Estrella Alfon's Servant Girl talks about Rosa, an abused maid who longs for freedom, happiness and love. She was being maltreated by her mistress and was hoping that one day she would be able to be freed from all the abuse she was experiencing. Then one day, while she was out, carrying a basin on her head with her mistress' clothes, she accidentally slipped and fell causing for her ankle to swell. A man in his tartanilla stopped and helped her with her basin.
After the incident, Rosa felt happy and somewhat in love with the cochero. Imagining him wanting him to see her and wanting him to hear her voice. She would sing aloud when her mistress was in an up mood so she would not be scolded and she would imagine how the cochero, even though he cannot see her, he would long for her voice. She would also imagine him passing her mistress' house while she was inside and so that was the reason why she could not see him. She pitied those who would mock her for she believed that she had an 'Angel' that took care of her when she was in distress.
Then one day, she encounters a cochero who was recklessly riding his tarantilla. Due to her anger, she threw a stone and the cochero got angry. He threatened Rosa that he would bring her to the municipio but then she realized who it was. It was 'Angel' who was infront of her. She kept calling him Angel but he kept saying that that was not his name. He did not recognize Rosa until she mentioned the first time they encountered each other.
After this incident, she then realized how much she was just imagining 'their love' and that all of it was not real. And that 'Angel', now his real name 'Pedro' did not think of anything when he helped Rosa when she was injured. And so Rosa went back to her mistress' house and continued on with her job.
In this story, we can say that it can be related to so many real-life situations of those who are in the same position as Rosa. It tells us the sad reality of some of the people working under others who have a higher societal class than them. The abuses that one experiences is caused by the superior thinking of their 'masters'. Estrella Alfon's work shares the story of Rosa and her experiences being a maid under someone who abuses her. It captures the emotional roller coaster than she has; from the crying to the joy of having an 'Angel' then coming back to the state of mind of who she really is and what she is doing.
The use of 'Angel' as Pedro's name before Rosa knew, symbolized even though it was just for a brief moment, the longing for happiness and freedom of Rosa. The way she imagined Angel seemed like he was also loning for her and that he was looking for a way to see and be with her again. Estrella Alfon was able to show how desperate Rosa felt in order to feel happiness. The thoughts and illusions that she was having was a simple way to get away from all the hardships that she was encountering day in and day out. It was a way for her to tell herself that she has it better among other people for they did not have an Angel that took care of them when they were in need. It was a reason for her to be happy.
But then, at the end of the Estrella's story, it shows how her imagination took her to a place in her mind that did not exist. The sad truth that Angel or Pedro did not think of anything of his kind gesture to this woman brought her back to reality that what she was just imagining was just an illusion for her to get away from the abuses that she was experiencing inside her mistress' house.
Estrella Alfon shows another sad side of a person is the same condition as Rosa. In reality, it can be said that there are people who, unfortunately, can relate to Rosa's experiences. The writer was able to show and share all the thoughts and emotions of Rosa throughout the entire story. This work o Estrella Alfon will surely bring you to a realization that even though it is hard to say, the reality is there is really cases like this all over the country and the world. This work will definitely get us reflecting on how we treat others.
Reference (photo and story):
"Servant girl" by Alfon, Estrella. Sushidog.com. Web. 16 March 2013. <http://sushidog.com/bpss/stories/servant.htm>
yes it is true