Becoming a Prostitute Maria’s Struggle for a Better Life
last experience gives her one thousand francs one night. Later, she agrees about the price after her new colleague tells her about the condition.
Maria tried to say: “But I earned a thousand francs for …”
The owner made as if to move off, but the other Brazilian woman, who was listening to the conversation, said:
“She is just joking.” And turning to Maria, she said in clear, loud Portuguese:
“This is the most expensive place in Geneva. Never do that again. He knows what the going rate is and he knows that no one pays a thousand
francs to go to bed with anyone, except, of course, the ‘special clients’, but only if you get lucky and you have the right qualification.”
Milan’s eyes-later, Maria found out that he was a Yugoslav who had been living there for twenty years-left no room for doubt.
“The price is three hundred and fifty francs.” “Right,” said a humbled Maria Coelho 68.
After knowing the rules and the price, Maria has to start at the same night. However, Maria is still a person who needs an adjustment. She has made a choice
and she has to deal with that. After serving her first client, she feels strange about herself.
It’s not Maria, it’s some other person who inside her body, who feels nothing, who mechanically goes through the motions of a ritual. She’s an
actress. Milan has taught her everything, even how to say goodbye to the client, she thank him, he too feels awkward and sleepy Coelho 72.
Gradually, Maria gets used of that. She goes every night to the club and has a lot of regular clients Coelho 170. Having three clients per night with three
hundred francs for each client increases her bank account. She can live in a better condition.
By the end of the six months, Maria had sixty thousand Swiss francs in a bank account; she ate in better restaurants, had bought TV she never
watched it but she liked to have it there and was now seriously considering moving to a better apartment Coelho 82-83.
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It is clear that by becoming a prostitute Maria can fulfill her physiological needs. Fulfilling her physiological needs, the needs to feel secure and out of
danger emerge, especially when she is working as a prostitute. One of the prostitutes says that “prostitution is not like other businesses; beginners earn more
and the more experienced earn less. Always pretend you’re a beginner” Coelho 76. Then Maria knows that once she decides to work in that club she has to deal
with many competitors, especially because she is an ambitious, pretty and sexy woman.
Because she had a lot of regular clients and because she went to the Copacabana every night, even when it wasn’t busy, Maria earned both
Milan’s confidence and her colleagues envy; they said she was ambitious, arrogant and thought only about earning money – the last bit was true, but
she felt like asking if they weren’t all there for the very same reason Coelho 170.
Therefore, she tries to act as normal as possible so that she will not get any problems with the other colleagues.
It is also described in the novel that the other rule in the prostitution world is that they cannot easily flirt with their friends’ client, otherwise, there will be
some envy among the colleagues. Maria tries to respect that because she has already seen what has happened if she tries to seduce her colleagues’ clients.
That night, the man came in, greeted the Colombian woman, but went over to the Yugoslav’s table. They had a drink, danced and the Yugoslav
winked at the Colombian a provocation too far in Maria’s view, as if saying: “See? He chose me” But that wink contained many unspoken
things: he chose me because I’m prettier, because I went with him last week and he enjoyed it, because I’m young. The Colombian said nothing.
When the Yugoslav came back, two hours later, the Colombian sat down beside her, took the razor out of her pocket and made a cut on the
Yugoslav’s face, near her ear Coelho 167-168. 47
Learning from that case, Maria decides not to interfere with her other colleagues’ clients so that she will be out of danger.
Working as a prostitute for sometime, then, Maria is trusted to get “a special client”. A special client means a person who wants a company for the
whole night and wants to pay for one thousand francs. The client’s name is Terence. When she finds out that Terence wants sex with pain and pleasure, she
has a fear within herself. She has a strange feeling about him because he is different from her other clients.
Her feeling of insecurity returned. The man did not seem in the least intimidated, and, unlike her other customers, he spoke very calmly. He
knew what he wanted. … “I know what you want,” she said, looking deep into those cold, blue eyes.
“And I won’t do it” Coelho 144.
At first, Maria feels uncomfortable. She thinks about the danger of getting involved in this kind of game. However, this is a part of her job. Therefore, she
needs adjustment. One of the aspects of adjustment is problem solving. She has to deal with the problem and tries to find the solution. Then, after realizing that there
is nothing to worry about, she decides to involve in the game. “I’m not afraid anymore. Let’s carry on. If necessary, you can punish me
for my rebelliousness I’ve lied and betrayed and maligned the very person who protected and loved me.” Coelho 147.
