In the play Death and the Maiden, Ariel Dorfman uses symbolism through the characters and their actions to reflect aspects of the corrupt Chilean society that Dorfman himself experienced. Act II, scene I, illustrates the symbols quite well, with the tormented and unjust Paulina, the professionalism and tranquility shown by Gerardo and the unfortunate situation in which Roberto finds himself. All of these represent different elements of Chilean society which had long been a dictatorship. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Dorfman uses the character of Paulina to represent relentless power and unrelenting control. Dorfman does this by having Paulina play the role of judge or dictator who rules society. Paulina's character coincides with the concept that all power and control is in the hands of a corrupt government. Dorfman does this by having Paulina perform some inappropriate or harsh actions to gain the upper hand and gain complete control. Paulina isn't always exactly unfair, but she always maintains control. For example, he tells Gerardo that he will "give him all the time [he] needs to talk to [Roberto], in private" (Dorfman 31). Dorfman shows here that Paulina is seemingly reasonable, but in reality her motivations may be nothing more than simply trying to appear sane to Gerardo after being harsh with her words and physically brutal to Roberto. Later, to demonstrate the dominance he has, largely due to his possession of his gun, he "points the gun to [Roberto's] head" and asks "who are you threatening?" (32). Because Paulina has suffered torture and abuse, she feels the need to “put [Roberto] on trial” (34). The "trial" is quite unfair as she constantly treats Roberto roughly and only accepts one confession - even if it may not be true - but with all the power and decision-making ability, no one can oppose her. She even commands her husband, Gerardo, ordering him to remove “Roberto's gag” and not let Gerardo free Roberto (31). Like a judge, Paulina has complete control over the decisions made. Like a dictator, Paulina sees no need to respect the law, telling Gerardo that if Roberto is truly innocent, "then he's really screwed" (42). Dorfman symbolizes the corruption that had resonated in the Chilean government and the Chilean society in which he had lived through Paulina's harsh and domineering actions and dialogue. Paulina symbolizes power and control over her weaker subjects, directly reflecting the power imbalance in Chilean society. Dorfman also uses character symbolism through the character of Gerardo to represent an element of the Chilean government and society of a Chile in which he lived for some time in his country. life: equity (or at least the aspiration to it). Dorfman shows the concept of fairness in society in the character of Gerardo as a lawyer who represents the people, the man who should be depended on to be fair and impartial. For the most part, Dorfman presents Gerardo as a righteous lawyer who defends the accused and is part of the Commission charged with investigating criminal acts, especially those that end in death. Gerardo treats Roberto the same way, as if he were a regular customer, declaring that “even if [Roberto] committed genocide on a daily basis, he has the right to defend himself” (31). This demonstrates a great sense of professionalism and trust that he has for victims and the wrongly accused in the nation. Furthermore, when Paulina begins to use vulgar language with Roberto, Gerardo intervenes.