1. An evening of terror in Duque de Cxias
1.1. Laughter is a theme through out Goldstein's research; however this chapter presents a different kind of disturbing laughter.
1.1.1. Rapist entered Gloria's home and then began raping Gloria's daughters.
1.1.1.1. Laughter became a theme whenever Gloria presented the stories of the rapes that occurred in 1988.
1.1.1.1.1. The telling of the rape and robbery stories provided a way for sexuality, violence and female victimization to be dealt with through humor.
1.2. Soneca's Story:
1.2.1. In 1992, Goldstein interviewed Soneca about the the story of the rapings.
1.2.1.1. Soneca downplayed Anita's trauma because she had already lost her virginity, and 'it didn't hurt.'
1.2.1.1.1. As she told her story she was crying with laughter
1.3. Battling Mothers and Daughters:
1.3.1. Anita discovered she was pregnant after the rape, and Gloria saved all her money to abort the child.
1.3.1.1. Anita was pregnant by her boyfriend before the raping, she feared her mother more than the rapists.
1.3.1.1.1. Each woman presented their story through narratives that were sprinkled with laughter.
2. A note on the Legal Universe and Rape:
2.1. Young women from lower classes have to hide their true values and beliefs from their upper and middle class neighbors.
2.1.1. The courts have been reluctant to prosecute and convict men who attack their wives.
2.1.1.1. Women become violent in situations where they have been violated.
3. Black Humor as the only response
3.1. Humor can only be understood by relations of class, sex and gender.
3.1.1. What at first may have appeared as bad taste, has by now become comprehensible response to a moral and legal system that is currently incapable of addressing the grievances of women in the dominated classes.
4. Conclusions:
4.1. Humor out of place provides a unique window into how impoverished working women in shanty towns.
4.1.1. Goldstein tried to describe the deepening layers of the context- the daily structure of class,race,gender and sexuality and violence.
4.1.1.1. Twelve of Gloria's 14 children are working 'honest jobs'
4.1.1.1.1. When news came that the rapist of Gloria and her daughters were killed in a near by gang war, they were delighted.