An experimental novel is a book that crosses the boundary between traditional novel standards into completely new territory focused on the authors stream of consciousness. In her book The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector uses aspects of an experimental novel to give more insight on the characteristics of the narrator. First, the opening line of the book states, "Everything in the world began with a yes" (Lispector 11). However, at the end of the paragraph is the phrase, "...but I do know that the universe never began" (Lispector 11). These contradictory claims characterize the author as unreliable, a common element in experimental fiction. Later on, the narrator claims that, "...the story is true even though invented..." (Lispector 12). These opposing phrases confuse the reader and make the narrator appear as untrustworthy or simply confused himself. In addition, the narrator often refers to the reader as 'you' and even states, "So, dear readers, you know more than you imagine..." (Lispector 13). In association with experimental fiction, this is known as meta-reference, a technique in which characters demonstrate awareness that they are in fact characters in a book. This also causes the narrator to appear as misleading, as his thoughts are filtered for an audience, giving the reader a more feigned interpretation rather than a narrators usual subconscious thinking. Meta-reference in combination with the unreliable narrator aspect causes the narrator to appear mysterious, as if he is trying to deceive the reader. This in turn causes The Hour of the Star to have a mysterious mood, which forces the reader to choose what they do and do not believe.
The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector begins with the narrator Rodrigo S.M. explaining to the reader what his story will be about. Rodrigo explains that he is writing about a poor, weak, unwanted and impoverished girl who lives in Rio de Janeiro. He states, “It is my duty to relate everything about this girl among thousands of others like her. It is my duty, however unrewarding, to confront her with her own existence” (Lispector 13). Rodrigo feels that he needs to tell this story about one of the many thousands of girls like her who are unnoticed and uncared for. He feels that this girl does not realize how terrible and miserable of a life she lives. The narrator goes on to explain how that the girls “aren’t even aware of the fact that they are superfluous and that nobody cares a damn about their existence” (14). I feel that this passage is a way of stalling to tell this story about this poor girl. He explains the life of the girl like he knows her very well and describes how he feels he needs to write this story. Also the fact that this book is written in first person in view of the narrator makes it feel like Rodrigo is talking to the reader directly. At the end of the passage Rodrigo stammers and says, “My inner silence if the solution to my - to my mystery” (14). I feel like he writes the way that he would talk in real life, which makes the reading more personal. I find it very interesting, but also confusing, on why Rodrigo feels that it is his duty to write about this girl. Does he really feel pity for her or is he just patronizing her?
The beginning of the novel The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector mentions that the story will be told in a unique and original way. The scene is set with Rodrigo (the narrator) sitting at a typewriter talking about the girl in which he is he writing about. His description of the girl, Macabea, is particularly negative and interesting, for even though he is trying his best to describe her using many comparisons, he can never quite get the description right. Lispector writes, “In order to speak about the girl I mustn’t shave for days. I must acquire dark circles under my eyes from the lack of sleep: dozing from sheer exhaustion like a manual labourer…I am doing all this to put myself o the same footing as the girl from the North-east” (19). With this passage, the narrator/author is stating that Macabea’s story is a difficult one to tell. That, as an outsider and a typical audience member, her story might be strange and hard to understand. Even the narrator, who knew her, has a tough time describing her life, for he wants to do it justice. The author always refer back to the difficulty of describing Macabea in a negative tone, which sets the mood as depressing for the rest of the novel. Throughout the passage, Rodrigo does not seem to want to mention her name. He refers to her as “the girl”, “the girl from the North-east”, “a young girl”, and feminine personal pronouns, but he seems to avoid the usage of her name as much as possible. It is almost as if not using her name dehumanizes her to an extent and makes her seem imaginary.
In the opening paragraphs of Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector introduces the motifs of the human experience and the futility of seeking meaning in life. She opens the novella with the sentence, “Everything in the world began with a yes” (11). She follows this with a reflection on the beginning of the universe and a caution: “Let no one be mistaken. I only achieve simplicity with enormous effort” (11). Evidently, Lispector’s reflections on the beginning of the universe are more figurative than literal; her words describe the essence of the beginning of the world in terms of its implications for the human experience. Her opening sentence implies that the world began with a certain willingness, or a “yes,” with no reason behind it. Human life is just as inexplicable, as Lispector makes clear when she writes, “The more genuine part of my life is unrecognizable, extremely intimate and impossible to define” (12). Instead of attempting to explain life, Lispector merely attempts to convey elements of the human experience. When she says, “To think is an act. To feel is a fact,” she reveals the viewpoint that human beings create history and the world around them simply by feeling and thinking it (12). This viewpoint is centered on the human experience, which becomes a key motif in the story of Macabea.
The passage on which I performed a close reading (5) extended from page 15 to page 17 and mainly focused on the preceding thoughts and ideas of the narrator, Rodrigo S.M. Immediately, the narrator establishes what he plans on writing about, and that entails a woman who “does not know herself apart from the fact that she goes on living aimlessly” (15). The narrator sets up this character as foolish. She cannot many deep thoughts or probing questions, even thought at the end of the book we find out she actually is capable of fathoming these ideas. In the end she then recognizes that she is incomplete, as the narrator states is necessary to “probe oneself” (16). In addition, the narrator also mentions the use of facts in the material that he writes. He appreciates these inescapable facts, and he uses metaphors to describe the the facts as “hard stones” (16). In one section of the passage, the narrator also uses a lot of visual imagery, describing his writing like a “dank haze”, the words “transfused with shadows that intersect unevenly, stalactites, woven lace, transposed organ music” (16). The use of visual imagery in this section adds a visual perception to words, creating a vivid image of different shapes combined with music. Directly after this section of the passage, the narrator then goes on to say how he “shall attempt to extract gold from charcoal” (16) and how he is “holding up the narrative and playing at ball without a ball” (16-17). These lines describe his endeavors as an almost impossible feat. The last part of the section – “This book is a silence: an interrogation” (17) – relates to how the narrator is creating a character to be probed, like he previously stated, just like an interrogation.
In passage 8, of the packet, Clarice Lispector uses transforming dictions to imply her fear of dying. From the class presentation, the class learns that Lispector was dying from cancer while she was writing The Hour of the Star. Her emotions show throughout the novel, and the most stand out is her fear of dying. From passage 8, she writes, “The action of this story will result in my transfiguration into someone else and in my ultimate materializations into an object,” (Lispector 20). This quote implies her optimistic view of life after death, she thinks she will be reincarnated, but as well as her negative view of what will come, she becomes nothing more than a dead corpse. Connecting this with the next quote, “As is known, today is today,” (Lispector 20). This sets up the negative tone of the passage, where she is saying she should get back into reality and stop dreaming. Then she shows fears by saying, “No one understands my meaning and I can obscurely hear mocking laughter with that rapid, edgy cackling of old men,”(Lispector 20). After she wishes herself to be young again and innocent with the color white, “I must reproduce myself with the delicacy of a white butterfly. This idea of the white butterfly stems from the feeling that, should the girl marry, she will marry looking as slender and ethereal as any virgin dressed in white,” (Lispector 20). Nam Nguyen
1.What is the reason for Olimpico’s character in the story beyond the obvious reason for adding to Macabea’s terrible life?
I think that Lispector included Olimpico in the novel to contradict the character of Macabea. One major difference that I found between Olimpico and Macabea is the fact that Olimpico has ambitions to go far in life and become successful. He is aware that he is poor but he wants to create a better reputation for himself. This is unlike Macabea who is not even aware of her own existence and what she is capable of. Lispector juxtaposes the two characters by stating, “Macabea was undeniably a primitive creature while Olimpico de Jesus saw himself as a man about the town, the type of man for whom all doors open” (Lispector 46). Macabea lives a very simple and poor life while Olimpico, although poor, strives to create a better life for himself and holds himself accountable to do so. He saved his money to buy a “false tooth glittering in gold” to give him a “standing in society.” Although he wants to create a better life for himself, he can be seen as greedy. Also the fact that he killed someone without any remorse so that he could have the title of being a MAN or a ‘brazen thug’ makes Olimpico seem too obsessed with his image of how others view him. Although striving to create a better quality of life for yourself is positive thing, I think that there are too many other negative characteristics about Olimpico that outweigh it.
2. What does Macabea’s death represent? How does it fit in with the overall meaning of the book?
I think that Macabea’s death is directly related to the title, Hour of the Star. Stars are a repeated symbol throughout the story, as Macabea wishes and dreams of one day becoming a movie star. In the case of the title, the Hour of the Star is referring to the moment right before someone dies. Right before Macabea is run over by a yellow Mercedes, Lispector writes, “Destiny (bang) swift and greedy, whispered: no, quickly, for my hour has come!” (79). You could say that it was fate, or that it was written in the stars, for Macabea to die. I think that she had to die because when she was physically living on earth, no one cared about her, no one loved her, and no one noticed her. However when she died, the reader for instance might feel a “punch in the stomach” and maybe a little sadness for Macabea. I feel like this goes along with the saying, “You never know what you had until it’s gone.” Macabea had to die in order for the narrator to get his main message across about essence and existence.
3. What is the significance of the reference to Julius Caesar (Et tu, Brute)? “Et tu, Brute?” is a Latin phrase that translates in English to, “You too, Brutus?” These were the last words of Julius Caesar to his friend Marcus Brutus right before he was assassinated. This phrase is commonly used today to “signify the utmost unexpected betrayal by a person, such as a friend.” I think that it is used by Rodrigo after Macabea’s death in the book because I feel like the reader might feel betrayed that someone who was telling the poor story of Macabea would include yet another horrible event, whereas a happier and more hopeful ending could’ve been more satisfying. But Rodrigo says that he “had hoped to announce that Macabea was dead” this way anyways.
Why do you think Macabéa “loved” Olímpico? In the introduction of the novel, the narrator remarks that, “No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her” (Lispector 16). This connects to Macabéa’s peculiar love for Olímpico. When the two first meet, Olímpico immediately insults Macabéa’s name, saying, “Gosh, it sounds like the name of a disease… a skin disease” (Lispector 43). Despite this harsh comment, “She was already so infatuated… that she could no longer do without him in her hunger for love” (Lispector 44). Even though Olímpico is nothing but rude to Macabéa, she accepts all and any attention that she can get from him since he was “…the first boy-friend of any kind she had ever known” (Lispector 42). Macabéa was indifferent to who acknowledged her presence, so when someone finally did, she wholeheartedly embraced the idea of someone accepting her, especially since that someone was a boy. Along with this, since Olímpico was the first boy to befriend her, she didn’t have any previous knowledge on how she should be treated by one. So the fact that he simply said anything to her in the first place was enough for her to fall in love.
What is the significance of dying a virgin? In many religions and cultures it is tradition that a woman waits until marriage to lose her virginity, as a wife who is not a virgin is considered undesirable. This notion is significant to The Hour of the Star as Macabéa was a virgin and died a virgin. While this detail might seem unimportant at first, it actually tells a great deal about the plot of the novel. As mentioned early in the story, “…they don’t even notice her” (Lispector 16). So although Macabéa was a virgin, which would make her stand out as an acceptable wife, she went through life completely ignored. This concept goes to highlight some gender stereotypes; that along with being a virgin, a desirable wife must also be appealing in other ways. Towards the end of the novel, the narrator remarks that, “Were she about to die, she would pass from being a virgin to being a woman” (Lispector 83). So the fact that Macabéa died a virgin is significant as it both emphasizes the degree of her unpleasantness and marks her untimely demise as the most significant part of her life.
What other questions would you like the class to discuss? Out of the whole book, one part stood out to me. At the very end of the novel, the last line reads, “Don’t forget, in the meantime, that this is the season for strawberries. Yes” (Lispector 86). This line struck me as the most confusing. What is so important about strawberry season that it deserves to be the concluding line of the book? After some research, I came to find out that strawberries are often used to symbolize the springtime. This idea automatically made me think of reincarnation, as the spring is known as a time of creation and rebirth. This, in combination with the Biblical allusion present throughout the novel, made me think that the narrator was hinting at the fact that Macabéa would be immediately reincarnated during the current strawberry season. And as for the very last word, ‘yes’ brings the story full circle, as the opening line of the novel states, "Everything in the world began with a yes" (Lispector 11). Although this is the conclusion that I came to, I am still interested to hear other interpretations of the closing line of The Hour of the Star.
