I think this book is the most shocking I have read so far for this class, in terms of what I had expected the book to be about and convey. Before reading this book, I had the understanding that it was about a woman who was living in extreme poverty in Rio, but was unaware of the abysmal conditions she was in. This book was that, but it was so much more.

Firstly, Macabea’s story is narrated by Rodrigo S.M, which I thought was a huge component in defining who Macabea is. It spoke to her lack of autonomy for me. Rodrigo’s narration emphasized using plain and simple language when describing her and her life events because that is what she is, ordinary and likewise to millions of other women. After finishing this book, half of me believed that Macabea was the one to define herself and she was free to linger and inhabit Earth as she pleased, even if it was under the conditions of extreme poverty. However, the other half of me is not very convinced this counts as freedom because this is all contingent to her financial status, which is also related to her lack of education and lack of exposure to the world. Her world is small and constrictive, yet she finds her moments of freedom. For example, she has to work as a typist and she can only afford to eat every once in awhile. But, she is aware of her limits and chooses hotdogs and coca-cola to induldge in, and finds some comfort in making this choice. While this is beautiful, it is also profoundly sad as well.

Macabea rarely mentions concepts, people or other things that are outside of her regular sphere of going to work, spending time with her below average boyfriend Olimpico and her sacred alone time. But, she mentions things like the radio, the concept of culture and very importantly, famous movie star Marylin Monroe. This is where the readers can see a glimpse of her own personhood. However, mainly Olimpico is dismissive, because he is insecure of the fact that he himself is not actually a worldly person. So he makes up definitions to words and does his best to keep Macabea in a box that she had no intention of leaving.

This all changes, when she visits the fortune teller that Gloria advises her to speak with, after Gloria proceeds to date Olimpicos. The fortune teller dives into stories of her experiences with men and her work in prostitution and pimping, which Macabea cannot really grasp, but follows along as she is used to not getting the message. But finally, when she is told this elaborate story of meeting a rich foreigner, Macabea realizes she has never felt hope before, but can feel it surging through herself. This made me so upset to read because only a couple pages later she dies. In Macabea’s world, maybe she did have her hour as a star because someone lit a candle next to her body, but for the rest of the world, I don’t think they saw it that way. All they could see was a dead woman, they don’t know she died with newly born hope and aspirations.

This book made me think a lot about how we have a natural tendency to compare oursleves to others and almost always have a downwards attitude to those who seem like they are not trying, or are doing something in a way we would not. It made me think about the millions of people who live in similar conditions and how misunderstood they usually are.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do we think that Macabea’s love for coca-cola was a hint that she actually wanted to live in riches and be active in consumerism culture?
2. Do you think Macabea had the power or voice to define herself, or was she defined by the people in her life and overall by her position in society?