, I suddenly felt a hard blow across the back of my head. I turned around to see Second Brother glowering at me.
“What did you do that for?” I asked angrily …
“Because I feel like it! That’s why, you ugly little squirt! This’ll teach you to show off your medal!”
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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.”
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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.”
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Chapter 10: Shanghai School Days
Quotes
Did Third Brother truly understand what he was up against? By wanting to have things both ways and straddling the fence, was he aware that each compromise would chip away at his integrity? ... It was the loss of the nicest parts of Third Brother that saddened me.
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Second Brother (Edgar) Quotes in Chinese Cinderella
The Chinese Cinderella quotes below are all either spoken by Second Brother (Edgar) or refer to Second Brother (Edgar). 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:
).
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.”
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 3: Nai Nai’s Bound Feet
Quotes
While I was basking in Third Brother’s praise, I suddenly felt a hard blow across the back of my head. I turned around to see Second Brother glowering at me.
“What did you do that for?” I asked angrily …
“Because I feel like it! That’s why, you ugly little squirt! This’ll teach you to show off your medal!”
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Page Number and Citation:
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.”
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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.”
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10: Shanghai School Days
Quotes
Did Third Brother truly understand what he was up against? By wanting to have things both ways and straddling the fence, was he aware that each compromise would chip away at his integrity? ... It was the loss of the nicest parts of Third Brother that saddened me.
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