Monday, January 30, 2012

Literature and Elemental Truths

In the Preface to Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah writes that “All stories, including fairy tales, present elemental truths, which can sometimes permeate your inner life and become part of you.” In your own words, explain what this means and give an example of how this might be true.

79 comments:

  1. Some things that we do can effect other people or other thing we do, but that's just life.

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  2. When i was 5 i read the book The 3 pigs i learned that instead of doing things half fast do it the best you can! This shows that most stories have a elemental truth!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LLY

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  3. This means that you can live a fairy tale and be happy. This will travel you in amny different places, wherever you can imagine.

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  4. Also, the Cinderalla story is a fairy tale. She was swooped of of her feet and livede happily ever after.

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  5. It means that even fairy tale stories can relate to real life and influence your life in many ways. An example is Hansel and Gretel, because it tells you not to trust people you don't really know.

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  7. This means that even fairytale stories have a moral, a lesson you can learn.
    CS1

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  8. basically, adeline yen mah was a neglected unwanted child. she grew up being hated by most of her relatives, and she discovered a ton of elemental truths. this has nothing to do with her, but Gandhi once said, be the change you want to see. if you want your neighborhood to look pretty, make an effort or start an organization.
    -reese fleming

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  9. Even though that fairy tails are not real they still have a moral and teach you a lesson about life and that is what Adeline is trying to say like the Big Bad Wolf.

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  10. It maens to connect to your life. This may be true because one person may also have a miserable life and has to fight through it. By 200280204

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  11. like fables teach you a lesson,so do alot books.

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  12. I think Adeline was saying that since fairy tails are happy, your life can become happy like it too. When I was little I liked Snow White. I learned thst you should always follow your gut ands heart and do what they tell you. That to me is elementl truth!

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  13. Don't give up, whenever life pushes you down, get right back up.

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  14. It means that if you read a book that you really like, and the meaning of the book is good, then you start to use it. Like in The Wizard of Oz. Everybody has something special about everyone. Nicholas Mahoney

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  15. All st





















    All stories, including the ones made up, teach us a life lesson. In Little Red Riding Hood, it tells us to listen to others and be cautious of our surrounding. Everything affects life.
    ~Pooja Parikh <3 :)

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  16. some things in life can go in the wrong direction, but if we didnt mess up some times then life wouldn't be fun.
    it is kind of like cinderella, she was treated badly, but in the end life turned out really good for her.
    *Kaitlin Andrews

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  17. When you go through something it can affect you. Like if you were teased as a child then it can affect your self esteem.

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  18. If you liked a fairy tale when you were a kid, it might affect your life and help you.

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  19. it means like the fairy tale could relate to you in real life <3
    -selina peng

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  20. It means that everything you do, see, or read can influence and shape who you are. For example, if you see someone dong something to another person, you may copy that action.

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  21. it mean that fairy tales can relate to real life and can also influence your life as to what u do, what u love and what u have to do.

    -alex

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  22. All stories have a life lesson in them no matter what genre they are no mattter if its made up or true. Even if they weren't meant to have a life lesson in it they still will.

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  23. when you were little and you read cinderella and it told how you could be a cinderella no matter what had happened to you in the past. We could use the Cinderella story in every day life to show that we can all be what we want to be.

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  24. or smarter if its nonfiction o-O

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  25. In the stories we read, they are ment to teach us a lesson wether its telling us to stay away from strangers or telling us to follow our heart.

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  26. When Adeline Yen Mah wrote that "All stories, including fairy tales, present elemental truths, which can sometimes permeate your inner life and become part of you.” I believe that she means that from every single story we've read, we have all learned something, no matter how small. All stories hold some truth, whether it's from the author's personal experience to something he or she saw on the news. Even fanstasy and fairytale stories hold truth. Aseop's Fables, for example, have a wise moral to every story. When you read this story, book, or an piece of writing, you always learn something! After you have, it becomes 'absorbed' in your mind, meaning that you've learned from it just like you've learned from your teacher. Every story holds truth, even Beuaty and the beast, it has a moral. It 'becomes a part of you' because you've connected to the story in some way whether it's from your own personal experience, to even your childhood memories. In conclusion, everyone learns something meaningful in every tale told, story spoken, or writing written.