4. Why do you think Macabea “loved” Olimpico? Macabea possibly loved Olimpico because he was one of the only people that to some extent gave her the time of the day. Even though he was mean to her, he did offer to buy her coffee and to get her a job at the metal factory if she got fired from being a typist. Olimpico being one of the few people who actually acknowledged Macabea’s existence could mean so much to her considering most people did not put in that effort. Additionally, Olimpico somewhat made Macabea feel like she was needed. Even if the attention he gave her was not ideal, attention was better than invisibility.
6. Why does the author sometimes use “He”/“She” when Macabea and Olimpico are talking but sometimes use just a hyphen? Why in some places, but not in others? The author uses pronouns and hyphens to emphasize the fact that in comparison to a “regular” novel, there are very few characters in this story. Generally, the majority of the book is written in narration or the characters’ inner thoughts, so it is also another way for the author to differentiate from spoken text and ideas. Also, since each character in this story is unique and such a distinct personality, it would almost be useless to mention each character’s name before their dialogue because it is obvious who is speaking.
8. What is the significance of dying a virgin? Many people (even today) consider a female’s purpose in life is to be a mother and have children. Being unfruitful was considered a terrible, unfortunate thing. Back then, that was extremely important and basically the sole purpose of marriage. To be a woman and not want to be desired by males could be an insult/worry not only to the female, but to her family. Thus, dying a virgin means that she never was married, never had the opportunity to bare children, etc, which lead to an unfulfilled life. Saying that someone will die a virgin is the equivalent of telling someone that they will die without completing their purpose in life.
In the introduction of Rodrigo S.M. in the beginning of The Hour of the Star, the narrator sets the scene for the novel. His introduction also acts as a disclaimer in a sense that it prepares the reader for what is to come. In addition, Rodrigo also explains his own beliefs about certain ideas, and this helps the reader better comprehend some of the ideas that he conveys throughout the novel. In the introduction, the narrator talks about how he “only achieve[s] simplicity with enormous effort” (11). This relates to how other people such as the narrator must try extremely hard to be and/or connect to a person so “simple-minded”, such as Macabea. The use of this also helps to characterize Macabea, and this is another aspect of the introduction. In addition, the introduction is very unordered and random, in which Rodrigo jumps around and talks about many topics. This can represent the randomness and occasional confusion aroused in the reader when reading this novel.
What is the significance of Rodrigo’s use of syntax?
Throughout the novel, the narrator uses many different types of syntax, ranging from dashes and hyphens to parentheses and complex sentences. These types of syntax can have simple grammatical uses as well as greater meaning and depth that add to the overall idea of the book. An important use of parentheses that occurs throughout the book is the use of “(bang)” in certain sentences. This indicates a change in Macabea’s thinking. Its can be subtle or important, such as after “Macabea saw at once what had happened between Olimpico and Gloria: their eyes had met and kissed” (60). This represents a change is Macabea’s thinking as she experiences something new (Olimpico in a relationship with her friend, Gloria), which is ultimately important for Macabea. Another aspect of syntax that Rodrigo uses occurs on page 47 during an exchange between Macabea and Olimpico. The narrator begins sentences with “He” and “She”, which are then followed by a dash and then the rest of the sentence. This technique serves to remove names from the characters, and to break them down to the most basic form by only referring to them by their genders.
What is the significance of the beginning, when Rodrigo talks about the beginning of the world? How does that relate to the rest of the story?
I believe that the beginning of the novel that talks about how “everything in the world began with a yes” (11) relates to how the world and universe started from such simple beginnings. This can relate to how Macabea is such as simple person, as described by Rodrigo. In addition, although it may seem like Macabea went through a change as she approached her death, she was actually happy and simple-minded from the start. She had faith in herself, even though she doubted it multiple times. She always wanted to be a celebrated film star, such as Marilyn Monroe. This idea relates to the narrator’s statement reading “I do not know why, but I do know that the universe never began” (11). This represents how Macabea was capable of this faith and simplicity from the start.
What does Macabéa’s death represent? How does it fit in with the overall message of the book? Macabéa’s death represents her wish, of being a movie star, being granted. Right before she died, Rodrigo tells that she felt like vomiting stars, “She felt like vomiting something that was not matter but luminous. Star with a thousand pointed rays” (Lispector 84). By describing her in this way, she is resembling a movie star because once someone famous die they have more “value” than when they were alive. This is Rodrigo wishful thinking. He says he did not want to end her life this way.
What is the significance of the reference to Julius Cæsar (“Et tu, Brute” p. 84)? “Et tu, Brute” is a quote from Julius Caesar, which he says before to his friend Marcus Brutus before his assassination. It meant “You too, Brutus”. It is a quote about betrayal and it is befitting to the setting of the end of the story. Rodrigo says it before that he does not want to write this story, but claims that he must. He also claims that he did not want to end Macabéa’s life and he wanted to write a better ending for her. He also contradicted himself as he also says he wanted her to die. It is a way of him saying he betrayed her, ending her sad life, instead of writing a better ending for her.
What was Lispector’s purpose in writing this book? What is the theme? Lispector’s purpose of writing “The Hour of the Star” is to ask the theme question, “What is the point of life?”. She mentions the quote, when the book began, “So long as I have questions which there are no answers, I shall go on writing,” (Lispector 11). What is the question with no answer? It is the question about life, why do human exists or life happens. She mentions she must continually writing so long as there are no answers, which meant that she has not find meaning. There are so many variety of perspective in the world, and people have different meaning that there are no answers because it is so vast it cannot be contemplated in words. Maybe there is no meaning in life, as readers can see the Macabéa’s life begin and end and Lispector might have arrived at the conclusion that to live is to die and there are no purpose in living. Her only purpose is to write to keep on living. As long as her works exist in the world, a part of herself still exist. Nam Nguyen
What was Lispector’s purpose in writing this book? What is the theme?
Lispector wrote The Hour of the Star in order to experiment with literature in a way that reflects the life of one of the world’s least significant. The narrator’s preoccupation with the “girl from the North-east” represents the intellectual and philosophical impact of exposure to poverty on the more fortunate classes (22). While the narrator feels guilty for being more well-off than Macabéa, as demonstrated by the first title, “The Blame is Mine,” Macabéa herself possesses an ignorance of her situation that allows her to attain a state of apathy that can sometimes resemble happiness (9). Lispector examines poverty through the motifs of insignificance, purpose, and happiness, all of which contribute to a commentary not only on the least fortunate, but on mankind in general.
What is the significance of the beginning, where Rodrigo talks about the beginning of the world? How does that relate to the rest of the story?
Rodrigo’s opening line, “Everything in the world began with a yes,” implies that the world began with a certain willingness that lacked purpose (11). This same meaningless existence is demonstrated by the character of Macabéa, who spends every day “passively enacting the role of being” (35). Although she never finds meaning behind her life, Macabéa manages to savor it, “consuming her life sparingly so that it shouldn’t come to an abrupt ending” (32). The narrator poses many questions and says, “So long as I have questions to which there are no answers, I shall go on writing” (11). Macabéa, in her simplicity that so contrasts with the intellectualism of the narrator, is able to answer all questions with the conclusion, “It is so because it is so” (26). Rodrigo’s reflections on the beginning of the world set up the primary contrast between the novel’s narrator and its protagonist.
What is the point of Rodrigo’s introduction?
The character of Rodrigo exists in order to provide a vehicle for Lispector’s existentialist commentary as well as her reflections on the writing process. Without Rodrigo, The Hour of the Star is nothing more than a narrative of a poor Brazilian girl who no one cares about. Rodrigo becomes the only one to care for Macabéa, demonstrating to the reader that her existence has significance in terms of how Rodrigo views the world. Instead of ignoring Macabéa as did the rest of the world, readers are forced to consider what insignificance and poverty mean for the nature of the human race. Lispector uses Rodrigo’s connection with Macabéa to attempt to create this same connection between the reader and the novel’s characters.
1. “Everything in the world began with a yes. One molecule said yes to another molecule and life was born. But before prehistory there was the prehistory of prehistory and there was the never and there was the yes. It was ever so. I do not know why, but I do know that the universe began” (Lispector 11). This passage is at the very beginning of Clarice Lispector’s novel The Hour of the Star. I think that this passage could be referenced to the book of Genesis in the Bible where it explains that God created the universe: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). In this excerpt from The Hour of the Star, the narrator seems to be questioning how the universe came to be, as it is a very complex subject. However, just after that passage, the narrator mentions that he would like to explain his story in simple terms. Maybe in order to better understand the creation of the universe, it is easier to believe that God was the creator.
2. “Meantime, I want to walk naked or in rags” (19). I think that this passage also refers to the narrator wanting to make things more simple. “To walk naked or in rags” seems to be the bare minimum and is related to the story of Adam and Eve. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve first walked around completely naked not worrying about their appearances. After Eve took a bite of the apple, sin arrived in the world and Adam and Eve began to feel ashamed that they were naked and were worried about other’s judgements. I think that the fact that the narrator wants to walk around naked shows that he believes that nakedness is all natural and is simpler and more basic, unlike worrying about how others perceive us by appearance.
3. “For at the hour of death you become a celebrated film star, it is a moment of glory for everyone” (28). This quote in the beginning of the story parallels the title of the novel and foreshadows the death of Macabea. I think that it can also represent the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus was sent down to earth by God to die on the cross for our sins. While his death was a sad moment, it was a “moment of glory” for everyone as three days later they would find that he resurrected from the dead proving that he was the Son of God and that he saved everyone from their sins.
4. “She often dreamed about sex… When she finally woke up she was overcome by feelings of guilt without being able to explain why. Perhaps because everything that is pleasurable should be forbidden” (33). This passage reminds me of the common Christian value that one should wait to lose their virginity until they are married. The mention of pleasure being forbidden could also refer to lust which is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. In this case, lust could be in the form of pleasure which could be sex.
5. “I want to experience at least once the insipid flavor of the Host. To eat communion bread will be to taste the world’s indifference, and to immerse myself in nothingness” (19). Biblical references in this short passage include the capitalization of “Host” which is similar to how God and any reference to Him is always capitalized. Also the “communion bread” refers to Jesus and The Last Supper. I feel like the narrator makes references to these to show yet again that he wants the world to be simpler and that he feels that we should not make things more complicated as he wants to “immerse himself in nothingness” as the Host has an “insipid flavor.”
“…I have decided with an illusion of free will…” (Lispector 13). With many religious and philosophical topics comes the debate between the reality of free will and fate. While the notion of free will is quite plausible, as we seem to act at our own discretion each and every day, many people with religious backgrounds claim that we are living by God’s will, not our own. In other words, our path in life is predetermined and we are only living out our destiny. This Biblical reference is brought up in The Hour of the Star when the narrator states that he has made a decision with an ‘illusion of free will’. So although he feels as though he is making a conscious decision for himself, the control he feels he has over his life is only an illusion. And as far as the rest of the novel, the ‘illusion of free will’ hints at a deeper meaning behind the conflict in the book.
“Gosh, it sounds like the name of a disease… a skin disease” (Lispector 43). In this quote, Olímpico claims that Macabéa’s name sounds like a skin disease, leprosy to be specific. In the Bible, leprosy, a disease of the skin and nerves, is mentioned many times. Popular belief claims that leprosy was cursed upon certain people for the sins they had committed, and since the disease is very contagious, lepers were exiled and sent away to live in leper communes where they succumbed to the disease. The fact that Olímpico connects Macabéa to leprosy is significant because although she does not have the disease, she embodies is in many ways. First, just as people would shun lepers, people blatantly ignore Macabéa. Yet while leprosy is considered a punishment for sinful behavior, Macabéa has no reason to be cursed with the essence of the disease. Lastly, in the Bible, lepers are left to die unless healed by God. This hints at the fact that Macabéa will die a tragic death unless there is a miracle to save her.
“She even summoned enough courage to ask her aunt to buy her some cod liver oil… Her aunt rebuked her: Who do you think you are, some rich man’s daughter, accustomed to luxuries?” (Lispector 61). In the Bible, being anointed with oil symbolizes God’s blessing over a person. And more often than not, it was people of status, for example kings and prophets, who were anointed for a special purpose. This excerpt in which Macabéa asks her aunt for cod liver oil connects to the meaning behind being anointed. Although the narrator claims that Macabéa is less than ordinary in every possible way, her longing for an extravagant item shows that Macabéa thinks well of herself: she may not be ‘a rich man’s daughter’, but to her, she was deserving of a simple luxury. With this, not receiving the oil symbolizes both her ill-fated life and her lack of purpose.
