For the writer who secretly dreams of literary glory, it must be very difficult to endure the miserable status afforded by literature, unless there are other circumstances that confer some social prestige. Certainly, it is more likely that he will have to experience something very different from “glory.” Perhaps it takes some talent to deal with being mediocre in the eyes of everyone, while realizing that mediocre is, in fact, everyone else. This is the case with Lima Barreto, who seems to have lacked such talent, although he did not lack a keen perception of the phenomenon. The truth is that there is no humiliation or injustice in this contempt, and it is good for the writer to learn to handle, and even enjoy, the embarrassment, to avoid being deceived by the opinions of a false judge.