"The Stolen Party"- Acts of Racial Discrimination

“The Stolen Party” is about Rosaura’s and her mother’s battle with discrimination. Rosaura is invited to a party but is the one that is running the party behind the scenes. The author says, “Rosaura was the only one allowed into the kitchen.” (lines 38-40, Heker). She is not seen as one of the other children and pointed out as different. Rosaura is seen as lower than the house guests since she is her mother’s daughter and they are of the lower class. The little girl asks her about who her mother is and why she is there while she is not seen as Luciana’s friend. The author says, “ ‘No,” said the girl with the bow, “you are not a friend of Luciana because I’m her cousin and I know all her friends. And I don’t know you.” (lines 47-48, Heker).

Nonetheless, the characters in “The Stolen Party” have put Rosaura in a separate category since she is the employee’s daughter. Senora Ines treats her like a servant since she is seen as poor. The author says,” Instead she rummaged in her purse. In her hand appeared two bills… “Thank you for all your help, my pet.” ‘ (lines 134-136, Heker). Rosaura is judged by the guests for not fitting in and being as rich as they are. Gender roles are also present in the story as a blue bag is for a boy and pink bag is for a girl. Girls such as Rosaura are supposed to be cherry and helpful while boys are supposed to be strong and do dirty jobs such as taking out the trash. The boy in “The Stolen Party” is seen as not manly as he is afraid of the monkey the magician has. The author says, “ ‘You mustn’t be so unmanly, my friend,” the magician said to the fat boy.” (lines 92, Heker).  

In modern society, minorities are seen as lower than most other citizens as they get lower jobs such as coal mining or chicken faming. Racial discrimination has been part of society as people of color are seen as causing trouble and not making something of themselves. In “Danger of a Single Story’, the author is guilty of judging Fide and his family as she thinks that they can’t make anything as they are poor. Stereotypes are a way of seeing people in certain aspects such as thinking all people from the Middle East are terrorists. Americans put people that come from different places from across the world in different categories such as poor, dangerous, or uneducated. African Americans are seen by the police force as the ones who start trouble and are unfriendly when they aren’t as people get to know them. Society needs to learn how to embrace diversity and love one another to build a brighter future.