There are scholars who do not consider Farias Brito a philosopher; there are literary critics who consider Lima Barreto a minor writer. And yet, it is possible to read the works of both with tears in the eyes. When the texts are taken out of context and reduced to objects of technical and structural analysis, much of their meaning disappears. It should be somewhat obvious, but there are always those who ignore the dimension that the author’s person can lend to his work. Perhaps this is a consequence of modernity. And the result is very simple: if you ignore it, you will be unable to discern the sincere from the feigned, authenticity from affectation; the text will be nothing more than a jumble of words; the depth of the discourse will never be grasped. There will be no difference, after all, between reading a comic book and reading Osamu Dazai.
Tag: literature
The Best Tool for Literary Self-Promotion
Very often, the best tool for literary self-promotion is criticism. And very often, such criticism ends up devolving into outright slander. The examples are endless. The author, sometimes a future author, begins his career by opposing the model he dislikes. He censures, disapproves, lists flaws, and disparages. The target, usually long gone, does not respond. And that’s the end of it. While, on the one hand, the critic ends up refining his own ideas through criticism, on the other, he cannot prevent negative feelings from arising from it. Some time later, he will wonder: was that really necessary? And it turns out that, in literature, styles, themes, and possibilities are so varied that it is very easy to dislike something when confronted with that other, intensely strong identification. Therefore, is it justified for a writer to devote himself to attacking another writer? Undoubtedly, but only when mere preference is supplanted by a sense of betrayal of the vocation.
Some Might Say There Is No Walt Whitman…
Some might say there is no Walt Whitman, no Eliot; however, what is most evident in Brazilian poetry is that the good poets number in the dozens, and that is no small thing. Poets such as Maranhão Sobrinho, Junqueira Freire, Raul de Leoni, José Albano, and Venceslau de Queirós are rarely even mentioned in anthologies and compendiums. The tradition, for its part, has already boasted several centuries of consistency and solidity. And even though, after a superficial analysis of new and old poets, of hackneyed or imported themes, one might give in to the impulse to disparage the whole, a deeper study leaves no doubt as to the tremendous folly of doing so. Brazilian poetry is excellent; and nothing more needs to be said.
Rubem Fonseca’s Quality
It does not take many short stories to appreciate Rubem Fonseca’s quality. And it must be somewhat irritating for those plagued by that old complex to realize that Rubem Fonseca has reached the level of the best in the genre. Less impressive than his mastery of varied narrative techniques, his creativity in plot structure, and his somewhat shocking vocabulary are the incisiveness of his themes and a style that does not shy away from speaking plainly. It is in this, above all, that the great writer stands out. Breaking away from a tradition that insinuates, that ironizes, but that fears raw and direct expression, Rubem Fonseca manages to highlight real problems laid bare by the reality of his time. In short, he is a unique writer who had the courage to put on paper what seemed essential to him.