“They bled a black pig and seven white hens over me and tore my bloodstained clothes to shreds” (Lispector 70). This quote immediately made me think of the crucifixion of Jesus. Just as the pig and hens were used as a sort of sacrifice to break a curse, Jesus sacrificed himself to save the people from their sins. With this, after his death, Jesus’s clothes were removed and he was only left with a shredded loincloth. Right after this excerpt, Glória asks Macabéa if she can summon enough courage, to which she responds, “I don’t know if I could stomach all that blood” (Lispector 70). This section creates a sort of foil that is used to characterize Macabéa, because unlike Jesus, who courageously died for the lives of others, Macabéa is barely able to care for herself. This idea connects to the conclusion of the novel, where Macabéa’s death is meaningless and unnoticed, while the crucifixion of Jesus was highly controversial and his resurrection was celebrated by many.
“…for she had been born for death’s embrace” (Lispector 83). Many religions focus on the idea of purpose and life after death. In the Hour of the Star, these two topics are highlighted by the existence of Macabéa. Returning to the idea of fate, many believe that part of their destiny is to find the point of their creation or purpose. However, in the case of Macabéa, she had a will to live, but no purpose; she lived only to die. This also connects to the life and death of Jesus, as his sole purpose was also to die. However, while Jesus was an important sacrifice, there was no significance behind Macabéa’s untimely demise.
“Sitting there, they were indistinguishable from the rest of nothingness. For the greater glory of God” (47)
From some research online, I found out that this quote can be connected to the biblical idea that without God, you have no life at all. In terms of the quote, Macabea and Olimpico are sitting on a park bench and are considered to be part of the “nothingness” by the narrator. Also, the second part of the quote further exemplifies this point of how the bible references nothingness without God and how Macabea and Olimpico are putting themselves below God. I believe that this idea can be connected to how at times, Macabea can be seen as invisible to others and how she is unimportant.
“The one thing she had was faith…For she had never lost faith” (25)
An important part of the bible that I have learned through research relates to the idea of faith. In the bible verse titled “Hebrews 11:1”, it reads “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. This can relate to how Macabea, although she does not exactly know for what she is striving, she remains happy. In the novel, Macabea never lost faith. This is a quality that makes her different than other characters in the novel. Also, because she has faith, she was not distraught when Olimpico had left her for someone else.
“The only thing she desired was to live” (27)
This quote goes along with the idea of the will to live that can be seen in the bible. Having the will to live, according to the bible, “can sustain you when you are sick” (Proverbs 18:14). In this case, Macabea is not sick; rather, she is constantly being beleaguered by self-deprecating thoughts about herself and insults/put-downs from others such as Olimpico. Others who might not be as strong may have lost hope or committed suicide. However, Macabea remained indifferent to these comments.
“After successive failures, I have also reduced myself, but I still want to discover the world and its God” (18)
This quote relates back to the idea of how, according to the bible, without God, humans are nothing. The narrator has already accepted this and has “reduced [him]self”. In addition, this quote connects to the idea of how God created the universe and the world, and we can ascertain this from the second part of the quote and how the narrator wants to “discover the world and its God”.
“She was sexually experience and there was such darkness inside her body” (18)
According to the bible, one should flee from sexual immorality, as committing adultery and other sexually immoral acts is a sin towards one’s own body. In the quote, a woman who is sexually experienced (i.e. sexually immoral) has “darkness inside her body”, meaning that she has committed sin in her body. It is ironic how this biblical reference exists in this novel, but the society in which the characters live in is full of sexual immorality.
1. “How I should love to hear the pealing of bells in order to work up some enthusiasm, as I decipher reality: to see angels flutter like transparent wasps around my fevered head, this head that longs to be ultimately transformed into an object-thing, because so much more simple” (17).
Angels in the Bible are beings that possess higher intelligence than humans. Rodrigo, while struggling with the creative process, wishes to be surrounded by both the “pealing of bells” and angels, both of which create an image of divine inspiration. However, it is interesting that Rodrigo goes on to say that he wishes to be “transformed into an object-thing” because of the contrast that this creates with the higher intelligence of angels. Rodrigo is showing a sort of defiance towards the God that created human beings as intelligent creatures by wishing to be a simple object with no feeling. This sentiment fits into the novel as a whole because Rodrigo’s struggle with understanding existence is often painful, leading him to wish for simplicity and ignorance. In fact, intelligence and knowledge can often be irritating and distracting to Rodrigo, like the “flutter of transparent wasps” around his head.
2. “Each thing is a word. And when there is no word, it must be invented. This God of yours who commanded us to invent” (17).
Rodrigo’s search for simplicity once again contrasts with what he sees as the will of God. He later says, “The word must resemble the word” (20), demonstrating that he values things for themselves and does not wish to attribute additional meaning to them. However, he accuses “this God of yours” of making things more complicated than they may have been by commanding humans to invent new meanings.
3. “And should my narrative turn out to be sad? Later, I shall almost certainly write something more cheerful, but why cheerful? Because I, too, am a man of hosannas and perhaps one day I shall intone praises instead of the misfortunes of the girl from the North-east” (19).
“Hosanna” was a word shouted in praise and adoration upon Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Rodrigo says that he will not always write sad stories like that of Macabéa because “I, too, am a man of hosannas.” Rodrigo implies that all mankind has a desire to be happy and give in to belief in a higher power. Instead of questioning the meaning behind Macabéa’s story, one of insignificance but truth, Rodrigo will some day write cheerful stories about the holy but fictional. Although Rodrigo is critical of religion throughout Hour of the Star, he says that it may be the natural state for human beings to accept stories rather than question reality.
4. “Meantime, I want to walk naked or in rags; I want to experience at least once the insipid flavor of the Host. To eat communion bread will be to taste the world’s indifference, and to immerse myself in nothingness” (19).
The “heavenly host” is a term from the Hebrew and Christian Bibles that refers to an army of angels. In this quote, it may be a reference to religion in general. Rodrigo writes that the Host has an “insipid flavor,” showing that he is critical of the ritual of communion and perhaps religion as a whole. This excerpt comes before Rodrigo’s statement that “In order to speak about the girl I mustn’t shave for days” (19). His desire to experience “at least once” the rituals of religion may be a way to show his willingness to immerse himself in other people’s lives in order to better understand them.
5. “This dates from her childhood when she discovered that she had eaten a fried cat. The thought revolted her for ever more. She lost her appetite and felt the great hunger thereafter. She was convinced that she had committed a crime; that she had eaten a fried angel, its wings snapping between her teeth” (39).
Macabéa’s distaste for food arises from her imagination that she had one day eaten a fried angel. Even though it was only a cat, she felt as if, in comparison to herself, the cat was an angel. This demonstrates Macabéa’s low self-value, as earlier expressed when Rodrigo describes her as “someone who apologizes for occupying too much space” (26). This time, Macabéa is apologizing for eating, one of the main functions of life, which shows that she believes she has no right to exist.
1. The Hour of The Star The title of the novel itself is a Biblical reference due to the fact that stars are constantly mentioned throughout the Bible. Jesus refers to the seven stars in his hands as angels, but these angels are supposed to be messengers in general for the churches. However, these are specifically fallen angels that are represented by stars. Additionally, that could mean that Macabea is a fallen angel, meaning that she’s special and a good person, but placed in the wrong environment for people do not realize this.
2. Strawberries At the end of the book Rodrigo ends the story my mentioning that it’s a good season for strawberries. In Psalm 19 the Bible states, “You’ll like it better than strawberries in the spring,/better than red, ripe strawberries”. Strawberries resemble a new beginning, which is ironic because the author mentions this after Macabea dies. The season, spring/summer, are considered happy seasons and seasons of low stress which adds to the idea of simplism. Also, perfectly ripe strawberries are difficult and rare, such as Macabea.
3. “She believed in angels, and, because she believed, they existed” The idea of religion as a whole, not just Christianity, is based on the idea of belief. If one believes, it makes the scenario real. This idea was carried out in the Bible when Jesus was healing the civilians from leprosy – as they believed, they were healed. It influences mindsets and how characters are very certain in the novel and due to that certainty, the circumstances can change.
4. “Why is there so much God? At the expense of men.” This refers to the idea that the characters in the novel are looking too deeply into the meaning of things and life. For some reason there’s always the belief of a higher power of sorts and most people seem to search for it. However sometimes the characters just need to live at free will, which is what the author is trying to support.
5. “Was she a saint? It would seem so” Saints are people who incorporate and devote a large portion of their lives to God. Oddly enough, Macabea is not religious which juxtaposes that idea. Saints are also pure and innocent, which characterizes Macabea for she has not experienced much of the world.
Throughout Clarice Lispector’s novel The Hour of the Star, she uses her narrator Rodrigo to dehumanize Macabea on multiple occasions. Rodrigo’s objectivity helps to bring the effect of dehumanization on the urban world into light. He uses Macabea to represent the thousands of other girls like her who also live in poverty. He feels that he needs to let others know that this type of poor life exists and is a version of reality for many. Rodrigo tries to separate himself and his feelings from Macabea in order to tell her story appropriately. One way he does this is by dehumanizing her.
1.“... She identified with a portrait of the young Greta Garbo. This surprised me, for I could not imagine any affinity between Macabea and an actress with a face like Garbo” (Lispector 64). Greta Garbo was a film actress during the 1920s and 1930s who is remembered today for her beauty and modern spirit. In this passage, Rodrigo explains that Macabea dreams of one day becoming someone like Garbo. Later, he also mentions that she wishes to look like Marilyn Monroe. Macabea clearly wants to possess the beauty and talent that these actresses had, but Rodrigo believes that she is not attractive enough as he “could not imagine any affinity” between them.
2. “I have explained these details at great length for fear of having promised too much and offering too little. My story is almost trivial” (24). This passage is from the beginning of the novel where Rodrigo sets the background for his story. He feels that this story is almost meaningless and therefore leads me to think that he feels that Macabea’s life could also be seen as meaningless and without purpose. He fears that with his long introduction, he got the hopes up of the reader and “promised too much” when in reality his story is just about the trivial life of a poor girl.
3. “What a thin slice of watermelon” (27). Rodrigo compares Macabea’s physical appearance to a slice of watermelon, which is very dehumanizing. A thin slice of watermelon is usually very flimsy, weak, and almost transparent. Being very poor and eating very little, Macabea is also thin and weak from the lack of food and nutrients. She is also invisible to those around her, almost how you are able to see through a thin slice of watermelon.
4. “Macabea, you’re like a hair in one’s soup” (60). Olimpico compares Macabea to hair in soup with this simile while he was breaking up with her. Finding hair in soup, or in any food item, is disgusting, dirty, and “enough to make one lose their appetite.” This is an extremely hurtful insult that shows how others view her.
5. “They aren’t even aware of the fact that they are superfluous and that nobody gives a damn about their existence… [She] is so simple minded that she often smiles at other people on the street. No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her” (16). Rodrigo implies that Macabea, and all the other girls like her, are basically invisible. This is obviously a non-human quality. Through Rodrigo, Lispector hints that because these girls are so poor and isolated from the rest of the urban world, people of the higher classes are either afraid or don’t want to accept the fact that this type of life exists for many, many people. A lot of times people are afraid of things that are different and I think that Lispector is trying to send the message that there will always be inequality and unfairness in the world, and people need to learn to confront and accept it.
“Come in, my pet. There is a client with me in the other room. If you don’t mind waiting in here. Would you care for a coffee, my pet?” (71)
This quote occurs when Macabea visits a fortune teller named Madame Carlota. Gloria, after taking Olimpico away from Macabea, decides to recommend this fortune teller to Macabea because she felt bad. Madame Carlota refers to Macabea as her “pet”. This is a very dehumanizing nickname, especially for a human. However, shortly after, the narrator then says how “Macabea was taken aback, never having received so many endearments from anyone” (71). This shows how Macabea believes that these comments, which many other people might think of as dehumanizing, are actually endearments to her.
“…I must make it clear that this girl does not know herself apart from the fact that she goes on living aimlessly. Were she foolish enough to ask herself ‘Who am I?’ she would fall flat on her face” (15)
Rodrigo immediately establishes Macabea as a clueless individual, and we are able to see this later in the novel as well. The narrator uses pessimistic language to tell the reader not to get his or her hopes up in terms of expecting great things from Macabea. The narrator also establishes Macabea as someone who is not capable intricate or deep thoughts. In addition, I believe that Lispector uses Rodrigo in this case to explain how people who live in poverty, such as Macabea, live “aimlessly” due to urban society. Later, the narrator says how “[Macabea] often smiles at other people on the street. No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her” (16). This shows how even though impoverished individuals such as Macabea make an effort to better their lives, no one pays attention or tries to help.
