My Name Is Emilia del Valle

Emilia begins wearing the canteen girls’ uniform to blend in with the troops. She walks to the front with the army until they reach Concón, a small village north of Valparaíso. The president reportedly is confident of victory, but the troops are hungry, wet, and cold, and Emilia notices the fear in their eyes. She wonders if they feel stuck, unable to desert the army and forced to wage war against their fellow Chileans. Their small wages are sent home to their families, and many join the army because it provides money and food, despite the terrible conditions. Amputees, she discovers, only receive half their pension. Angelita, the leader of the canteen girls, points out that many of them don’t believe in the rebel’s cause because nothing will change for those living in poverty.

The general decides to wait until the other side attacks. Emilia notices how the troops’ encampment has destroyed the landscape. She also recognizes that she herself—in a now-dirty and too-small uniform—looks very different from how she does back at home in San Francisco. She allows herself to acknowledge the dangerous situation she’s in.

Emilia helps the canteen girls distribute supplies and listens as Angelita gives instructions for when combat begins.