The Stolen Party Essay

In the short story “The Stolen Party,” Lillian Heker uses theme to state the division of society, an infinitely delicate balance, the slightest change might shatter. The scene starts out with Rosaura and her mother, Herminia, waiting for Senora Ines as asked. Rosaura explains to her mother that the reason they are waiting is for a gift. She points towards Senora Ines giving out a gift from the blue bag to the boys and a gift from the pink bag to the girls.

When Senora Ines finally reaches Rosaura, instead of giving a gift, she rummages through her purse and in her hands appear two bills: “For an instant, Rosaura thought that she’d give her two presents: the bracelet and the yo-yo. Senora Ines bent down as if about to look for something. Rosaura also leaned forward, stretching out her arm. But she never completed the movement. Senora Ines didn’t look in the pink bag. Nor did she look in the bluebag.

Instead she rummaged in her purse.

In her hand appeared two bills….. Rosaura felt her arms stiffen, stick close to her body, and then she noticed her mother’s hand on her shoulder. Instinctively she pressed herself against her mother’s body. That was all. Except her eyes. Rosaura’s eyes had a cold, clear look that fixed itself on Senora Ines’s face. Senora Ines, motionless, stood there with her hand outstretched. As if she didn’t dare draw it back. As if the slightest change might shatter an infinitely delicate balance. ” This first thing we notice is how Rosaura is expecting a gift but is instead given two dollar bills.

The disappointment of not receiving a gift from the blue or pink bag is small compared to what this action symbolizes. .In this moment, Rosaura learns that there is a division of society, an infinitely delicate balance, the slightest change might shatter and at the same time realizes that she was never a guest but only viewed as the maid’s daughter The last few lines in the story describe a line that divides the rich and the non-rich. This is the line that separates Rosaura from Senora Ines’s world.

Lillian Heker uses this part of the story to try and show how the slightest change might shatter an infinitely delicate balance. In short, the action of Senora Ines giving money instead of a gift tells us that Senora Ines hasn’t realized that this is an important moment and the choice of giving money instead of a gift, has a far greater consequence than anyone could have thought. The use of the last few lines point towards out how society is divided and a slight change will shatter an infinitely delicate balance.