“The girl did not know that she existed, just as a dog doesn’t know that it’s a dog” (27)
This is a very direct comparison/simile between the girl (Macabea) and an animal (dog). The girl is dehumanized to the point where she has the thought process akin to a dog. Just like a dog, she also was not able to be “aware of her own unhappiness” (27). Because of her inability to recognize her terrible situation, she was able to maintain faith and happiness. I believe that this idea can also connect to how dogs are known and admired for their unconditional love and happiness. Macabea can be connected to this idea as she never loses faith even when bad things are happening in her life.
“…for she was as appetizing as cold coffee” (27)
In Brazil, coffee is an integral part of the culture there. Not only is this a dehumanizing comparison of a girl to coffee, but it is a comparison to the culture of Northeast Brazil. In addition, this comparison allows the reader to connect and to understand how the narrator feels about this girl. “There are thousands of girls like this girl from the Northeast to be found in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, living in bedsitters or toiling behind counters for all they are worth. They aren’t even aware of the fact that they are superfluous and that nobody cares a damn about their existence” (14)
This quote further dehumanizes and lessens the importance of girls like Macabea in Rio de Janeiro. The language that the narrator uses in this excerpt also makes it seem like he is extremely passionate about what he is saying, and that maybe he strongly believes in it. In addition, it also generalizes all of these girls to be exactly like Macabea; they are unable to comprehend their unimportance.
“Macabea, you’re like a hair in one’s soup. It’s enough to make anyone lose their appetite” (60)
In this excerpt, Olimpico had just “broken up” with Macabea and started a new relationship with Gloria, Macabea’s “friend”. Olimpico is now telling Macabea the truth about how he feels about her; she is like a “hair in one’s soup” (60). This dehumanizing simile compares Macabea to an annoyance and something that can make one lose their appetite. Right after this comment, Macabea replies “No, no, no!” almost as if she is trying to hide from this truth and maintain her happiness.
1. The avoidance of Macabea’s name Throughout the entire portion of Rodrigo’s introduction of Macabea, he avoids using her name at all costs. Instead he calls her “the girl”, “the young girl” or “the girl from the Northeast” repeatedly. In a way, it is more difficult to avoid using her name than it is to just say it. Usually, names/nicknames are used to represent the connection between characters, and not having a name for her shows that he does not think of her as even an equal. This shows that Rodrigo is going to the extremes to express his appreciation.
2. Justification Rodrigo repeated goes on about the fact he must have an explanation for writing the novel about an unpleasant girl. Within the first few paragraphs, he states, “Even as I write this I feel ashamed at pouncing on you with a narrative that is so open and explicit” (12). The audience’s first impression of the novel is already set at a negative tone for Macabea, and even then, most books that discuss tragedy are not given an explanation. Rodrigo is not letting her life story explain itself and he is almost apologizing for his work and still documents it, most likely without even getting her permission.
3. “Gosh, it sounds like the name of a disease… a skin disease” (43) Macabea not only gets dehumanized by the narrator, but by other characters in the novel. Even though her and Olimpico had just met, the author immediately makes it so he judges her based on her name. It is ironic because in real life, a scenario like that would probably not happen, but it occurs to Macabea. She is not treated like a normal person because most people judge her off of her appearance, which also explains why she does not have many friends.
4. “Her life was duller than plain bread and butter” (58) Everyone has a life story and whether people know about it or not it’s still something. By judging Macabea for having a boring and dull life Rodrigo is not giving her the benefit of the doubt of the fact that she goes through up’s and down’s everyday. He is criticizing her for living simplistically which is ironic due to the fact that he emphasizes that everything is simple in the introduction.
5. “…Her flat chest heaved and fell as she struggled for breath” (82) Even as Macabea got hit by a yellow Mercedes and is about to die, the author has to mention that she is flat chested. As unimportant and unnecessary as it is in the context, Rodrigo goes out of his way to mention it. Considering that it is something no women appreciates hearing, it shows how Rodrigo does not respect her as a female.
6. “No one paid attention to her on the street, for she was as appetizing as cold coffee” (27) In order to emphasize how Rodrigo feels about Macabea, he compares her to cold coffee because that’s something everyone can understand and relate to. Especially since in Brazilian culture, they are very particular with how they like their coffee and drink it traditionally warm. He does not even try to sugar coat his opinion of Macabea. Later he how he loves Macabea, but it does not seem to be the truth for if he did appreciate her and did love her, he would not criticize her as much as he does.
In The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector explores the dehumanizing effect of the urban world on the poor through the narrator, Rodrigo. When first introducing Macabéa, he remarks, "But the person whom I am about to describe scarcely has a body to sell; nobody desires her" (Lispector 14). This commentary on Macabéa’s body makes her seem as though she is scrawny and weak, similar to a stray dog that no one wants. Later, Rodrigo claims that, "...she was inept. Inept for living" (Lispector 24). Once again, this description connects Macabéa to an incompetent animal that has no purpose for life. Similarly, the narrator states that, "The girl did not know that she existed, just as a dog doesn't know that it's a dog" (Lispector 27). In this line, Rodrigo makes a direct comparison between Macabéa and a specific animal, comparing her oblivion to that of a dog. Later, the narrator remarks, "She rarely spoke (having little or nothing to say)..." (Lispector 33). Although human beings are able to communicate quite proficiently, Rodrigo uses Macabéa’s silence to bring her down to the status of an animal that is unable to speak as humans can. In addition, Rodrigo claims that, " Macabéa only noticed unimportant things..." (Lispector 51). Similar to how a dog can entertain itself for hours by simply playing fetch or chasing its tail, the narrator sees Macabéa in a similar way: that she only sees things at an animal’s level. Lastly, the narrator subtly connects her to an animal once again by saying, "...Macabéa was nothing but a vague sentiment lying on the dirty paving stones" (Lispector 83). Although Macabéa is a girl, Rodrigo describes her position in such a way that she sounds like a stray animal laying on the street. All of these instances of Rodrigo dehumanizing Macabéa lead to one question; why? It is one thing to make someone sound dull and unimportant, but to bring a human being down to an animal’s rank just seems harsh. However, there is deeper meaning behind Rodrigo's dehumanization of Macabéa. While comparing Macabéa to an animal emphasizes her insignificance, it also shows that although she appears to be miserable and worthless, she is inwardly free. So just as an animal is unaware of it's irrelevant existence, Macabéa doesn't realize that she is expected to be unhappy with her life.
1. “It strikes me that I don’t need her either and that what I am writing could be written by another. Another writer, of course, but it would have to be a man for a woman would weep her heart out” (14).
Rodrigo distances himself from Macabéa by claiming that he is an impartial narrator and that he lacks an emotional connection to her. The reader later discovers this to be clearly untrue as Rodrigo becomes more and more involved psychologically in Macabéa’s story. Rodrigo would like to remain cold and reserved in the face of his tragic narrative, a feat that he believes a woman writer would be unable to accomplish.
2. “I confine myself to narrating the unremarkable adventures of a girl living in a hostile city” (15).
Rodrigo downplays the importance of Macabéa’s story. However, the reader can see through Rodrigo’s apparent indifference because he is never able to explain why he puts so much effort into ensuring that Macabéa’s story is told. The reader can infer that Rodrigo is in fact deeply impacted by the idea of this girl who is completely insignificant yet happy.
3. “It’s as follows: like some vagrant bitch she was guided entirely by her own remote control” (18).
In addition to downplaying the tragic aspects of Macabéa’s story, Rodrigo uses scathing language to describe her successes. Being guided by one’s own free will is usually seen as an achievement of independence from detrimental outside influences. However, Rodrigo describes it negatively in order to show that the city expects people to be influenced by one another. The urban world dehumanizes people by forcing them to be completely interdependent, and Macabéa’s separation from this both intrigues and exasperates Rodrigo.
4. “Before being born was she an idea? Before being born was she dead? And after being born was she about to die? What a thin slice of watermelon” (27).
Rodrigo’s reflections on life and death demonstrate Macabéa’s insignificance in the grand scheme of things. He compares her to “a thin slice of watermelon” to show how short and meaningless her life is.
5. “Olímpico concerned himself with important things but Macabéa only noticed unimportant things like herself” (51).
Rodrigo consistently emphasizes how “unimportant” Macabéa is. However, his descriptions of her end up reflecting a certain wisdom that she possesses, allowing her to be happy despite terrible circumstances. Even though Macabéa concerns herself with “unimportant things like herself,” the fact that Olímpico is interested in “important things” indicates that these important things are not important at all. By describing Olímpico as such an obscene, lowlife character and then contrasting him with Macabéa, Rodrigo gives Macabéa some dignity.
6. “But emptiness, too, has its value and somehow resembles abundance” (14).
Although this quote does not directly relate to the dehumanizing impact of the urban world, it is interesting because it explains why Rodrigo attempts to distance himself from Macabéa. By avoiding the emotions associated with Macabéa’s impoverished and tragic story, Rodrigo attempts to make himself empty. This emptiness is something that Macabéa has unconsciously achieved in her life; she has no jealousy, regrets, dreams, or bitterness associated with her condition. When Macabéa visits Madame Carlota at the end of the novella, she finally gains hope and becomes “a person enriched with a future” (79). Ironically, she is killed immediately afterwards by a rich man in a yellow Mercedes, the figure from Madame Carlota’s prophecies. The world only allowed Macabéa to be happy when she was ignorant of her unhappiness—when she was “empty.” By ignoring his emotions, Rodrigo hopes to maintain his “emptiness” and prevent his own metaphorical demise along with Macabéa.
“- Macabea, you’re like a hair in one’s soup” (60) Macabea existence is an annoyance. Comparing herself to a hair in a soup means that she is not worth the time. No one picks the hair out of the soup and continue to eat it, but they simply just throw it away and order a new another soup dish.
“I think about Macabea’s vagina, minute, yet unexpectedly covered with a thick growth of black hairs - her vagina was the only vehement sign of her existence”(70) By saying the only thing that remind Rodrigo of Macabea is her vagina, he undermine her as a poor girl who cannot get through poverty without selling her body. This contradict with what he mentions earlier in the novel where he says no one want her virginity. This leads to the idea that women, in Rio, are no more than the figure representation of prostitution, that beauty and physical looks are all what matters; poor women, like Macabea, cannot get through except by prostitution.
“She herself asked for nothing, but her sex made its demands like a sunflower germinating in a tomb” (70) This is a paradox, a seed cannot germinates in a tomb where there are no light, water, or nutrients for the seed to grow. By comparing her sex with the analogy, it is a way of saying she has nothing to wager to gain something. That even sex - something men want from women, as Rodrigo is describing like a prostitute - cannot get her out of poverty. “Are you frightened of words, my pet?” (74) By comparing her with a pet means that she cannot take care of herself and she needs someone to help her with every step of the way. She is helpless and dependents on others in order to survive, which is meaningful in this context as she happens to be happy after Madame Carlota’s prediction of her being happen again with her boyfriend.
“- Macabea! I have some wonderful news for you! Listen carefully, my flower, because what I’m about to tell you is of the greatest importance,”(76) Obviously, by comparing Macabea to a flower, it means women are just there for their desires physical beauty. Furthermore, in this context Madame Carlota’s fortune reading predicts that Macabea will have an amazing future, even though it is ironic that the fate of a flower is to wilt and same with Macabea’s life ending by her getting hit by a truck. Her life has no meaning, she lives to die.
“As a little girl, because she had no one to kiss, she often used to kiss the wall. Embracing the wall was like embracing herself,” (78) By saying embracing the wall as herself, Rodrigo means she will never have another person in her life; walls are always by themselves until they are tear down. Nam Nguyen
An experimental novel is defined as a novel that refuses to stay within the traditional boundaries of most novels. Experimental novels are often characterized as a novel that includes many contradictions, lack of structure, stream of consciousness, metafiction, unreliable narrator, stories within stories and the breaking of the fourth wall. The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector is classified as an experimental novel as it includes many of these traits.
