To be honest, I was so bored and annoyed reading the first half of this book, but once Olímpico broke up with Macabéa it became much more enjoyable. I don’t know how many more shitty men I can stand reading about because this guy really ticked me off (but he’s somehow not the worst, in my opinion). I did like highlighting a few similarities I found between other books we’ve read thus far, and the one I want to talk about is bodies are described.
In this book, the narrator, Rodrigo S.M. talks about women’s bodies quite harshly, describing Macabéa as having a “nose as huge as a clown’s papier-mâché nose”, with a “sallow complexion” and “slumped shoulders” (17). I find this almost funny because the narrator said he was the only person to find her charming (19), yet his descriptions seem to say the exact opposite. Anyway, moving on to Glória, who is chubby and dull and apparently smells weird (54). Despite her funky odour, she’s a ‘step above’ Macabéa in a few ways as she’s well-fed, a better typist, she’s got these swinging hips, and Olímpico chose her over Macabéa. While at first glance her and Macabéa may not seem drastically different, Glória is this middle-class woman that Macabéa was never set out to be since she was born into and forever lived in poverty. The last woman who was also described in a negative way (shocker) was the fortune teller, Madame Carlota, a fat lady with a “flabby mouth” and “greasy cheeks” (63). Side note: I quite liked Madame Carlota and I want to go to a fortune teller now. But this psychic and the other ladies in this book were all characterized in harsh, almost repulsive ways. Their bodies aren’t revered or sought after, which can be compared to some other texts.
In Black Shack Alley, bodies were mostly described in unpleasant ways. José imagines M’man Tine’s swollen and cracked hands as she’s laid to rest, but he also admires these Herculean black men jumping into the water. Bodies are very important in this text as the colour of one’s skin is deeply connected to their social class and how others perceive them. In Agostino (a book I hope to erase from my memory after this class), the reader is just bombarded with bodies. Everything was so sexual, but some people were described positively and others negatively (like the twelve-fingered pedophile whose name I cannot remember).
In Hour of the Star, I don’t remember the men’s bodies being described very much (except for Hans, who never actually appears), which leads me to my question: what is the purpose of describing the women’s physical appearance so negatively but not mentioning the men?
6 Comments
Add Yours →“But this psychic and the other ladies in this book were all characterized in harsh, almost repulsive ways. Their bodies aren’t revered or sought after, which can be compared to some other texts.”
Interesting comment! I liked how you focused on bodies and how are portrayed in the different novels.
We can discuss it on Wednesday.
Julián.
Hi! It makes me wondered if this is because the author is a man and made me think about how her body would be perceived if she was written by a woman
Hello! I definitely felt the same sentiments when reading the book, and felt like the way women’s bodies were described was almost objectifying. Similar to Hasfariza, I initially thought that the author was a male, but after attending the discussion, I learned that the author was a woman, which really shocked me.
I can so understand why you feel frustrated!! We’ve got shitty men book after book I swear! To answer your question, I think it’s because Lispector is writing through lens of a man? Of course, I’m not saying that a men’s lens only focuses on physical features objectifying them. However, it could be for its time, a society that is sexist will inadvertently look at a woman’s features rather than personality/ skill/ talent, etc? there were a lot of references to men’s jobs and emphasis of how that makes them more successful or defines their image. So I’m assuming that might be the direction the book is taking?
I also agree with your remarks of how women are so unnecessarily criticized throughout the novel! It made me think about something Rodrigo said near the beginning: “And even what I’m writing somebody else could write. A male writer, that is, because a woman would make it all weepy and maudlin.” (pg. 6)
It came off as strange, especially because Lispector herself is a woman and a writer…??? Like, was it personal commentary, or social commentary? Or was she truly embodying Rodrigo’s nature?
Hi! I think we got a lot of women description because Lispector is writing through the lens of a man. It is common for women to be objectified (in a gross “completing” way or humiliating). I feel that even if Macabéa was the most beautiful young women, she’d still be criticized of something. if not her looks then maybe how she behaved. The lack of men may be seen as though men are insignificant and even when the woman is not pretty, she still has her own identity. I honestly don’t know hahah but men in these book are just really not it.