It is clear that Maria can overcome her feeling of insecure by reacting in a good action. She can behave in a proper way and tries to face the problems.
Working as a prostitute, Maria also realizes that she has to be special since there are many competitors. Therefore, she decides to fulfill her clients’ needs.
She knows that becoming a prostitute does not mean only working with her body. 48
She also learns that her clients need accompanying. Therefore, she always tries to read and read more about life so that she can make her clients feel comfortable
and satisfied. After sometime, she has a good reputation in the club. Maslow qtd in Schultz 63 says that there are two esteem needs after the two lower needs.
They are self-esteem and self-respect from other people. Self-esteem includes desire for confidence, competence mastery, adequacy, achievement, independence
and freedom. Self-respect from others includes prestige, recognition, acceptance, attention, status, reputation and appreciation. A person who has self-esteem is
more confident and capable in doing his work. It is described in the novel that Maria knows how to deal with her clients
since she learns a lot about the characteristics of her clients. Doing that she has some regular clients. It means that she is capable in doing her job as a prostitute.
Her self-esteem increases. Moreover, Maria always brings some books to read. She also tries to help her clients to solve their problems so that she is able to
please them. In the club, Maria is known as a smart person and everybody respects her. Therefore, she gets self-respect from others.
Before it got busy, Maria could always be seen with a book in her hand, and she soon became known as the intellectual of the group. At first, they
wanted to know if she was reading a love story, but when they saw that the books were about dry-as-dust subjects like economics, psychology and –
recently – farm management, they left her alone to continue her researches and her note-taking in peace Coelho 170.
Since she knows that she must be special in the club, she has to find her own creativity to deal with the clients. According to Bernard 64, human uses
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some strategies to put her ego. She can fight against her repression, perceptual, denial and intellectualization. She can learn positive things from her struggle.
Therefore, Maria tries to find some strategies related with her job. Maria does not want to think about the money only. She needs to focus more about the clients’
needs. This way of thinking is considered as one type of a self-actualizing person. Her strategy puts her into a better position in the club.
She began to put clients into three categories: the Exterminators in homage to a film she had enjoyed hugely, who arrived stinking of drink,
pretending not to look at anyone, but convinced that everyone was looking at him, dancing only briefly and then getting straight down to the business
of going back to their hotel. The pretty woman type again named after a film, who tried to appear elegant, gentlemanly, affectionate, as if the
world depended on such kindness in order to continue turning on its axis, as if they had just been walking down the street and had come into the
club by chance; they were always very sweet at first and rather uncertain when they got to the hotel, but, because of that, they always proved even
more demanding than the Exterminators. And lastly, there was the Godfather named after yet another film, who treated a woman’s body as
if it were a piece of merchandise. They were the most genuine; they danced, talked, never gave tips, knew what they were buying and how
much it was worth, and never let themselves be taken in by anything the woman of their choice might say Coelho 89
To apply her strategy, she divides her clients into three categories, namely the exterminators, the pretty woman and the godfather type. She knows how to
handle them. Then, she gives them services differently. It depends on the clients’ categories.
“Well, there are three of me, really, depending on who I’m with. There’s the Innocent girl, who gazes admiringly at the man, pretending to be
impressed by his tales of power and glory. Then, there’s the Femme Fatale, who pounces on the most insecure and, by doing so, takes control
of the situation and relieves them of responsibility, because then they don’t have to worry about anything. And, finally, there’s the Understanding
Mother, who looks after those in need of advice and who listens with an 50
all-comprehending air to stories that go in one ear and out the other Coelho 109.
The needs to feel confidence and respected emerge when Maria meets Ralf Hart, a famous painter for the first time. He is the person who sees Maria’s inner
beauty. First, Maria feels honored. However, when Ralf Hart asks about her profession and realizes that she is a prostitute he begins to ask more. Maria feels
uncomfortable because she thinks that Ralf does not respect her and her profession.
