Liliana Heker's The Stolen Party

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The Hopelessness of Equality in Liliana Heker's “The Stolen Party” In leftist Argentinian writer Liliana Heker's short story “The Stolen Party”, themes of socioeconomic inequality are framed within the context of a bright-eyed young child's rough awakening to the invisible, insurmountable wall of class. At its surface, this story seems to be an indictment of the upper class's treatment of the working class—with both Senora Ines and her daughter, Luciana, exhibiting subtle hints of patronizing and condescension towards Rosaura and her maidservant mother. However, on deeper reflection, the hegemonic relationship exhibited in “The Stolen Party” belies the deeper essence of the problem—that the very act of an upper class trying to redress the grievances of the working—even making an effort to remunerate them for their labor—is the very foundation of the socioeconomic barrier. While there is copious textual evidence that certain actions and comments made by Luciana and Senora Ines are tinged with implicit condescension and 'othering', they are by no means indicative of a a proactive, zealous effort to abuse or oppress Rosaura. Rather, the hegemonic relationship is due simply by the very existence of putative inequality in the first place. Even though Rosaura …show more content…

It's very well possible that Senora Ines had by then resolved to essentially 'give work' to Rosaura, perhaps because she saw it as an opportunity to reward Rosaura for being Hermina's—Rosaura's mother's—“marvelous daughter” (Heker 4); for being “the best-behaved at the party”. After all, it would surely be much worse to not receive remuneration and expressions of gratitude; such is the reality of being a member of the working class that work and payment is always in greater scarcity—and more greatly needed—than to be useless and

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