what does el delantal blanco mean

the white apron

who is the author

sergio Vodanovic

important information about sergio vodanovic

-chilean
-lawyer
-wrote plays for television

what is the purpose of el delantal blanco

to discuss the social division between classes

what type of tone does this play have/ what is it

funny
-satire

when was it written

1964

what is society like in chile

-very small/ no middle class
-either very rich or very poor
-large income gap

how does the song gracias a la vida relate to the play

b/c servant is poor but grateful for life and rich woman not and the servant is humble
-senora does not apprecaite things

ambiente

-la play en chila called "vinas del mar"
- a summer place with a lot of money
-during the summer months (december, january, february)

who are the two main characters

-la senora
-la empleada

what does la senora look like

-30 years old
-blond hair
-very attractive
-wearing a white towel cover up
-very tan

what does la empleada look like

-wears a uniform
-20 years old
-black hair
-a calm and nice face
-light skin

what happens in the way beginning of the play

-la senora is described and la empleada is described
-la senora yells at alvaito not to break the little girls castle or throw the sand
-el empleada says that alvarito is quarrelsome
- we find out the alvaro is the father of alvarito and la senora doesnt know when he is coming back and that alvarito is jsut like alvaro
-alvaro has left them there for three months and la senora is bored

alvarito

-quarrelsome
-just like his father alvaro
-very spoiled
-mean to the little girl
-dominate personality like his grandparents

what happens with la historietas fotografiadas

-la senora asks la empleada if she stole them or bought them
-when empleada said bought then senora says that her salary is high enough
-la senora says tht should be watching alvarito but that la empleada can sit with her and watch alvarito

why does la senora want la empleada to sit with

-for the same reason taht she drives her car two blocks to the beach, it makes her feel rich and upperclass

what happens with the conversation about la empleadas original home

-la senora asks how her house is
-la empleada says that she doesnt have one
-la senora says taht she wasnt born a maid so she must have been born on a farm
-la senora then says la empleada must have wanted to come to the city
-la empleada says that she wanted to stay there actually and that she came for a job
-la senora than says that she must have had a nice life as a tenant farmer with enough food to eat and more to sell and even a cow and what more can you want
-la senora than asks la empleadas age
-la empleada says that she is 20

wht happens after la empleada says that she is 20

-la senora says that she was married at 20 years old but that la empleada should not get married because she has everything she needs
-when la empleada says that she wants to la senora says that she is foolish
-she then says that prince charming does not exist and that only money is important
-la senoras parents would not accept her boyfriend because he didnt have money but alvaro had money in industry and estates
-she says the only difference between her and la empleada is that she has money and la empleada doesnt
-then she says that this is a lie and that really the difference between them is class and this cant be bought it and you either have it or dont
-alvarito already has class
-she could live in a pigstye and she would still have class
-she then asks la empleada to hand her la historia

alvaro

-left his wife there for months
-he is fat and sniffles his flem in his throat
-works in indsutry and has lots of money
-very strong willed

what happens after la senora looks at la historia the first time

-la senora bursts out laughing and says that it is ridiculous
-she says that the count looks like a pig in a girdle with a cheap jacket
-it says that the count would not let his daguther marry roberto because he is a commoner that is not blue blood or rich
-la empleada says that she is a good girl that is in love with the gardener robert but she thinks its going to end well because robert does not have parents so he was most likely the son of royals that was kidnapped
-the senora than says do you believe this and la empleada says taht it is pretty b/c rags to riches
-la senora says taht all of the picture do not actually show rich people but poor people pretending
-la senora than says that the gardener does not look like he is artistocracy and that if alvarito was kidnapped he would still have his air of distinction
-la empleada than says taht alvarito just destroyed the sand castle of the little girl
-la senora than says taht even at a only 4 he can order around the less important and taht this cant be learned

what happens after la empleada unbottons her top buttons

-la senora asks if she is hot and la empleada says taht she is burning
-than la senora asks if la empleada has a bathing suit and she says no but she rented one once when she went to the beach in her uncles car
-la senora talks about one time when she went to the beach and she saw how badly fit the rented bathing suits were and than la empleada looks down embarassed

what happens after the conversation about the rented bathing suit

-she says taht she wants to see the world from the perspective of someone in the lower class
-she asks how the world is from la empleadas perspective
-la empleada says that it is the same, the sand is the same color, the clouds are the same
-la seanora says taht it is different b/c in her upperclass clothes she is in her place and that la empleada does not belong in this place and because of this it is different
-la senora than asks her to give her the apron to wear so taht she can see the world from her persepctive
-they then strip down to their underwear and hand eachother the different clothing to wear
-she then tells alvarito to not be afraid of the water and atleast put his feet in the water

