From its inception, children’s literature had in it an unusual educational function,
which is to show horror and dire consequences in order to lead one into a certain
pattern. Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China, for instance, relied on brutal
intimidation to frighten children into docile behavior. In the story, Yeh-Shen was
disfavored by her stepmother, and had to take care of all the house chores. At the
village where Yeh-Shen lived, a festival would be held in springtime. All young men
and women would like to attend the festival since it provided them with a chance to
meet other youths, and possibly further spouse. As the festival was approaching,
Yeh-Shen longed to go. But, her stepmother forbade her to leave the house.
Desperately, she asked help from the magic bones that her fish friend left to her before.
Immediately, she was transformed into a beauty. That night at the festival, everyone
marveled at her prettiness. However, in order to hide from her stepmother and
stepsister, she ran away from the party. She therefore lost one of her slippers. She had
to find her shoe and return to the bones; otherwise, the bones would no longer have
any responses to her. When she went to take her lost shoe back, her beauty attracted
the prince. Eventually, the prince asked for her hand in marriage. As she was rewarded
for her good heart, hard work, and inner beauty, her stepmother and stepsister were
crushed to death in a shower of stones because of their wickedness and malice. In short,
through a combined representation of a good girl and a wicked stepsister, this tale
promotes a pedagogy of fear and terror through images of death and disaster to pave
the path for children to move into their expected roles.
【題組】43. According to this passage, which of the following characteristics cannot be used to
describe Yeh-Shen’s personality?
(A) docile
(B) wicked
(C) good heart
(D) working hard
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