Laughter Out Of Place; The Life of Gloria.

1. She is considered an "afro-Brazilian." and according to the text, Brazil is an economy that awards afrobrazilians the lowest pay within the highly skewed and unequal economic system. Like many other women in this class she is a domestic worker. Some other women turn to prostitution.

2. Gloria's beliefs

2.1. Gloria seems casually to adhere to the racial class system that has developed in Brazil. She accepts that as a an afrobrazilian women she is expected to work at a low paying domestic job. The anthropologist observed, '[Gloria] perhaps proffered to see privilege as something inherent, or white, or perhaps something that a person like her can never acquire' (p81)

3. Gloria's Family

3.1. Gloria has several children for which she is finacially responsible for. Although she has moved out of the house (with the older children caring for the younger children) she still supports them finacially.

3.2. Glorias oldest daughter Soneca represents how hard it is for the women in this socioeconomic standing to move out of the class system and become more successful then their own parents. Soneca was avidly against working in the domestic field like her mother, she even attended a computer course for some time in order to obtain the skills for a higher paying profffession. However, she became pregnant and the father of her baby refissed to marry or support her. She eventually dropped out of the class proclaiming it was too hard and often times goes to work with her motherin order to learn the trade. These women have no choice but to take low paying jobs just to survive and to support their families. This leaves no time to gain the skills needed to achieve a better paying job, and to move out of their socioeconomic class.

4. Gloria's relationship with her employer

4.1. The employer/ employee relationship between Gloria's employer Dona Beth and herself is quite interesting. Dona Beth shares some personal aspects of her life with Gloria, and Gloria with her. Dona Beth has even helped out Gloria and her family in times of need. (For example when her daughter Soneca had her baby she let her live in her home with her for quite some time). However there is a clear divide that remains between the two. As the book stated, ' despite the ambiguos affections involved, patroa and empregada both know their place (p84). Gloria was not to hang around in the living room, for example, which was considered to be the private area to those living in the home.

5. Gloria's Socioeconomic status

5.1. New

6. Author's relationship with Gloria

6.1. The author, and anthropologist, accomampanied Gloria during both her home life and work life. This allowed her to witness first hand her everyday routines, relationships, and beliefs.

6.2. The author seems to have become personally invested in Gloria. For example she put money aside for Gloria's daughter Sonica to try to help her to go through computer school, a skill that would help her to achieve a higher paying occupation the her mothers domestic work position.

6.3. The anthropologist not only witnessed Gloria's life but also participated in it. In chapter 2 she mentioned, for example, the she was helping Gloria at her employers home to translate English recipes and foods.

7. Glorias's occupation

7.1. Gloria works as a full time domestic worker for a women referred to as 'Dona Beth.' She receives five minimums wages per month for a 6 day work week (which is onside red bove average roger position. Gloria does all of The housework from cooking to cleaning. Having a domestic worker, in Brazil, is a maker of class. To have a worker marks entry into the middle class and above,

8. Gloria's Childhood

8.1. She was born into poverty living in what she described as "the middle of the woods" Her family lacked access to resources as trivial as toliet paper. She worked from a very yong age in the domestic field obtaining her first job at the age of 9 in the kitchen of a large farm.