    ~Shannen Smiley! ~
    :D

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  27. It means that the things that you do, influence what kind of person you are. -2spa

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  28. if you believe your life is a fairytale, it can influece you to be what evr you want to be and be gr8 at it.....


    -KENZI!!!!!!

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  30. Shannen, you would probably get a top score on your SAT essay if you organize ur ideas a little more

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  31. all stories, despite of they're true or not, will have some sort of theme or life meaning. For example, in the movie Finding Nemo, the theme is to never give up to help somebody you care for.
    ~~Paige :3

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  32. people might have a rough time in their life and can relate to a story and they might be trying to tell you how you should act apon things in life. like you should do the right thing even if you dont get anything in return. bgam

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  33. all movies and all stories have hidden themes when i was little me and my family would play a game. we would watch a movie or read a story and try to find the hidden theme.and to this day alot of those themes have stuck with me that is what i think this means

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  34. When somebody writes a story that is relating to you, it triggers something inside you and makes you feel different ever when it is fiction or a fantasy.

    Amo --Goody 2 Shoes--

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  35. I agree with this quote becasue it is so true. I think that in my own words it means that what you do and think is what you become.

    ~paakhee shah

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  36. Every fairtale tends to have a lesson or a moral. This could be as small as don~t listen to strangers to follow your heart where ever it leads to. In Ariel she learns to listen to her father and learns to love. She also learns that you must believe in yourself!!!
    Kaitlin Crumrine

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  37. fairy tales are normally created to teach a lesson or just for the fun of it. some of the morals they teach is to follow your heart

    selena gomez is pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) -_- :)

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  38. A fairy tale can have a moral to a story. CG3

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  39. When you are faced with the same problem that a character has, it may influence your situation. Books shape who you are, and what you do.

    -Makenna <3

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  40. I love dogs and cats but dogs are better.

    ~the random dude in ms.smiths classroom that like candy and stuff.

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  41. I think that when you can relate to a story it gives you more ways you could have handled a problem. Then maybe next time if the problem happens again you can be smarter as how to handle it.

    -Brie

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  42. ussualy ju read fairytales, which are made to teach a lesson, when ju are little. When ju are little, you see the bad outcomes of bad choices, therefore believing they will actually happen, making you learn the lesson.

    And cats are better -_-

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  43. Fairy tales usaully have a deeper meaning then just what it says on the page. Stories like beauty and the beast have a meaning, in this story no matter what a person looks like you should be their friend and not judge them do to their appearence.
    -madie boyle

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  44. Fairy tales teach someone lessons. mmhmm. -..-
    SKETTEAM!!! :DDD

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  45. All fairytales teach us about something- it could be don't be too proud, or don't be mean to peoople, or things like that. These can sink in to you, especially if you are a small 2 or 3 year old. For example, as a litle kid, my mom read me "The Little Red Riding Hood" ever since then, i never trusted strangers. Also, my dad read the hare and turtle story, ever since then, I never took a break from a race.

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  46. we have to have a passion for the characters that are in the book including fantasy

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  47. It is so very true! you learn things from every book! I even learned from twilight. Its ok to trust a bloodsucking, murderous being. :3
    -Alex

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  48. i think if you can relate to something, you are happier.

    katie dunn

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  49. I think she is sayig that every book tells a story or teaces a lesson. In her book it tells about her cildood and how she is unwanted

    Brandon Crosby

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  50. This is like when you do a writing you get into it and you relate to it

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  51. Stories can give people influence on what they decide to do with their life, or when they're faced with problems. :) <3

    ChaeRin ( CheeRon(; )

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  52. This is so true! Fables always have morals that relate to real life. Every time you here someone say something, it has some degree of influence on you, especially if it is a widely known topic.
    -4EMA

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  53. This means that certain stories can be kept in your memory, and it can be an influence for your choices and what you do in everyday life. I think an example of an influential story could be Chinese Cinderella. :)

    -Janice Kim, 4th ACD

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  54. I think that this is true. When you read a book at a young age,and if it teaches you a lesson, that lesson stays with forever. For example, when you read the 3 little pigs, you learn to not be lazy.

