Prejudice and Friendship in Teens
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ScribdTranslationsPrejudice and Friendship in Teens
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ScribdTranslationsTítulo: «El problema de prejuzgar»
6 characters:
1. Verónica: 15-year-old teenager. She is the new girl at
neighborhood. She seems aggressive and antisocial, but in reality she tries
to protect oneself from suffering.
Camila: She is the first to meet Verónica at school and
to tell the neighborhood friends about her impression.
3. Isabela: 15-year-old teenager. Part of the group of
neighborhood friends. Their personality is conciliatory.
4. Francesca: 15-year-old teenager. Part of the group.
from neighborhood friends.
5. Rafaela: 15-year-old teenager. She is part of the group of
friends from the neighborhood.
Mrs. Paula: Neighbor of the adolescent neighborhood. She is the aunt.
with which Verónica has come to live.
ACT I
Personajes que intervienen en este acto:Isabela, Camila,
Francesca, Rafaela, and Veronica.
Scene: The street of a quiet neighborhood.
Introduction: Isabela, Camila, Francesca, and Rafaela are friends of
neighborhood since childhood. As usual, they are gathered
chatting and passing the time.
-Isabela: Did you meet the new girl?
-Francesca: Which one?
Isabela: Doña Paula's niece moved in with her a few
weeks. She is our age, maybe she wants to be our friend.
–Camila: Verónica?
–Isabela: Yes, I think that's what it's called.
–Camila: Impossible! That girl can't be friends with anyone. Go
with me to school and she is the meanest person in the world.
–Francesca: Really? But Mrs. Paula is the kindest person.
–Camila: I don't know why it is, but at school we can hardly achieve that we
Respond to the greeting and to the fact that we have tried to integrate her.
(Veronica approaches)
Francesca: Is she?
–Camila: Yes, (sarcastically) look at the friendly face she has.
(Camila and Rafaela laugh.)
–Isabela: Shhh, don't be rude.
(Verónica approaches a close distance to the teenagers)
–Isabela: (To Verónica) Hello.
(Verónica does not respond and keeps walking.)
–Camila: Sorry, I think you didn't hear the greeting, my friend just
to say hello.
Verónica: (Annoyed) Leave me alone.
–Rafaela: We just want to be your friends.
Verónica: I'm not interested in being friends with you, I prefer to be alone.
(Verónica continues her path.)
–Camila: Did you see? I told you. This girl is the most unfriendly and antisocial.
–Francesca: Yes, Camila is right. She even has an aggressive face.
Isabela: I don't know, it seems more like a face of sadness to me.
ACT II
Characters involved in this act: Isabela, Camila, Rafaela,
Francesca and Doña Paula.
Scene: The same street as ACT I.
The friends are gathered. Doña Paula approaches with the bags of the
purchases.)
Good morning, Mrs. Paula.
Good morning my children.
Rafaela: Can I help you with the bags, Doña Paula?
Doña Paula: It's not necessary, Rafaelita. I am going to ask them for another favor.
taking advantage that I find you here.
Camila: Tell us, what do you need?
Doña Paula: I suppose you have already found out that some time ago
I have a niece living in my house, she doesn't know anyone here and
since he is about your age, I thought that maybe you could
invite her to do things so that they can become friends.
(Camila, Francesca, Isabela, and Rafaela look at each other, none of them
dare to say anything and an awkward silence occurs that Doña Paula
warns.
–Doña Paula: (Understanding the silence of the teenagers) Mmm, I see
that they already met her. Verónica may seem very closed off, but it's just
a facade, a way to protect oneself.
–Camila: Protecting herself from whom, if we haven't done anything to her?
–Francesca: Camila!
Doña Paula: Protect yourself from life, my little one, that girl has had to
going through so much... His mother was a good woman, but she wasn't ready
to be a mother, so she abandoned her when she was a few years old.
–Rafaela: We had no idea.
–Camila: No, we didn't know that.
Doña Paula: Her father could not handle her alone, so for a few years
Afterwards, he also left. Veronica was left in the care of some
relatives who could no longer support her due to financial issues and for
he/she came to live with me.
Isabela: That's why he has that sad face.
Doña Paula: Yes, that's why. And the reason she is unpleasant is that
She tries to protect herself. I know she would really like to be friends with you.
but she is afraid of getting attached to someone, she couldn't stand another abandonment.
–Camila: Don't worry, Mrs. Paula. We shouldn't have...
judged without knowing their history, but we are going to remedy it.
ACT III
Personajes que intervienen en este acto:Verónica, Camila, Isabela,
Francesca and Rafaela.
Scenario: The street of the previous Acts.
The friends are standing at the door that simulates being the entrance of the
Veronica's house. Veronica arrives.
–Camila: Hello Verónica.
–Veronica: (Annoyed) What do you want?
Camila: They are going to open a game room at the mall,
Do you want to come with us?
