Analysis Of Lillian Heker's A Stolen Party

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Lillian Heker and Amy Tan are two fictional authors who illustrate varying perspectives on the social mores and social conditions surrounding their child protagonists. Heker exemplifies in her short story, A Stolen Party, an incident where a child is prejudicially judged based on parent’s social and economic status. She exemplifies an incident where her child protagonist receives differential treatment solely based on her family’s unfortunate financial status. She demonstrates that her protagonist’s personality and talents exceed those of a wealthy family’s child. Through the short story, Heker conveys to the audience that children should be perceived based off their personality and talents, and not viewed by their parent’s financial and educational …show more content…

Rosaura’s mother is perceived by others as financially unfortunate, working as a maid for the family of Rosaura’s best friend, Luciana. Her mother’s economic status play a fundamental role in how the protagonist is treated throughout the short story. In an exemplifying incident, the protagonist is invited to Luciana’s birthday party where Luciana’s mom, Senora Inez, treats Rosaura according to her mother’s employment status. Throughout her friend’s party, Rosaura tries her best to help out, wanting to be a helpful friend. Unfortunately, Senora Inez perceives her as an underlying worker. She pays Rosaura for her attendance and help instead of showering Rosaura with presents similarly to how she treats the other guests. Heker writes in her short story, “[Senora Inez] rummaged in her purse. In her hand appeared two bills. ‘You really and truly earned this,’ she said handing them over [to Rosaura]” (Heker 4). Rosaura is shocked and disturbed to find that she has been treated as a worker merely due to her mother’s social status. She vehemently believed that she deserved to be treated as one of Luciana’s friend, rather than one of Senora Inez’s maid’s family members. The money that Senora Ines pays Rosaura symbolizes Rosaura’s lower social status, simply attributed to her mother’s employment as a maid. By paying Rosaura, Senora Ines implies that her family is of higher social status than Rosaura’s family. Rosaura and the other children in the short story are prejudicially treated accordingly to their family’s social and economic

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