“Do you understand Mr. Hart? I’m a prostitute through and through, from head to toe-and that’s my one great quality, my virtue”
He said nothing. He didn’t even move. Maria felt her confidence returning. “and you, sir, are a painter with no understanding of your models. Perhaps
the chemist sitting over there, dozing, lost to the world, is really a railway worker. Perhaps none of the other people in your painting are what they
seem. I can’t understand otherwise how you could possibly say that you could see a ‘special light’ in a woman who, as you discovered while you
were painting, IS NOTHING BUT A PRO-STI-TUTE”Coelho 104
Maria is also a self-actualizing person. According to Maslow, there are some specific characteristics of self-actualizing people qtd. In Schultz 68. One
of them is a general acceptance of nature, other and oneself. In this case, Maria is able to accept her status as a prostitute and proud of it. She does not feel any
pressure in working as a prostitute Coelho 104. As a prostitute, Maria always thinks about how to get enough money and
how to satisfy her clients. She never thinks about herself. She lacks of love. Her experiences about love in her past life make her come into a conclusion that men
brings only pain, frustration, suffering and a sense of time dragging Coelho 13. However, everyone needs love and to be loved by others, so that others will
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consider his or her existence. A person feels that he or she exists when others pay attention to him or her. According to Maslow, love is a healthy, loving
relationship between two people which include mutual trust qtd in Schultz 63. Maria cannot avoid her feeling to Ralf Hart. Even though they quarrel a
lot, Maria realizes that she begins to love him. She experiences love and is loved by Ralf Hart. It is a very valuable experience since she always has problems in
relationships with men Coelho 13. She realizes her feeling towards Ralf has emerged before Ralf realizes his
feeling towards her. However, she keeps her feeling in her heart because she knows that she is only a prostitute and Ralf is a famous painter. Moreover, she
only helps Ralf in dealing with his problem in sex. As she knows that he lack of interest in sex.
When Ralf says that he needs her, she is trying to be professional even though she realizes she cannot lie to herself. Maria understands that her love is a
dream that cannot be put into practice. The way she loves him is different from the way she loves men in her past life. She loves him without asking of anything
in return Coelho 162. She wants him to be happy. I love this man sitting before me now, because I do not possess him and he
does not possess me. We are free in our mutual surrender Coelho 209.
Since she is a professional prostitute, all she can do is trying to help him to overcome his sexual problems. She tries everything to put him back into the lines.
However, it cannot be avoided that the more they meet the deeper her love is. 52
Maria feels her love is getting stronger and somehow she wants to end her struggle for life and sticks together with Ralf.
She felt she had discovered herself through independence, despair, love, pain and back again to love – and she would like things to end there
Coelho 218.
On her last day in Switzerland, she decides to end everything with Ralf Hart. She knows that she will never be able to put herself in a relationship. She
realizes that they come from two different worlds. Therefore, she goes to his house to say goodbye but finally finds herself trapped in love.
“I’ve made love with him twice,” she thought, looking at the man asleep by her side. “And yet it’s as if we had always been together, and he had
always known my life, my soul, my body, my light, my pain.” Coelho 265
However, remembering about her decision before coming to his house, she decides to leave his house after staying for a night and goes to the airport.
Arriving in Paris, she decides to spend one day there and enjoy it. Accidentally, Ralf Hart appears in front of her and asks her to stay with him.
She had no idea whether it was easy or difficult, and she didn’t honestly care, even though she had only just met this man, even though they had
made love for the first time only a few hours before, even though she had only been introduced to his friends the previous evening, even though he
had been a regular at the nightclub where she had worked, even though he had married twice. These were not exactly impeccable credentials. On the
other hand, she now had enough money to buy farm, she had her youth ahead of her, a great deal of experience of life and a great independence of
soul. Nevertheless, as always happened when fate chose for her, once again, that she would take the risk Coelho 269.
From the quotation above, it is obvious that Maria is going to accept the offer. However, she does not forget her goal because she knows she can afford
what she wants to buy in Brazil. Moreover, she knows what to do in Brazil. 53
To sum up, it is clear that she struggles for her better life as a prostitute. She tries to fulfill her physiological needs by working every night in the club. She
is proud of her job. She always builds good relationship with her colleagues and her clients, which leads her to have self-esteem in herself and others. She
experiences love with the painter, Ralf Hart after her gloomy relationship in her past life. However, she decides to leave him and returns to Brazil since she knows
that they come from two different worlds. Then, Ralf’s love is proved when he picks Maria up in the airport in Paris and states his love.
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