Whiteness, duplicity and representation as signs of death

Abstract

Julio Cortázars short story Los buenos servicios is told from Ms. Francinets stance. She also is the main character and usually works as a maid who approaches the end of her career, since her trembling hands do not allow her to perform her duties well. At one point she is hired by the Rosay family for service at a party. Her task would be to take care of the dogs in a closed room. The Rosays later ask her to act on behalf of Bébés mother in his funeral. Bébé is a high fashion designer who became acquainted with Francinet during that party. This article focuses on the compositional elements of the short story, provided that duplicity, role playing and whiteness, in addition to signaling death, emerge as subtle means for Cortázar to introduce homosexuality in the narrative. The facts are never explicit. Bébés group, made up by young men, feature female names. Thus, we pursue the real meaning of good services and of how they take place at an ambiguous context, when the narrated scenes are not what they appear to be.