The Stolen Party By Liliana Hecker

As a young individual one may pertain a naive view about the world; however an unexpected experience may lead to maturing discoveries about life. In Liliana Hecker’s short story “The Stolen Party” a young girl attends a birthday party. In the beginning, the protagonist, Rosaura feels confident about her place at the party and believes she is equal to all the other children. As the story progresses Rosaura is handed multiple tasks and singled out for what she believes to be positive reasons due to her naivety. However in the end Rosaura is faced with the fact that she was not perceived on the same level of equality as the other children at the party and learns more about the injustices of the world. Therefore, although Rosaura originally feels …show more content…
Rosaura tells her mother that the reason she is invited to the birthday party is because “Luciana is [her] friend”, and does not listen to her mother’s objections as to how the family sees her as just the “maid’s daughter”; this shows that Rosaura believes her and Luciana are equals and that she belongs at the party. Rosaura announces that her mother knows “nothing about being friends” and that she would “die” is she does not get to go, proving that Rosaura believes her mother is crazy to think that she would be treated differently because of her mother’s job. Rosaura then enters the party with a “slight toss” of her skirt and a “firm step” though the door implying that she feels confident about her friendship with Luciana and secure in the fact that she belongs. Thus, despite her mother’s objections Rosaura maintains a naive feeling of confidence and belonging all through the …show more content…
Rosaura is so pleased with the party that even though she thought she would be “angry with her mother” the “first thing” she tells her about is the magician and the monkey and how the magician called her a “countess.” Her mother is obviously extremely relieved that Rosaura had a good time and did not face any of the inequality she had feared her daughter might as she stands there “beaming.” Señors Ines then however asks Rosaura and her mother to wait a second. Rosaura’s mother suddenly becomes “worried” and asks Rosaura what is happening; Rosaura assures her mother that Señora Ines is just getting “presents” for the kids that are leaving. Rosaura waits expectantly for the presents and wonders if Señors Ines would even “give her two presents” as she was, in her mind, the “best behaved” out of all the guests. The toys to Rosaura are of such value even though there is no monetary worth to them; however they are a symbol of equality to her, and as she mentions earlier she would be “horribly ashamed” of she was the “odd one out,” and she does not want to be different in this situation, she instead wants to be like the other children. Señora Ines however gives Rosaura a very different gift. Señora Ines does not look in the “pink” bag she is holding, nor the “blue bag. Instead, once she reaches Rosaura, she pulls out “two bills” from her purse while saying that Rosaura has “truly earned” it. Rosaura