what happens directly after la empleada and la senora swtich clothes

-la empleada comes out with the towel cover up and she pins her hair up and then lies down on the sand
-la senora comes out in the apron and to fully feel what is like to be la empleada she sits a little bit behind her
-la senora than begins to read la historia at first mocking but she soon gets into it
-la empleada than goes into la senoras bag and puts on tanning lotion and lies down to tan fully
-la senora doesnt like it and asks what she is doing
-la empleada doesnt answer and instead examines her nails
-la senora than asks why she is looking at her nails b/c she has never done it before and la empleada said it never occured to her before and she needs her nails to lok better
-la senora than playfully says that it would make a good story
-la empleada than says taht alvarito is going toward a wave and she needs to get him
-la senora than gets up and goes forward to tell him to be careful but than thinks it over and is angry at la empleada b/c she used tu and asks her why
-la empleada says that she is the one wearing the apron
-la senora than says you like this game dont you?
-a rubber ball than rolls to the feet of la empleada and la senora throws it back to them
-la empleada than takes sunglasses out of la senoras bag and puts them on

what happens after la empleada puts on the sunglasses

-la senora annoyed asks her what gives her the right to do that
-la empleada than asks how la senora sees the beach with the delantal blanco and she la senora says that it is funny
-la empleada than says that it is funny
-la senora says what about it is funny and la empleada says that there is not differennce
-la empleada than says in an apron she is an employee but in a coverup and sunglasses sshe is la senora
-la senora than says how dare you say that
-la empleada than asks if la senora would have thrown the ball back if she was wearing the coverup and la senora says we are playing
-la empleada says when and la senora says now and la empleada says and before and la senora says that that is reality
-la empleada than says it is also a game just a largest game like cops and robbers where some have to be cops and other robbers
-la senora calls her an idiate but then la empleada says that the ediate is tu and la senora says why do you address me as a tu

what happens after la empleada calls la senora a tu and la senora starts freaking out

-la senora says that they are ending the game and moves toward la empleada
-la empleada tells her to move away and la senora asks her if she is nuts
-then la empleada says she is la senora and bursts out laughing
-la senora asks why she is laughing and la empleada says it is ridiculous
-la senora asks what is ridiculous
-la empleada says how can u dismiss an employee that is dressed like la senora and la senora tells her to take off all her stuff
-la empleada says that she has to watch the child
-la senora says that they are ending the game and the girl needs to give her back her stuff
-la empleada says be careful we are not the only ones on the beach
-la senora says you think because im wearing an apron i dont know who is the employee and who is the senora
-the empleada tells her im not raising my voice

what happens after la empleada says she is not raising her voice

-la senora tries to take off the coverup with force
-while struggling the senora calls her a worthless maid and that she will teach la empleada who she is
-a group of swimmers are watching the fight, two young mean and one older and very distingshed man
-la empleada is maintaining the situation by being calm and pushing la senora to the sand
-la senora says you low class swine you will have to deal with my husband
-la young man says whats happening
-the other young man says is this an attack
-a young woman says they have gone mad and they think that this is the effect of sun poisioning
-the young man asks la empleada if she wants help and la empleada says yes please take her to the first aid station
-the young man says i am a med student
-la senora than says you ediates i am the rich woman and my name is patricia hurtado i am married to alvaro jimenez
-the young woman laughs and says she is crazy she thinks she la she is la senora
-la empleada than says she has to stay there because he son is wimming
-la senora than says that this is a lie and that they changed clothes for a game and taht la empleada doesnt even have a bathing suit
-the young man than pickes up la senora and they carry her to the first aid station as she resists

what happens after la senora is carried to the first aid station

-the distinguished man asks if la senora (la empleada) is ok
-she than says she is fine and smiles
-the disintushed man says that this a symbol of the time and no one realizes at this rate something like that was bound to happen
-la empleada says what
-this distinugised man says the changing of the established social order, the old want to be young the young want to be old, the poor want to be rich, the rich want to be poor, yes senora many times the rich want to be poor, my daughter goes to knit with woman in shanty towns each afternoon and likes it
-the distingushed man says how long has she been with you
-la empleada says who and the man says your employee
-la empleada says more than a year
-the distingushed man says you have paided her and says as if it isnt recognized at first glance who is who
-the empleada says why and the man says communism and la empleada says oh

what happens after the distinguised man says communism

-the dinsigushed man says the order is always reestablished and taht is a fact and not up for discussion
-the distingushed man than says now with your permission senora i am going to take my daily jog it is very approriate at my age for circulacion you know
-the distingushed man says that the sun is his sedative and that she will not have a difficult time with her employee after she is sedated
-the disginguished man says maybe we have something to blame on ourselves, who can say
-la empleada changes her position so that she can suntan
-suddenly the empleada remembers alvario and looks to see where he is
-she says alvarito be careful walking on the rook you might get a boo-boo on your foot , so run on the sand my son
-while la empleada looks with affection at alvarito he plays in the waves while the curtain slowly closes

what is irony

something that means something different than it says

what is satire

the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues

what are satire parts in this play

-old man talking to employee but thinks that it is senora and says la senora is crazy b/c can obviously tell who is la senora
-senora says that can tell class but the people couldnt tell the difference