The novel “Hour of the Star” by Clarice Lispector was a new and unique literature experience for me simply because I have never seen any book with that kind of unconventional narrative and storytelling. The story of Macabea is told from the perspective of Rodrigo S.M who himself is “one of the more important”(5) characters in the story. I feel like stories that are told from a third-person perspective often either have a narrating character who interacts with other characters or a narrator who is omnipotent and knows everything. It was really interesting to encounter a narrating character who is somewhat separated from the main story of the protagonist but has limited knowledge of what is going to happen in the story. The narrative is basically a monologue of Rodrigo SM. Unlike some of the books we have encountered so far, I feel like the narration of Rodrigo SM is really committed to describing things as is, a raw “state of being” in Macabea’s life. As Rodrigo SM mentions, “this story has no technique, nor style, it lives from hand to mouth”(28). Rodrigo’s narrative is a blend of detachment and deep empathy, which adds a layer of complexity to Macabéa’s character. He keeps calling her “dumb”, “ugly”, “idiot” and so on but also he says “only I, her author, love her”(19). He describes the brutal socioeconomic realities Macabea faces that make her dumb and ugly and gives a voice to the impoverished, or “the right to scream” which is one of the discarded titles Lispector provides. It’s as if Lispector is asking us to question not just the story, but the way stories are told and who gets to tell them.

I believe different titles provided at the beginning of the book represent different interpretations of the book and its storytelling. I think the title “hour of the star” really highlights the unsettling end to the story where Macabea finally gets the time to shine upon embracing death, which Rodrigo says is his “favourite character” in the story. I don’t know if death was the only salvation for Macabea but Rodrygo seems to believe that it was a good thing. The very first line of the book says “All the world began with a yes. One molecule said yes to another molecule and life was born”(3) and the story ends with “Yes”(76), as if to say the end of the story is also a beginning. I also liked the alternative title: “the right to scream” which I interpreted as giving a voice and opportunities to tell stories for those who never get attention in society. This seems like one of the central themes of the book. Macabea does not just represent her life but many others who experience similar suffering. 

Discussion Question: How does the unconventional narrative style of “Hour of the Star” affect our understanding and empathy towards Macabéa’s character?