Is a girl not allowed to like Coke in peace??? Is a girl not allowed to have some blood on her underwear??? Why did she have to die???? As much as the plot and writing of this book pained me to read, I actually enjoyed it a lot this week, and that is not because it’s only 77 pages long <3 . While the writing of the book initially bored the shit out of me because that man just won’t stop yapping about anything and everything, I think even beyond the writing of the book, the construction of the book is worthy of greater examination and praise. Because how is there an author that is female writing as someone that is male that is writing about someone that is female? The story of Macabea is also being part of a larger story or narration of people like Rodrigo who look at Macabea- so it really is a story within a story leaving a lot of layers to unpack. From this, I guess I have to not complain about his yapping because without his yapping I would not be able to clock his personality, and the larger purpose this characterization serves in dissecting class and gender within this book through his narration of a character like Macabea. I still think he’s an asshole though.
In response to the feedback from last lecture, I will attempt to make my reflections and comments more true to my personal feelings when reading this book. And additionally I will try to keep my complaints for 聽male characters to a minimum. But what can I say, this class and its choice of books almost resembles gender studies so we always have a lot to say. Here is my male character complaint of the week: There is a special place in hell for people that have the name Olimpico like if your name is Olimpico I already know you are up to no good.
To summarize my personal thoughts on this book, God gives his strongest battle to his strongest soldiers; the last one Macabea succumbed to is one no one can defeat (I’d like to see you not die from getting hit by a car like her)- so in some ways, this book is a testament to her strength in spite, or even maybe because of her circumstances, which is a point I think the narrator intentionally conceals / is ignorant to in some aspects.
This week my question to you all is: What is your take on the intended impacts of having Macabea die in the end?
Hi Kelly!
Your blog this week was really engaging and was fun to read! I think I had a lot of the same thoughts on Olimpico as you did, and Macabea was definitely a strong person in her own right. I think having Macabea die at the end of the book gives us a sense of time, that her life began and ended with this short book.
“it really is a story within a story leaving a lot of layers to unpack.”
For sure, and then the layers also seep into each other. Because the narrator is also the author, even though we need to recognize how different they are… he is still her creation. And to some extent the same goes for Macab茅a, but perhaps the other way around: she is the narrator’s (and the author’s) creation, but somehow also has a life of her own.
“In response to the feedback from last lecture, I will attempt to make my reflections and comments more true to my personal feelings when reading this book.”
Achievement unlocked! 馃檪
“this class and its choice of books almost resembles gender studies so we always have a lot to say.”
Ha! I do see what you’re saying. Though Macab茅a is not only a woman, of course, she is also (desperately) poor, provincial, and racialized.
I appreciate your honesty on this one! I agree with a lot of what you said- we could spend a lot of time hating on Olimpico, I’m sure, but as you pointed out, there are plenty of other discussion-worthy parts of this book. I think Macab茅a’s death ultimately was Lispector’s final commentary on the lives of the impoverished- that they often end in these tragic circumstances, without ever having the chance to see if life gets better. I think her death also served to show the narrator’s power, and his mix of disgust/fascination with her. In the end, he washes his hands of her. Having served her purpose in allowing him to write the story, there’s no need for him to keep her around.
Hi Kelly, your response was a fun yet insightful read. Honestly, Macabea deserved better as a character because I felt like she was a character bottling up so much pain, sadness, and and confinement from freedom. I don’t like Olimpico very much either, and I am certain that no one else who reads it does, I suppose (though someone might?). Like why does Olimpico have such a cocky attitude and he’s so egotistical for what?
Hi Kelly! I really enjoyed reading this post, I really the way you approached writing! In response to your question, I often tend to lean towards a more gendered approach, just out of habit in a way, so that could definitely be a potential answer for me, but also in the sense that it shows the realities of life and poverty, and perhaps was an attempt at reminding the readers of the harsh realities of life.
Hi Kelly! Loved reading your thoughts this week. I too have been given a permanent fear of men named Olimpico after reading this book. To your question: I think killing off Macabea was an act of subversion. We’re supposed to get this jolt of reality, that not everything is sunshine and rainbows at the end. However, I also believe this is a reflection of the narrator and the fact that he is a prick and clearly has issues he has not worked through. Thanks for this!
Hey Kelly, what a banger blog post you’ve made this week and I’m so happy I stumbled upon it. I too felt like Rodrigo sent me to his domain yapspansion but in all honesty, they were my favourite parts of the book. This level of unseriousnes from the narrator with the added context that this narrator is a guy created by the female author is so dope conceptually. In regards to your question, Macabea dying had the same core as that clip from Toy Story when Andy becomes bored with his toys. As much as Rodrigo obsessively talks about his love for the character he created, it seemed by the end that he was done having to expand her story line. Please keep the same energy in future blog posts and I’m excited to read more of your thoughts in the future 馃檪
Hi Kelly! This was one of the most entertaining blog posts I鈥檝e read. I loved your take on Rodrigo S.M. because yapping is the most accurate description of what he does the whole time. I think adding on to his character, I felt like he was lost within himself. He was always doubting and questioning what choices to make next, and I feel like that explains a lot about his personality.
Macabea is the embodiment of “i’m just a girl”
Anyways your post is very amusing and highlighting many interesting narratives throughout the novel
-gabby
HI Kelly! Loved your blog post, I thought it was very personable!! To answer your question, I think killing off Macabea not only represents how short life is and how anything can happen at any time but also is a further representation of the narrator and his thoughts and feelings. It was interesting to see all of this false hope come crashing down in the hands of this narrator who really showed us that nothing is guaranteed and anything can be taken from you at any moment!