The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector is the shortest novella I’ve read, and I thought it was unique, but also somewhat strange. In this story, there are two narrative storylines, the first line is the narration from Rodrigo S.M.’s point of view. Rodrigo S.M. is a male writer who seems to be bored with life and struggles internally. “I am absolutely tired of literature; only muteness keeps me company. If I still write it’s because I have nothing better to do in the world while I wait for death” (p.56). It seems that in this world he can’t find agency, but he can when he is writing literature. He feels like a God who can control the images and lives of his characters and is omniscient.
The character he chooses to write, the second storyline, is a poor girl Macabea. Macabeia was born in a remote town and later came to Rio de Janeiro. She was portrayed as a sickly, ugly, woman who was so poor that she could only eat hot dogs. Despite her pitiful life, Macabea never seems to be very disappointed or bothered by her life.
“That girl didn’t know she was what she was, just as a dog doesn’t know it’s a dog. So she didn’t feel unhappy. The only thing she wanted was to live.”
She is naïve and mentally free from anxiety. She doesn’t go overboard with coveting and thinking about things that are out of her range, such as God, makeup, or even spaghetti. It seems that Clarice Lispector’s message is that is knowing or seeing more about life really better for you? Macabea knows less, she feels content, and that’s probably why she’s so happy. I wonder if the reason why Rodrigo S.M. depicts Macabea in this way is because he is tormented and can’t stop thinking about the soul and death, and that a character like Macabea is very much in contrast to him.
Later in the story, Macabea meets Olímpio de Jesus, a metal worker and she loves him so much. However, Olympic betrayed her, which added another layer of sorrow to her heartbroken life. The helpless Makabeya turns to tarot cards, which give her some courage to look forward to the future: she will marry a blonde foreigner. Ironically, she was struck by an oncoming car right after she steps out. In the moment nearing death, she has a hallucinatory “star moment” occurs, and all humility is sublimated into splendour. I wonder if Rodrigo S.M. thinks that death is a relief for Macabea and he is rescuing him, or if this death is what he desires but has no courage to do so?
In this novella, Clarice Lispector chooses to have two storylines, and I believe that both characteristics of Rodrigo S.M. and Macabea have personal meaning for her. My question is, Rodrigo S.M. and Macabea, who is more of the epitome of Clarice Lispector; or do these three characters overlap with each other?