Stream of Consciousness, Lack of Structure and Unreliable Narrator Stream of consciousness is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as, “the continuous unedited flow of conscious experience through the mind.” In The Hour of the Star, the narrator Rodrigo S.M. uses stream of consciousness to tell his story about Macabea. It feels like he is writing as we are reading. It also feels like he writes how he would talk in person, almost as if he is talking directly to the reader. There are times where he stutters or just plainly writes what he is thinking. He also asks a lot of questions. Rodrigo often uses dash marks in his sentences which makes it seem like while he was in the middle of writing a sentence, he had a new thought and had to include it before he forgot it. Rodrigo writes, “I should explain that this story will emerge from a gradual vision - for the past two and a half years I have slowly started discovering the whys and the wherefores. It is the vision of the imminence of… of what?” (Lispector 12). This seems a little chaotic to me, which adds to the fact that this novel is very disorganized. It is not split up into chapters and one thought just seems to flow to another without any separation. Lack of structure is another trait that helps to qualify The Hour of the Star as an experimental novel. Rodrigo often goes back and forth between his thoughts/explanations and the story of Macabea. He writes, “I also believe she was weeping because the music helped her to perceive that there were other ways of feeling… She perceived a lot of things that she could not understand” (51). Rodrigo acts like he knows everything about Macabea, including her actions, thoughts and feelings. This adds to the trait of an unreliable narrator. In the beginning of the novel, Rodrigo states the he must empty himself from all emotions in order to tell this story. He tries to tell the story from an apathetic point of view without attaching himself or allowing the reader to attach to Macabea. However, Rodrigo often tells his opinion about Macabea. He writes phrases that include, “I also believe,” “To my great joy I find that” and “Personally I…” which add bias to the story. It makes me question how Rodrigo knows so much about this girl without ever having any physical interaction with her and what right does he have to write about what he thinks she feels and thinks herself? How does the reader know to trust what Rodrigo is telling us?
Contradictions The Hour of the Star includes many contradictions. For example, at the beginning of the novel, Rodrigo looks down upon Macabea and sees himself as superior to her. He writes, “Anyway, it’s true that I too have no pity for my main character” (13). However later in the story, Rodrigo begins to show the opposite what he previously stated. He embraces her flaws and ignorance of her existence. He writes, “Yes, I adore Macabea, my darling Maca. I adore her ugliness and her total anonymity for she belongs to no one” (68). Rodrigo frequently contradicts himself in his descriptions of Macabea throughout the novel.
Unreliable narrator In the introduction of the novel, the narrator refers to Macabéa as, “…my main character…” (Lispector 13). This alludes to the fact that he is making the story up as he goes. In other words, Macabéa is just a figment of Rodrigo’s imagination, a character in his story and nothing more. However, later in the novel, Rodrigo claims that, “I did not invent this girl” (Lispector 29). So despite his prior statement that Macabéa is a character, Rodrigo later seems to think that she is real. These contradictory claims characterize the narrator as unreliable, a common element in experimental fiction. And it is these opposing phrases that confuse the reader make the narrator appear as untrustworthy or simply confused himself.
Meta-reference An aspect of The Hour of the Star that makes it different from other novels is that the narrator often breaks the fourth wall and address the reader directly. First, Rodrigo refers to the reader as 'you' and even states, "So, dear readers, you know more than you imagine..." (Lispector 13). In association with experimental fiction, this is known as meta-reference, a technique in which characters demonstrate awareness that they are in fact characters in a book. This also connects to the unreliable narrator aspect as it causes the narrator to seem misleading, as if his thoughts are filtered for an audience. This realization gives the reader a more feigned interpretation of the story rather than a narrators usual subconscious thinking.
Introspection In experimental novels and meta-fiction, characters often examine their own conscious thoughts and feelings. This is referred to as introspection, or more commonly known as self-reflection. This concept is present throughout The Hour of the Star, as Rodrigo often questions his subconscious thinking. This is first brought up in the beginning of the novel where Rodrigo remarks, “…am I a monster or is this what is means to be a person?” (Lispector 15). Later, he asks himself, “…who am I to censure the guilty?” (Lispector 81). This profound self-awareness makes Rodrigo appear more realistic to the audience because his questions are relatable to the reader.
Circular ending The opening line of the book states, "Everything in the world began with a yes" (Lispector 11). And the very last line in the novel reads, “Don’t forget, in the meantime, that this is the season for strawberries. Yes” (Lispector 86). These start and end points both have one thing in common; the word ‘yes’. This directly connects to the idea of a circular ending, a popular aspect of experimental novels. And the circular ending alludes to the idea of the circle of life: although Macabéa dies in the end, there will be rebirth.
“The Hour of the Star” by Clarice Lispector is an example of an experimental novel not only because it is a very complex novel with intricate characters, but it also includes elements that define an experimental novel. Some of these elements that are included in the novel include the use of an “anti-hero” and the motivation of the “anti-hero” by unconscious sources. In this novel, Lispector employs the help of Macabea to play the anti-hero role. She is an impoverished typist, who is less than ordinary; she is, at first glance, boring and incapable of deep or insightful thoughts. Also, from the audience’s perspective, it might seem as though she is weak and that she lacks self-confidence because she cannot realize the terrible situation in which she is living. This can turn off the audience thus establishing Macabea as an anti-hero. She is not hated by the audience. Rather, there is some amount of dislike and pity towards her that qualifies Macabea to fit this character archetype. The author makes an effort to characterize Macabea in this way, saying how “she was as light-headed as an idiot, only she was no idiot” (25). Not only is this a contradictive statement (another aspect of an experimental novel), but it also establishes how Macabea is not a very smart character. Another example of how the narrator characterizes Macabea as one who is not very likeable occurs when the narrator states “the girl did not know that she existed, just as a dog does’t know that it’s a dog” (27). This simile compares Macabea to a dog in terms of thought process, which further puts off the audience to Macabea. Another element of the experimental novel is how the anti-hero is motivated by unconscious sources. The narrator tells us that Macabea has faith. However, it is unsure in what she faith. “She wasn’t even aware that she was unhappy. The one thing she had was faith. In what? In you? It isn’t necessary to have faith in anyone or in anything – it is enough to have faith. This often endowed her with a state of grace” (25). This inner faith that she had, regardless of where she got it, drove her do continue past bad events that were happening in her life. It is this inner part of her deep unconsciousness that motivates Macabea. In addition, the narrator goes on to say that “There wasn’t a trace of human misery in the girl. She carried within her an aura of innocence” (38). This inner “aura innocence” motivates Macabea even though she is not capable of understanding that she has this “aura”.
1. The first reason that The Hour of the Star can be classified as an experimental novel is the stream of consciousness writing technique that Clarice Lispector employs. Instead of being a story with “a beginning, a middle, and a ‘grand finale,’” as Rodrigo wishes to write, The Hour of the Star follows Rodrigo’s thoughts, often unorganized and contradictory, rather than a normal plotline. Lispector’s use of stream of consciousness writing allows her to comment on the struggles of the writing process, as when she says, “The question is: how do I write?” (18). She also experiments with the relationship between the narrator and his characters. Rodrigo realizes that “when I write I am surprised to find that I possess a destiny” (15). As the novella progresses, Rodrigo as a narrator becomes more and more intertwined with Macabéa until he finally exclaims, “Macabéa has murdered me” (85). Lispector uses this connection between the narrator and characters in order to explore whether it is ever possible to truly understand another human being.
2. The Hour of the Star presents ideas in a contradictory and occasionally irrational manner that seeks to imitate the internal processes of the human mind. Rodrigo often contradicts himself, which is most evident in his conflicting feelings about Macabéa. Although he often sounds dry and severe, he cannot avoid becoming emotionally attached to the girl from the Northeast. He describes Macabéa as lacking “substance like most inferior products” (58) but also says that she has a “breath of life” that is “expansive and diffused” (59). Rodrigo’s conflicting ideas and descriptions establish Lispector’s theme that human beings are inconsistent and multifaceted.
3. Macabéa is a perfect example of an anti-hero because she is less than ordinary in both body and mind. Rodrigo describes her as “inept for living” (24). She certainly does nothing heroic, and comes across as rather pathetic to the reader. However, Macabéa’s one redeeming and psychologically interesting characteristic is her inability to feel sorry for herself. While the narrator struggles with existential questions, Macabéa accepted the fact that “It is so because it is so” (26). Despite her bland, inconsequential life, the reader is intrigued by Macabéa as an anti-hero because of her ability to accept the world as it is.
4. Rodrigo can also be considered an anti-hero. He is motivated by the unconscious need to explain poverty and insignificance. The story of Macabéa, inspired by nothing more than seeing a girl on the street, comes to dominate Rodrigo’s life and relate to his own existential uncertainties. The reader gains insight into Rodrigo’s mind, which is often irrational, uncertain, and impotent. Even though Rodrigo as the writer has the ability to save Macabéa from dying, he does not do so, demonstrating his belief that he has no power over fate.
1. Structure of the Novel There are no chapters in The Hour of the Star. Even the transition from the end of Rodrigo’s talking to the novel is not split with a chapter end. As well as the fact that there are no chapters, Clarice Lispector gives the options to multiple titles in addition to the novel. With the dialogue, it is very inconsistent with the formatting considering that the author uses multiple techniques. There are no quotation marks, as well as the start of each spoken piece of dialogue begins with either a pronoun or just a dash.
2. Unreliable Narrator Throughout Rodrigo’s writing, there are many inconsistencies where he contradicts himself. For example, Rodrigo states, “It is better not to speak of happiness or unhappiness…I have no desire to provoke any of these things for they are painful” (60). As impossible as it is to avoid unhappiness/happiness, Rodrigo does not attempt to write in the middle ground. Everything he writes seems to be extremely happy or extremely sad.
3. Stream of Consciousness The most unique part of this novel is the fact that the narrator is aware that he is a character in the story. Rodrigo says, “I forgot to mention that everything I am now writing is accompanied by the emphatic ruffle of a military drum” (22). Since the story is set in present tense, there is never a time when the story will be read that Rodrigo won’t be involved with the story and “writing” as it is occurring.
4. Macabea It is strange how the main character of the novel is not the hero of the novel. Usually, main characters are brave and dynamic, however Macabea does not change much from the beginning of the novel to the end. In fact, Macabea is the character who gets bullied in a sense and does not ever evolve to become the hero that everyone loves. However, depending on the perspective of the reader, she could be the underdog for being naïve and content with her simplistic lifestyle.
Stream of Consciousness A part of an Experimental Novel is its factor of stream of consciousness. The noticeable of the “(bang)” is seen throughout and especially near the end of the book. It could be a foreshadow toward the truck hitting Macabea, the sound of the truck hitting her, but then the repetition does not make complete sense, as once is enough to be a foreshadow. It occurs at random time and does not fit within the context of Rodrigo’s narration, “Macabea’s eyes opened wide as she felt a hunger for the future (bang)” (76); although it does make sense in a way that she will die, the prediction that Madame Carlota was making is of an optimistic future. It an odd, but most noticeable for the novel as being experimental.
Contradictory within Narration “Everything in the world began with a yes… I do not know why, but I do know that the universe never began,” (11). Rodrigo starts with a simple opening, but contradicts it. This makes the narration unreliable as to whether or not what he believes is true or can the readers can trust in what he is saying. He does this throughout the book, where he says he does not want to continue to write the book but obviously he does as the book obviously continues.
Disorganization Rodrigo claims, “So I shall attempt, contrary to my normal method, to write a story with a beginning, middle, and a ‘grand finale’ followed by silence and falling rain” (13). He does not follow this direction. The book does not have chapters and the events are not happening in chronological orders. HE went from Macabea’s job as a typewriter back to her childhood as being abuse and then toward the end where she dies in a truck accident.
No Real Ending Lispector introduces the book with a beginning and somewhat ends it. Throughout the book, she mentions rebirth, “The action of this story will result in my transfiguration into someone else and in my materialization into an object” (20) and with the ending, “Don’t forget, in the meantime, that this is the season for strawberries. Yes” (86). She does not quite completely ends it with an ending, rather when she mentions the strawberries’ season it meant that there will always be a beginning of something, as strawberries will grow in different time of the year and that nothing ever completely dies. This goes with the saying, “When one door closes, another one opens; but we look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not look at the one which has open for us” (Alexander Graham Bell). Nam Nguyen
An experimental novel is a book that crosses the boundary between traditional novel standards into completely new territory focused on the authors stream of consciousness. In her book The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector uses aspects of an experimental novel to give more insight on the characteristics of the narrator. First, the opening line of the book states, "Everything in the world began with a yes" (Lispector 11). However, at the end of the paragraph is the phrase, "...but I do know that the universe never began" (Lispector 11). These contradictory claims characterize the author as unreliable, a common element in experimental fiction. Later on, the narrator claims that, "...the story is true even though invented..." (Lispector 12). These opposing phrases confuse the reader and make the narrator appear as untrustworthy or simply confused himself. In addition, the narrator often refers to the reader as 'you' and even states, "So, dear readers, you know more than you imagine..." (Lispector 13). In association with experimental fiction, this is known as meta-reference, a technique in which characters demonstrate awareness that they are in fact characters in a book. This also causes the narrator to appear as misleading, as his thoughts are filtered for an audience, giving the reader a more feigned interpretation rather than a narrators usual subconscious thinking. Meta-reference in combination with the unreliable narrator aspect causes the narrator to appear mysterious, as if he is trying to deceive the reader. This in turn causes The Hour of the Star to have a mysterious mood, which forces the reader to choose what they do and do not believe.
