Props & Symbolism
The gun
Dorfman uses the gun as a symbol of power, fear, and reversal; it gives Paulina physical authority in a world where she has previously been powerless.
How do Scenes 1–3 establish fear?
Through stage directions, sound, the gun, and Paulina’s reactions, Dorfman creates a world where fear is constant and safety is an illusion.
“If we can throw light on the worst cases the other abuses will come to light.”
Gerardo | metaphor of light, political language, characterization | presents Gerardo as idealistic and institutional, but also limited in how he understands justice.
“The real real ______.”
truth
The nail / flat tire
The flat tire acts as more than a practical detail; it becomes a trigger for the entire plot and symbolizes how small ruptures expose much deeper fractures beneath the surface.
How do these scenes link private conflict to national conflict?
The marriage tensions parallel the country’s broader struggle with truth, blame, accountability, and unresolved violence.
“The ______ of your career.”
peak
The cassette recorder
The recorder symbolizes truth, testimony, and control over narrative; Paulina wants not only revenge but also a recorded confession, suggesting the importance of voice and evidence.
How is trust presented?
Trust is fragile and repeatedly broken: Gerardo lies, Paulina suspects, and Roberto’s presence destabilizes everything.
“We’ve forgotten what ______ is in this country.”
solidarity
The dinner table / cold meal
The untouched dinner suggests emotional distance and disrupted domestic normality, showing that the marriage is already strained before Roberto even enters.
How is trauma presented before Paulina fully explains it?
Dorfman reveals trauma indirectly through behavior, fear, sensory triggers, and fragmented tension rather than immediate exposition.
Boyond repair. _______, Huh?
Irreparable
Paulina’s underwear used as a gag
Dorfman transforms an intimate, feminine object into a tool of humiliation and control, creating a disturbing reversal that echoes the sexual violence of Paulina’s past.
What is the biggest implication of the ending of Scene 3?
Dorfman suggests that official justice may be inadequate, and that victims may seek dangerous personal forms of truth and control when institutions fail them.
we're limited, but not that limited. At least we can expect some sort of ________ __________,
Moral sanctions