It's going to be fun.
–Verónica: No, I don't want to.
But what are you going to do all day alone and locked up, other than
bore you?
–Verónica: It's my business and just leave me alone... Did my aunt ask you to...
Make friends of mine, right? Well, it's not necessary.
–Francesca: No, it was our idea to invite you.
–Isabela: No Fran, let's not lie to each other, we always talk between us.
with the truth and we can also do it with her. (To Verónica) Yes
Verónica, Mrs. Paula asked us to be your friends, but we...
we accept because we want to do it.
–Camila: Yes, we want to be your friends and if you need time to
getting to know each other and trusting us, we understand.
And in the meantime, we can have fun.
-Rafaela: Going to the shopping mall, for example.
Verónica: I don't know, it's just that I have school homework. Besides, I don't
I like the shopping mall.
–Rafaela: Well, we don't want to pressure you.
–Verónica: (Hesitant) Still... thank you for the invitation.
(The teenagers start to leave)
–Verónica: Hey! Tomorrow I have to go out to buy some things and
Since I don't know the city well, maybe you can accompany me if
they want.
Sure!
Isabela: No problem.
-Verónica: Goodbye.
Goodbye.
See you tomorrow.
(Veronica exits the scene)
Isabela: It's a start, isn't it?
–Camila: Yes, it's a good start.
END
Common questions
Powered by AICamila's perception changes from viewing Verónica as the 'meanest person' to understanding her sadness and isolation. Initially, Camila believes Verónica is unfriendly and antisocial due to her hostile behavior at school . However, after learning about Verónica's difficult past from Doña Paula, Camila realizes that Verónica's behavior is a facade to protect herself from suffering . This understanding leads Camila and her friends to extend genuine invitations of friendship to Verónica .
The dialogue reveals characters' initial biases and facilitates shifts in understanding. Camila's sarcastic remarks and the group's laughter highlight their early prejudgments of Verónica . Conversations with Doña Paula serve to dismantle these biases by offering insights into Verónica's background, revealing the depth of misunderstandings . The eventual sincere dialogue with Verónica illustrates the theme of overcoming prejudice and seeking truth beneath appearances .
The theme of prejuzgar is portrayed through the characters' initial reactions to Verónica's demeanor. They judge her based on her outward hostility without understanding her circumstances . This prejudgment leads to social isolation until Doña Paula reveals Verónica's background, prompting the group to reflect and change their perceptions . The theme is explored through verbal exchanges, such as Camila's sarcasm and Verónica's defensive responses, illustrating the effects of assumptions on relationships .
Verónica embodies the tension between isolation and community. Initially, she isolates herself as a self-protective response to past traumas . Her refusal to engage with her peers emphasizes her fear of attachment . However, the theme evolves as Verónica slowly accepts the group’s genuine efforts for friendship, suggesting a reconciliation with her fear of abandonment and a move towards community integration .
Doña Paula plays a crucial role in reshaping the teenagers' attitudes by providing context about Verónica's past. By explaining her niece's experiences with abandonment and how it affects her demeanor, Doña Paula fosters empathy and understanding among the teenagers . Her narrative encourages them to reconsider their prejudgments and motivates them to reach out to Verónica sincerely .
Empathy, catalyzed by Doña Paula's revelation about Verónica's past, transforms the group's perception from prejudgment to understanding. Once Camila and her friends grasp the depth of Verónica's experiences, they empathize with her predicament, motivated by a compassionate desire to connect . This empathy enables them to approach Verónica with sincerity, ultimately easing her path from isolation to budding friendship, showcasing empathy’s power to change relationships .
Isabela and Francesca act as more conciliatory and compassionate figures compared to Camila. While Camila is quick to judge Verónica as mean, Isabela is more empathetic, suspecting Verónica's demeanor to be one of sadness rather than aggression . Francesca initially agrees with Camila's judgment but becomes more open to understanding Verónica after hearing about her background . These contrasts highlight varied approaches to prejudgment and acceptance within the group.
The quiet neighborhood setting amplifies the interactions among the characters by concentrating their social engagements in a small, familiar environment. This intimacy allows prejudgments to spread quickly among the friends . The setting also becomes a space for transformation, where Verónica's isolation can be addressed directly by her peers, influencing the dynamics of acceptance and understanding in the story .
Verónica's unfriendly behavior is a protective mechanism due to her past experiences of abandonment. After being left by her mother and later by her father, she has developed a defensive facade to shield herself from potential emotional pain and further abandonment . Her aggression and desire to be alone are ways to protect herself from getting attached to people who might leave her .
Verónica's willingness to accept her peers' invitation symbolizes her gradual openness to forming connections despite her fears of abandonment. This acceptance marks a pivotal change in her character, signifying a move from self-imposed isolation towards community and support . It also validates her peers' decision to approach her with empathy, highlighting the impact of understanding and patience in overcoming prejudice .