ReplyDeleteThe Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector begins with the narrator Rodrigo S.M. explaining to the reader what his story will be about. Rodrigo explains that he is writing about a poor, weak, unwanted and impoverished girl who lives in Rio de Janeiro. He states, “It is my duty to relate everything about this girl among thousands of others like her. It is my duty, however unrewarding, to confront her with her own existence” (Lispector 13). Rodrigo feels that he needs to tell this story about one of the many thousands of girls like her who are unnoticed and uncared for. He feels that this girl does not realize how terrible and miserable of a life she lives. The narrator goes on to explain how that the girls “aren’t even aware of the fact that they are superfluous and that nobody cares a damn about their existence” (14). I feel that this passage is a way of stalling to tell this story about this poor girl. He explains the life of the girl like he knows her very well and describes how he feels he needs to write this story. Also the fact that this book is written in first person in view of the narrator makes it feel like Rodrigo is talking to the reader directly. At the end of the passage Rodrigo stammers and says, “My inner silence if the solution to my - to my mystery” (14). I feel like he writes the way that he would talk in real life, which makes the reading more personal. I find it very interesting, but also confusing, on why Rodrigo feels that it is his duty to write about this girl. Does he really feel pity for her or is he just patronizing her?
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the novel The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector mentions that the story will be told in a unique and original way. The scene is set with Rodrigo (the narrator) sitting at a typewriter talking about the girl in which he is he writing about. His description of the girl, Macabea, is particularly negative and interesting, for even though he is trying his best to describe her using many comparisons, he can never quite get the description right. Lispector writes, “In order to speak about the girl I mustn’t shave for days. I must acquire dark circles under my eyes from the lack of sleep: dozing from sheer exhaustion like a manual labourer…I am doing all this to put myself o the same footing as the girl from the North-east” (19). With this passage, the narrator/author is stating that Macabea’s story is a difficult one to tell. That, as an outsider and a typical audience member, her story might be strange and hard to understand. Even the narrator, who knew her, has a tough time describing her life, for he wants to do it justice. The author always refer back to the difficulty of describing Macabea in a negative tone, which sets the mood as depressing for the rest of the novel. Throughout the passage, Rodrigo does not seem to want to mention her name. He refers to her as “the girl”, “the girl from the North-east”, “a young girl”, and feminine personal pronouns, but he seems to avoid the usage of her name as much as possible. It is almost as if not using her name dehumanizes her to an extent and makes her seem imaginary.
ReplyDeleteIn the opening paragraphs of Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector introduces the motifs of the human experience and the futility of seeking meaning in life. She opens the novella with the sentence, “Everything in the world began with a yes” (11). She follows this with a reflection on the beginning of the universe and a caution: “Let no one be mistaken. I only achieve simplicity with enormous effort” (11). Evidently, Lispector’s reflections on the beginning of the universe are more figurative than literal; her words describe the essence of the beginning of the world in terms of its implications for the human experience. Her opening sentence implies that the world began with a certain willingness, or a “yes,” with no reason behind it. Human life is just as inexplicable, as Lispector makes clear when she writes, “The more genuine part of my life is unrecognizable, extremely intimate and impossible to define” (12). Instead of attempting to explain life, Lispector merely attempts to convey elements of the human experience. When she says, “To think is an act. To feel is a fact,” she reveals the viewpoint that human beings create history and the world around them simply by feeling and thinking it (12). This viewpoint is centered on the human experience, which becomes a key motif in the story of Macabea.
ReplyDeleteThe passage on which I performed a close reading (5) extended from page 15 to page 17 and mainly focused on the preceding thoughts and ideas of the narrator, Rodrigo S.M. Immediately, the narrator establishes what he plans on writing about, and that entails a woman who “does not know herself apart from the fact that she goes on living aimlessly” (15). The narrator sets up this character as foolish. She cannot many deep thoughts or probing questions, even thought at the end of the book we find out she actually is capable of fathoming these ideas. In the end she then recognizes that she is incomplete, as the narrator states is necessary to “probe oneself” (16). In addition, the narrator also mentions the use of facts in the material that he writes. He appreciates these inescapable facts, and he uses metaphors to describe the the facts as “hard stones” (16). In one section of the passage, the narrator also uses a lot of visual imagery, describing his writing like a “dank haze”, the words “transfused with shadows that intersect unevenly, stalactites, woven lace, transposed organ music” (16). The use of visual imagery in this section adds a visual perception to words, creating a vivid image of different shapes combined with music. Directly after this section of the passage, the narrator then goes on to say how he “shall attempt to extract gold from charcoal” (16) and how he is “holding up the narrative and playing at ball without a ball” (16-17). These lines describe his endeavors as an almost impossible feat. The last part of the section – “This book is a silence: an interrogation” (17) – relates to how the narrator is creating a character to be probed, like he previously stated, just like an interrogation.
ReplyDeleteIn passage 8, of the packet, Clarice Lispector uses transforming dictions to imply her fear of dying. From the class presentation, the class learns that Lispector was dying from cancer while she was writing The Hour of the Star. Her emotions show throughout the novel, and the most stand out is her fear of dying. From passage 8, she writes, “The action of this story will result in my transfiguration into someone else and in my ultimate materializations into an object,” (Lispector 20). This quote implies her optimistic view of life after death, she thinks she will be reincarnated, but as well as her negative view of what will come, she becomes nothing more than a dead corpse. Connecting this with the next quote, “As is known, today is today,” (Lispector 20). This sets up the negative tone of the passage, where she is saying she should get back into reality and stop dreaming. Then she shows fears by saying, “No one understands my meaning and I can obscurely hear mocking laughter with that rapid, edgy cackling of old men,”(Lispector 20). After she wishes herself to be young again and innocent with the color white, “I must reproduce myself with the delicacy of a white butterfly. This idea of the white butterfly stems from the feeling that, should the girl marry, she will marry looking as slender and ethereal as any virgin dressed in white,” (Lispector 20).
ReplyDeleteNam Nguyen
ReplyDelete1.What is the reason for Olimpico’s character in the story beyond the obvious reason for adding to Macabea’s terrible life?
I think that Lispector included Olimpico in the novel to contradict the character of Macabea. One major difference that I found between Olimpico and Macabea is the fact that Olimpico has ambitions to go far in life and become successful. He is aware that he is poor but he wants to create a better reputation for himself. This is unlike Macabea who is not even aware of her own existence and what she is capable of. Lispector juxtaposes the two characters by stating, “Macabea was undeniably a primitive creature while Olimpico de Jesus saw himself as a man about the town, the type of man for whom all doors open” (Lispector 46). Macabea lives a very simple and poor life while Olimpico, although poor, strives to create a better life for himself and holds himself accountable to do so. He saved his money to buy a “false tooth glittering in gold” to give him a “standing in society.” Although he wants to create a better life for himself, he can be seen as greedy. Also the fact that he killed someone without any remorse so that he could have the title of being a MAN or a ‘brazen thug’ makes Olimpico seem too obsessed with his image of how others view him. Although striving to create a better quality of life for yourself is positive thing, I think that there are too many other negative characteristics about Olimpico that outweigh it.
2. What does Macabea’s death represent? How does it fit in with the overall meaning of the book?
I think that Macabea’s death is directly related to the title, Hour of the Star. Stars are a repeated symbol throughout the story, as Macabea wishes and dreams of one day becoming a movie star. In the case of the title, the Hour of the Star is referring to the moment right before someone dies. Right before Macabea is run over by a yellow Mercedes, Lispector writes, “Destiny (bang) swift and greedy, whispered: no, quickly, for my hour has come!” (79). You could say that it was fate, or that it was written in the stars, for Macabea to die. I think that she had to die because when she was physically living on earth, no one cared about her, no one loved her, and no one noticed her. However when she died, the reader for instance might feel a “punch in the stomach” and maybe a little sadness for Macabea. I feel like this goes along with the saying, “You never know what you had until it’s gone.” Macabea had to die in order for the narrator to get his main message across about essence and existence.
3. What is the significance of the reference to Julius Caesar (Et tu, Brute)?
“Et tu, Brute?” is a Latin phrase that translates in English to, “You too, Brutus?” These were the last words of Julius Caesar to his friend Marcus Brutus right before he was assassinated. This phrase is commonly used today to “signify the utmost unexpected betrayal by a person, such as a friend.” I think that it is used by Rodrigo after Macabea’s death in the book because I feel like the reader might feel betrayed that someone who was telling the poor story of Macabea would include yet another horrible event, whereas a happier and more hopeful ending could’ve been more satisfying. But Rodrigo says that he “had hoped to announce that Macabea was dead” this way anyways.
Why do you think Macabéa “loved” Olímpico?
ReplyDeleteIn the introduction of the novel, the narrator remarks that, “No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her” (Lispector 16). This connects to Macabéa’s peculiar love for Olímpico. When the two first meet, Olímpico immediately insults Macabéa’s name, saying, “Gosh, it sounds like the name of a disease… a skin disease” (Lispector 43). Despite this harsh comment, “She was already so infatuated… that she could no longer do without him in her hunger for love” (Lispector 44). Even though Olímpico is nothing but rude to Macabéa, she accepts all and any attention that she can get from him since he was “…the first boy-friend of any kind she had ever known” (Lispector 42). Macabéa was indifferent to who acknowledged her presence, so when someone finally did, she wholeheartedly embraced the idea of someone accepting her, especially since that someone was a boy. Along with this, since Olímpico was the first boy to befriend her, she didn’t have any previous knowledge on how she should be treated by one. So the fact that he simply said anything to her in the first place was enough for her to fall in love.
What is the significance of dying a virgin?
In many religions and cultures it is tradition that a woman waits until marriage to lose her virginity, as a wife who is not a virgin is considered undesirable. This notion is significant to The Hour of the Star as Macabéa was a virgin and died a virgin. While this detail might seem unimportant at first, it actually tells a great deal about the plot of the novel. As mentioned early in the story, “…they don’t even notice her” (Lispector 16). So although Macabéa was a virgin, which would make her stand out as an acceptable wife, she went through life completely ignored. This concept goes to highlight some gender stereotypes; that along with being a virgin, a desirable wife must also be appealing in other ways. Towards the end of the novel, the narrator remarks that, “Were she about to die, she would pass from being a virgin to being a woman” (Lispector 83). So the fact that Macabéa died a virgin is significant as it both emphasizes the degree of her unpleasantness and marks her untimely demise as the most significant part of her life.
What other questions would you like the class to discuss?
Out of the whole book, one part stood out to me. At the very end of the novel, the last line reads, “Don’t forget, in the meantime, that this is the season for strawberries. Yes” (Lispector 86). This line struck me as the most confusing. What is so important about strawberry season that it deserves to be the concluding line of the book? After some research, I came to find out that strawberries are often used to symbolize the springtime. This idea automatically made me think of reincarnation, as the spring is known as a time of creation and rebirth. This, in combination with the Biblical allusion present throughout the novel, made me think that the narrator was hinting at the fact that Macabéa would be immediately reincarnated during the current strawberry season. And as for the very last word, ‘yes’ brings the story full circle, as the opening line of the novel states, "Everything in the world began with a yes" (Lispector 11). Although this is the conclusion that I came to, I am still interested to hear other interpretations of the closing line of The Hour of the Star.
4. Why do you think Macabea “loved” Olimpico?
ReplyDeleteMacabea possibly loved Olimpico because he was one of the only people that to some extent gave her the time of the day. Even though he was mean to her, he did offer to buy her coffee and to get her a job at the metal factory if she got fired from being a typist. Olimpico being one of the few people who actually acknowledged Macabea’s existence could mean so much to her considering most people did not put in that effort. Additionally, Olimpico somewhat made Macabea feel like she was needed. Even if the attention he gave her was not ideal, attention was better than invisibility.
6. Why does the author sometimes use “He”/“She” when Macabea and Olimpico are talking but sometimes use just a hyphen? Why in some places, but not in others?
