Poder, estratificaçao social e subalternizaçao em dois contos de Joao Melo

• Published in: Romanica Olomucensia Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 315 - 327
• Main Author: Gomes de Souza, Renata Cristine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Palacký University, Olomouc 2021; Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci
• Subjects: Sociology; Studies of Literature; subalternization; social stratification; power; violence
• ISSN: 1803-4136; 2571-0966

In this paper, how Joao Melo's literary project is structured will be discussed from the point of view of a spatial analysis. The short stories "Efeito Estufa" and "O cortejo" bring a type of narrator who exemplifies this way of seeing the city, who weaves information about the characters and the spaces, placing himself as an individual who understands the specificities of what is narrated. This narrator focuses on showing social stratification and subalternization as constructors of society. The discussion proposed by the research is based on understanding how spatial representations reflect violence, disillusionment, and resistance. In this path, it will be observed that such spatial constructions unveil a vision of contemporary Luanda, because they bring a singular view of issues that cross real urban society and, thus, present us with the construction of a critical discourse that is traced through literature. To this end, the study will be based on theoreticians such as Ki-Zerbo, Foucault, and Linda Hutcheon. Through the analysis of the short stories, it will be demonstrated that power moves the relations between subjects and spaces, which, throughout the texts, are presented to another city. Violence and disillusionment manifest themselves in the ways in which the characters live in this city and in the ignorance they have of the place where they live. The conclusion of this study is that from the presentation of borderline situations and the ways of representing the problems and life of society in different spheres there is an expansion of the national theme. In this way, to represent his country Joao Melo makes use of the elements already mentioned, since these represent the country that can be built after Independence.