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  55. It means that even the fairytales have a moral, or something that you can take from the story as a life lesson.

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  56. I think she is saying the books teach a leason. So don't make that mistake!!!
    [Matt]

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  57. Each Story is written for a Purpose. ._. Even the Dumb Ones. I try to learn from Everything I ready ^.^

    ~Amantium Irae Amoris Integratio Est~

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  58. Stories can "shape" what you do/ don't do.
    Also some parts of the story may be face in your life like red riding hood... don't talk to strangers.

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  59. it means that some fairytales can have morals or a life lesson.

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  60. Each story serves a different person or the author has a reson to write that story (to make you laugh, sit on the edge of your seat, scare the pee out of you,etc) However, I don't think you can learn things form EVERY story

    EX.
    I'm reading Twilight, Twlight doesn't teach you how to befriend werewolves and vampires, there is no lesson it's just to entertain! :D
    ~Maya <3 :)

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  61. This means that you can use a lesson from each story in real life.
    Raj

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  62. If you think your life could be put into a farytale you can make it what ever you want and enjoy it all the way you want it.

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  63. 'You can learn alot from each story, because each story teaches a lesson.'

    -Nikhil Makkuni

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  64. It means that everything can teach you something no matter how fictionary it is. Like the Star Wars series can teach you about friendship and technology.

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  65. “All stories, including fairy tales, present elemental truths, which can sometimes permeate your inner life and become part of you" means that every type of story has a truth to it, whether its a fantasy or nonfiction.

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  66. When you have the same situation that Ms.Adeline Yen Ma had, it shapes who you are. Also, I agree with this quote because it is sooo true. pretty much it means that what you think and do is what you become later in the future.

    -Olivia Derucki <3

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  67. It means that every peice of literature has a lesson. That is why it's so important to read. You learn valuable things that you will use all your life, and Adelin Yen Mah realizes that.

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  68. When I was little and I read Red Riding Hood, I learned not to talk or associate with strangers.
    - Hannah :)

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  69. This means that even make believe stories teach a true lesson that's important(most of the time) to life. An example of this is Maximum Ride, one of the lessons is that family is important. <3
    AP-AC4

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  70. This means that even if the story you are reading it still has a lesson behind it. One example is Jack and the Beanstalk. It teaches you to obey your parents. These lessons can be very important to you later on in life.
    -Lizzy G AC2

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  71. when you can relate to something, it makes you happier! lets just say that you are going through hard times, like Adeline Yen Ma, well maybe there is someone out there that just might be going through the same things, and they might think that they are the only ones going through hard times.
    -anett ACD3

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  72. i think when you know you can relate to someone it makes you happier and more comfortable

    ~anna towenr

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  73. In the beginning of the book A Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah states, “All stories, including fairy tales, present elemental truths, which can sometimes permeate your inner life and become part of you." In my opinion, I think this means that elemental truths, also known as morals and the the theme of a story, can affect your life, especially if it is a moral you live by. For instance, in one of Aesop's fables, a farmer carries his donkey to town. On the way, he is told by different people different things, such as you should carry the donkey instead of it carrying you. As he tries to please everybody, he finally reaches the town where everybody laughs at him for carrying a donkey. In the end, if you try to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no one. For me, that is one of the elemental truths from a book that I follow. Or in other words, if a movie, book, or any other media has an important moral, it will probably affect you in a way that you will abide by it for a lifetime.

    1MWO

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  74. It means that stories of all kind can affect you and your life. For example, in Adeline Yen Mah's story she is not treated very well in the beginning but in the end the story is happy and it makes you feel happy.
    Alexandra Tweddle

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  75. The way you interprert a story can change how you grow up. Stories can affect your life, and maybe she was warning us about that.

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  76. It means that when you read a story you can sometimes relate to it and it can help you with your life in the future. It can get you knowledge and shape your personality.

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