The author uses pronouns and hyphens to emphasize the fact that in comparison to a “regular” novel, there are very few characters in this story. Generally, the majority of the book is written in narration or the characters’ inner thoughts, so it is also another way for the author to differentiate from spoken text and ideas. Also, since each character in this story is unique and such a distinct personality, it would almost be useless to mention each character’s name before their dialogue because it is obvious who is speaking.
8. What is the significance of dying a virgin?
Many people (even today) consider a female’s purpose in life is to be a mother and have children. Being unfruitful was considered a terrible, unfortunate thing. Back then, that was extremely important and basically the sole purpose of marriage. To be a woman and not want to be desired by males could be an insult/worry not only to the female, but to her family. Thus, dying a virgin means that she never was married, never had the opportunity to bare children, etc, which lead to an unfulfilled life. Saying that someone will die a virgin is the equivalent of telling someone that they will die without completing their purpose in life.
What is the point of Rodrigo’s introduction?
ReplyDeleteIn the introduction of Rodrigo S.M. in the beginning of The Hour of the Star, the narrator sets the scene for the novel. His introduction also acts as a disclaimer in a sense that it prepares the reader for what is to come. In addition, Rodrigo also explains his own beliefs about certain ideas, and this helps the reader better comprehend some of the ideas that he conveys throughout the novel. In the introduction, the narrator talks about how he “only achieve[s] simplicity with enormous effort” (11). This relates to how other people such as the narrator must try extremely hard to be and/or connect to a person so “simple-minded”, such as Macabea. The use of this also helps to characterize Macabea, and this is another aspect of the introduction. In addition, the introduction is very unordered and random, in which Rodrigo jumps around and talks about many topics. This can represent the randomness and occasional confusion aroused in the reader when reading this novel.
What is the significance of Rodrigo’s use of syntax?
Throughout the novel, the narrator uses many different types of syntax, ranging from dashes and hyphens to parentheses and complex sentences. These types of syntax can have simple grammatical uses as well as greater meaning and depth that add to the overall idea of the book. An important use of parentheses that occurs throughout the book is the use of “(bang)” in certain sentences. This indicates a change in Macabea’s thinking. Its can be subtle or important, such as after “Macabea saw at once what had happened between Olimpico and Gloria: their eyes had met and kissed” (60). This represents a change is Macabea’s thinking as she experiences something new (Olimpico in a relationship with her friend, Gloria), which is ultimately important for Macabea. Another aspect of syntax that Rodrigo uses occurs on page 47 during an exchange between Macabea and Olimpico. The narrator begins sentences with “He” and “She”, which are then followed by a dash and then the rest of the sentence. This technique serves to remove names from the characters, and to break them down to the most basic form by only referring to them by their genders.
What is the significance of the beginning, when Rodrigo talks about the beginning of the world? How does that relate to the rest of the story?
I believe that the beginning of the novel that talks about how “everything in the world began with a yes” (11) relates to how the world and universe started from such simple beginnings. This can relate to how Macabea is such as simple person, as described by Rodrigo. In addition, although it may seem like Macabea went through a change as she approached her death, she was actually happy and simple-minded from the start. She had faith in herself, even though she doubted it multiple times. She always wanted to be a celebrated film star, such as Marilyn Monroe. This idea relates to the narrator’s statement reading “I do not know why, but I do know that the universe never began” (11). This represents how Macabea was capable of this faith and simplicity from the start.
What does Macabéa’s death represent? How does it fit in with the overall message of the book?
ReplyDeleteMacabéa’s death represents her wish, of being a movie star, being granted. Right before she died, Rodrigo tells that she felt like vomiting stars, “She felt like vomiting something that was not matter but luminous. Star with a thousand pointed rays” (Lispector 84). By describing her in this way, she is resembling a movie star because once someone famous die they have more “value” than when they were alive. This is Rodrigo wishful thinking. He says he did not want to end her life this way.
What is the significance of the reference to Julius Cæsar (“Et tu, Brute” p. 84)?
“Et tu, Brute” is a quote from Julius Caesar, which he says before to his friend Marcus Brutus before his assassination. It meant “You too, Brutus”. It is a quote about betrayal and it is befitting to the setting of the end of the story. Rodrigo says it before that he does not want to write this story, but claims that he must. He also claims that he did not want to end Macabéa’s life and he wanted to write a better ending for her. He also contradicted himself as he also says he wanted her to die. It is a way of him saying he betrayed her, ending her sad life, instead of writing a better ending for her.
What was Lispector’s purpose in writing this book? What is the theme?
Lispector’s purpose of writing “The Hour of the Star” is to ask the theme question, “What is the point of life?”. She mentions the quote, when the book began, “So long as I have questions which there are no answers, I shall go on writing,” (Lispector 11). What is the question with no answer? It is the question about life, why do human exists or life happens. She mentions she must continually writing so long as there are no answers, which meant that she has not find meaning. There are so many variety of perspective in the world, and people have different meaning that there are no answers because it is so vast it cannot be contemplated in words. Maybe there is no meaning in life, as readers can see the Macabéa’s life begin and end and Lispector might have arrived at the conclusion that to live is to die and there are no purpose in living. Her only purpose is to write to keep on living. As long as her works exist in the world, a part of herself still exist.
Nam Nguyen
What was Lispector’s purpose in writing this book? What is the theme?
ReplyDeleteLispector wrote The Hour of the Star in order to experiment with literature in a way that reflects the life of one of the world’s least significant. The narrator’s preoccupation with the “girl from the North-east” represents the intellectual and philosophical impact of exposure to poverty on the more fortunate classes (22). While the narrator feels guilty for being more well-off than Macabéa, as demonstrated by the first title, “The Blame is Mine,” Macabéa herself possesses an ignorance of her situation that allows her to attain a state of apathy that can sometimes resemble happiness (9). Lispector examines poverty through the motifs of insignificance, purpose, and happiness, all of which contribute to a commentary not only on the least fortunate, but on mankind in general.
What is the significance of the beginning, where Rodrigo talks about the beginning of the world? How does that relate to the rest of the story?
Rodrigo’s opening line, “Everything in the world began with a yes,” implies that the world began with a certain willingness that lacked purpose (11). This same meaningless existence is demonstrated by the character of Macabéa, who spends every day “passively enacting the role of being” (35). Although she never finds meaning behind her life, Macabéa manages to savor it, “consuming her life sparingly so that it shouldn’t come to an abrupt ending” (32). The narrator poses many questions and says, “So long as I have questions to which there are no answers, I shall go on writing” (11). Macabéa, in her simplicity that so contrasts with the intellectualism of the narrator, is able to answer all questions with the conclusion, “It is so because it is so” (26). Rodrigo’s reflections on the beginning of the world set up the primary contrast between the novel’s narrator and its protagonist.
What is the point of Rodrigo’s introduction?
The character of Rodrigo exists in order to provide a vehicle for Lispector’s existentialist commentary as well as her reflections on the writing process. Without Rodrigo, The Hour of the Star is nothing more than a narrative of a poor Brazilian girl who no one cares about. Rodrigo becomes the only one to care for Macabéa, demonstrating to the reader that her existence has significance in terms of how Rodrigo views the world. Instead of ignoring Macabéa as did the rest of the world, readers are forced to consider what insignificance and poverty mean for the nature of the human race. Lispector uses Rodrigo’s connection with Macabéa to attempt to create this same connection between the reader and the novel’s characters.
1. “Everything in the world began with a yes. One molecule said yes to another molecule and life was born. But before prehistory there was the prehistory of prehistory and there was the never and there was the yes. It was ever so. I do not know why, but I do know that the universe began” (Lispector 11).
ReplyDeleteThis passage is at the very beginning of Clarice Lispector’s novel The Hour of the Star. I think that this passage could be referenced to the book of Genesis in the Bible where it explains that God created the universe: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). In this excerpt from The Hour of the Star, the narrator seems to be questioning how the universe came to be, as it is a very complex subject. However, just after that passage, the narrator mentions that he would like to explain his story in simple terms. Maybe in order to better understand the creation of the universe, it is easier to believe that God was the creator.
2. “Meantime, I want to walk naked or in rags” (19).
I think that this passage also refers to the narrator wanting to make things more simple. “To walk naked or in rags” seems to be the bare minimum and is related to the story of Adam and Eve. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve first walked around completely naked not worrying about their appearances. After Eve took a bite of the apple, sin arrived in the world and Adam and Eve began to feel ashamed that they were naked and were worried about other’s judgements. I think that the fact that the narrator wants to walk around naked shows that he believes that nakedness is all natural and is simpler and more basic, unlike worrying about how others perceive us by appearance.
3. “For at the hour of death you become a celebrated film star, it is a moment of glory for everyone” (28).
This quote in the beginning of the story parallels the title of the novel and foreshadows the death of Macabea. I think that it can also represent the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus was sent down to earth by God to die on the cross for our sins. While his death was a sad moment, it was a “moment of glory” for everyone as three days later they would find that he resurrected from the dead proving that he was the Son of God and that he saved everyone from their sins.
4. “She often dreamed about sex… When she finally woke up she was overcome by feelings of guilt without being able to explain why. Perhaps because everything that is pleasurable should be forbidden” (33).
This passage reminds me of the common Christian value that one should wait to lose their virginity until they are married. The mention of pleasure being forbidden could also refer to lust which is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. In this case, lust could be in the form of pleasure which could be sex.
5. “I want to experience at least once the insipid flavor of the Host. To eat communion bread will be to taste the world’s indifference, and to immerse myself in nothingness” (19).
Biblical references in this short passage include the capitalization of “Host” which is similar to how God and any reference to Him is always capitalized. Also the “communion bread” refers to Jesus and The Last Supper. I feel like the narrator makes references to these to show yet again that he wants the world to be simpler and that he feels that we should not make things more complicated as he wants to “immerse himself in nothingness” as the Host has an “insipid flavor.”
“…I have decided with an illusion of free will…” (Lispector 13).
ReplyDeleteWith many religious and philosophical topics comes the debate between the reality of free will and fate. While the notion of free will is quite plausible, as we seem to act at our own discretion each and every day, many people with religious backgrounds claim that we are living by God’s will, not our own. In other words, our path in life is predetermined and we are only living out our destiny. This Biblical reference is brought up in The Hour of the Star when the narrator states that he has made a decision with an ‘illusion of free will’. So although he feels as though he is making a conscious decision for himself, the control he feels he has over his life is only an illusion. And as far as the rest of the novel, the ‘illusion of free will’ hints at a deeper meaning behind the conflict in the book.
“Gosh, it sounds like the name of a disease… a skin disease” (Lispector 43).
In this quote, Olímpico claims that Macabéa’s name sounds like a skin disease, leprosy to be specific. In the Bible, leprosy, a disease of the skin and nerves, is mentioned many times. Popular belief claims that leprosy was cursed upon certain people for the sins they had committed, and since the disease is very contagious, lepers were exiled and sent away to live in leper communes where they succumbed to the disease. The fact that Olímpico connects Macabéa to leprosy is significant because although she does not have the disease, she embodies is in many ways. First, just as people would shun lepers, people blatantly ignore Macabéa. Yet while leprosy is considered a punishment for sinful behavior, Macabéa has no reason to be cursed with the essence of the disease. Lastly, in the Bible, lepers are left to die unless healed by God. This hints at the fact that Macabéa will die a tragic death unless there is a miracle to save her.
“She even summoned enough courage to ask her aunt to buy her some cod liver oil… Her aunt rebuked her: Who do you think you are, some rich man’s daughter, accustomed to luxuries?” (Lispector 61).
In the Bible, being anointed with oil symbolizes God’s blessing over a person. And more often than not, it was people of status, for example kings and prophets, who were anointed for a special purpose. This excerpt in which Macabéa asks her aunt for cod liver oil connects to the meaning behind being anointed. Although the narrator claims that Macabéa is less than ordinary in every possible way, her longing for an extravagant item shows that Macabéa thinks well of herself: she may not be ‘a rich man’s daughter’, but to her, she was deserving of a simple luxury. With this, not receiving the oil symbolizes both her ill-fated life and her lack of purpose.
“They bled a black pig and seven white hens over me and tore my bloodstained clothes to shreds” (Lispector 70).
DeleteThis quote immediately made me think of the crucifixion of Jesus. Just as the pig and hens were used as a sort of sacrifice to break a curse, Jesus sacrificed himself to save the people from their sins. With this, after his death, Jesus’s clothes were removed and he was only left with a shredded loincloth. Right after this excerpt, Glória asks Macabéa if she can summon enough courage, to which she responds, “I don’t know if I could stomach all that blood” (Lispector 70). This section creates a sort of foil that is used to characterize Macabéa, because unlike Jesus, who courageously died for the lives of others, Macabéa is barely able to care for herself. This idea connects to the conclusion of the novel, where Macabéa’s death is meaningless and unnoticed, while the crucifixion of Jesus was highly controversial and his resurrection was celebrated by many.
“…for she had been born for death’s embrace” (Lispector 83).
Many religions focus on the idea of purpose and life after death. In the Hour of the Star, these two topics are highlighted by the existence of Macabéa. Returning to the idea of fate, many believe that part of their destiny is to find the point of their creation or purpose. However, in the case of Macabéa, she had a will to live, but no purpose; she lived only to die. This also connects to the life and death of Jesus, as his sole purpose was also to die. However, while Jesus was an important sacrifice, there was no significance behind Macabéa’s untimely demise.
“Sitting there, they were indistinguishable from the rest of nothingness. For the greater glory of God” (47)
ReplyDeleteFrom some research online, I found out that this quote can be connected to the biblical idea that without God, you have no life at all. In terms of the quote, Macabea and Olimpico are sitting on a park bench and are considered to be part of the “nothingness” by the narrator. Also, the second part of the quote further exemplifies this point of how the bible references nothingness without God and how Macabea and Olimpico are putting themselves below God. I believe that this idea can be connected to how at times, Macabea can be seen as invisible to others and how she is unimportant.
“The one thing she had was faith…For she had never lost faith” (25)
An important part of the bible that I have learned through research relates to the idea of faith. In the bible verse titled “Hebrews 11:1”, it reads “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. This can relate to how Macabea, although she does not exactly know for what she is striving, she remains happy. In the novel, Macabea never lost faith. This is a quality that makes her different than other characters in the novel. Also, because she has faith, she was not distraught when Olimpico had left her for someone else.
“The only thing she desired was to live” (27)
This quote goes along with the idea of the will to live that can be seen in the bible. Having the will to live, according to the bible, “can sustain you when you are sick” (Proverbs 18:14). In this case, Macabea is not sick; rather, she is constantly being beleaguered by self-deprecating thoughts about herself and insults/put-downs from others such as Olimpico. Others who might not be as strong may have lost hope or committed suicide. However, Macabea remained indifferent to these comments.
“After successive failures, I have also reduced myself, but I still want to discover the world and its God” (18)
This quote relates back to the idea of how, according to the bible, without God, humans are nothing. The narrator has already accepted this and has “reduced [him]self”. In addition, this quote connects to the idea of how God created the universe and the world, and we can ascertain this from the second part of the quote and how the narrator wants to “discover the world and its God”.
“She was sexually experience and there was such darkness inside her body” (18)
According to the bible, one should flee from sexual immorality, as committing adultery and other sexually immoral acts is a sin towards one’s own body. In the quote, a woman who is sexually experienced (i.e. sexually immoral) has “darkness inside her body”, meaning that she has committed sin in her body. It is ironic how this biblical reference exists in this novel, but the society in which the characters live in is full of sexual immorality.
1. “How I should love to hear the pealing of bells in order to work up some enthusiasm, as I decipher reality: to see angels flutter like transparent wasps around my fevered head, this head that longs to be ultimately transformed into an object-thing, because so much more simple” (17).
ReplyDeleteAngels in the Bible are beings that possess higher intelligence than humans. Rodrigo, while struggling with the creative process, wishes to be surrounded by both the “pealing of bells” and angels, both of which create an image of divine inspiration. However, it is interesting that Rodrigo goes on to say that he wishes to be “transformed into an object-thing” because of the contrast that this creates with the higher intelligence of angels. Rodrigo is showing a sort of defiance towards the God that created human beings as intelligent creatures by wishing to be a simple object with no feeling. This sentiment fits into the novel as a whole because Rodrigo’s struggle with understanding existence is often painful, leading him to wish for simplicity and ignorance. In fact, intelligence and knowledge can often be irritating and distracting to Rodrigo, like the “flutter of transparent wasps” around his head.
2. “Each thing is a word. And when there is no word, it must be invented. This God of yours who commanded us to invent” (17).
Rodrigo’s search for simplicity once again contrasts with what he sees as the will of God. He later says, “The word must resemble the word” (20), demonstrating that he values things for themselves and does not wish to attribute additional meaning to them. However, he accuses “this God of yours” of making things more complicated than they may have been by commanding humans to invent new meanings.
3. “And should my narrative turn out to be sad? Later, I shall almost certainly write something more cheerful, but why cheerful? Because I, too, am a man of hosannas and perhaps one day I shall intone praises instead of the misfortunes of the girl from the North-east” (19).
“Hosanna” was a word shouted in praise and adoration upon Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Rodrigo says that he will not always write sad stories like that of Macabéa because “I, too, am a man of hosannas.” Rodrigo implies that all mankind has a desire to be happy and give in to belief in a higher power. Instead of questioning the meaning behind Macabéa’s story, one of insignificance but truth, Rodrigo will some day write cheerful stories about the holy but fictional. Although Rodrigo is critical of religion throughout Hour of the Star, he says that it may be the natural state for human beings to accept stories rather than question reality.
4. “Meantime, I want to walk naked or in rags; I want to experience at least once the insipid flavor of the Host. To eat communion bread will be to taste the world’s indifference, and to immerse myself in nothingness” (19).
DeleteThe “heavenly host” is a term from the Hebrew and Christian Bibles that refers to an army of angels. In this quote, it may be a reference to religion in general. Rodrigo writes that the Host has an “insipid flavor,” showing that he is critical of the ritual of communion and perhaps religion as a whole. This excerpt comes before Rodrigo’s statement that “In order to speak about the girl I mustn’t shave for days” (19). His desire to experience “at least once” the rituals of religion may be a way to show his willingness to immerse himself in other people’s lives in order to better understand them.
5. “This dates from her childhood when she discovered that she had eaten a fried cat. The thought revolted her for ever more. She lost her appetite and felt the great hunger thereafter. She was convinced that she had committed a crime; that she had eaten a fried angel, its wings snapping between her teeth” (39).
Macabéa’s distaste for food arises from her imagination that she had one day eaten a fried angel. Even though it was only a cat, she felt as if, in comparison to herself, the cat was an angel. This demonstrates Macabéa’s low self-value, as earlier expressed when Rodrigo describes her as “someone who apologizes for occupying too much space” (26). This time, Macabéa is apologizing for eating, one of the main functions of life, which shows that she believes she has no right to exist.
1. The Hour of The Star
ReplyDeleteThe title of the novel itself is a Biblical reference due to the fact that stars are constantly mentioned throughout the Bible. Jesus refers to the seven stars in his hands as angels, but these angels are supposed to be messengers in general for the churches. However, these are specifically fallen angels that are represented by stars. Additionally, that could mean that Macabea is a fallen angel, meaning that she’s special and a good person, but placed in the wrong environment for people do not realize this.
2. Strawberries
At the end of the book Rodrigo ends the story my mentioning that it’s a good season for strawberries. In Psalm 19 the Bible states, “You’ll like it better than strawberries in the spring,/better than red, ripe strawberries”. Strawberries resemble a new beginning, which is ironic because the author mentions this after Macabea dies. The season, spring/summer, are considered happy seasons and seasons of low stress which adds to the idea of simplism. Also, perfectly ripe strawberries are difficult and rare, such as Macabea.
3. “She believed in angels, and, because she believed, they existed”
The idea of religion as a whole, not just Christianity, is based on the idea of belief. If one believes, it makes the scenario real. This idea was carried out in the Bible when Jesus was healing the civilians from leprosy – as they believed, they were healed. It influences mindsets and how characters are very certain in the novel and due to that certainty, the circumstances can change.
4. “Why is there so much God? At the expense of men.”
This refers to the idea that the characters in the novel are looking too deeply into the meaning of things and life. For some reason there’s always the belief of a higher power of sorts and most people seem to search for it. However sometimes the characters just need to live at free will, which is what the author is trying to support.
5. “Was she a saint? It would seem so”
Saints are people who incorporate and devote a large portion of their lives to God. Oddly enough, Macabea is not religious which juxtaposes that idea. Saints are also pure and innocent, which characterizes Macabea for she has not experienced much of the world.
Throughout Clarice Lispector’s novel The Hour of the Star, she uses her narrator Rodrigo to dehumanize Macabea on multiple occasions. Rodrigo’s objectivity helps to bring the effect of dehumanization on the urban world into light. He uses Macabea to represent the thousands of other girls like her who also live in poverty. He feels that he needs to let others know that this type of poor life exists and is a version of reality for many. Rodrigo tries to separate himself and his feelings from Macabea in order to tell her story appropriately. One way he does this is by dehumanizing her.
ReplyDelete1.“... She identified with a portrait of the young Greta Garbo. This surprised me, for I could not imagine any affinity between Macabea and an actress with a face like Garbo” (Lispector 64).
Greta Garbo was a film actress during the 1920s and 1930s who is remembered today for her beauty and modern spirit. In this passage, Rodrigo explains that Macabea dreams of one day becoming someone like Garbo. Later, he also mentions that she wishes to look like Marilyn Monroe. Macabea clearly wants to possess the beauty and talent that these actresses had, but Rodrigo believes that she is not attractive enough as he “could not imagine any affinity” between them.
2. “I have explained these details at great length for fear of having promised too much and offering too little. My story is almost trivial” (24).
This passage is from the beginning of the novel where Rodrigo sets the background for his story. He feels that this story is almost meaningless and therefore leads me to think that he feels that Macabea’s life could also be seen as meaningless and without purpose. He fears that with his long introduction, he got the hopes up of the reader and “promised too much” when in reality his story is just about the trivial life of a poor girl.
3. “What a thin slice of watermelon” (27).
Rodrigo compares Macabea’s physical appearance to a slice of watermelon, which is very dehumanizing. A thin slice of watermelon is usually very flimsy, weak, and almost transparent. Being very poor and eating very little, Macabea is also thin and weak from the lack of food and nutrients. She is also invisible to those around her, almost how you are able to see through a thin slice of watermelon.
4. “Macabea, you’re like a hair in one’s soup” (60).
Olimpico compares Macabea to hair in soup with this simile while he was breaking up with her. Finding hair in soup, or in any food item, is disgusting, dirty, and “enough to make one lose their appetite.” This is an extremely hurtful insult that shows how others view her.
5. “They aren’t even aware of the fact that they are superfluous and that nobody gives a damn about their existence… [She] is so simple minded that she often smiles at other people on the street. No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her” (16).
Rodrigo implies that Macabea, and all the other girls like her, are basically invisible. This is obviously a non-human quality. Through Rodrigo, Lispector hints that because these girls are so poor and isolated from the rest of the urban world, people of the higher classes are either afraid or don’t want to accept the fact that this type of life exists for many, many people. A lot of times people are afraid of things that are different and I think that Lispector is trying to send the message that there will always be inequality and unfairness in the world, and people need to learn to confront and accept it.
“Come in, my pet. There is a client with me in the other room. If you don’t mind waiting in here. Would you care for a coffee, my pet?” (71)
ReplyDeleteThis quote occurs when Macabea visits a fortune teller named Madame Carlota. Gloria, after taking Olimpico away from Macabea, decides to recommend this fortune teller to Macabea because she felt bad. Madame Carlota refers to Macabea as her “pet”. This is a very dehumanizing nickname, especially for a human. However, shortly after, the narrator then says how “Macabea was taken aback, never having received so many endearments from anyone” (71). This shows how Macabea believes that these comments, which many other people might think of as dehumanizing, are actually endearments to her.
“…I must make it clear that this girl does not know herself apart from the fact that she goes on living aimlessly. Were she foolish enough to ask herself ‘Who am I?’ she would fall flat on her face” (15)
Rodrigo immediately establishes Macabea as a clueless individual, and we are able to see this later in the novel as well. The narrator uses pessimistic language to tell the reader not to get his or her hopes up in terms of expecting great things from Macabea. The narrator also establishes Macabea as someone who is not capable intricate or deep thoughts. In addition, I believe that Lispector uses Rodrigo in this case to explain how people who live in poverty, such as Macabea, live “aimlessly” due to urban society. Later, the narrator says how “[Macabea] often smiles at other people on the street. No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her” (16). This shows how even though impoverished individuals such as Macabea make an effort to better their lives, no one pays attention or tries to help.
“The girl did not know that she existed, just as a dog doesn’t know that it’s a dog” (27)
This is a very direct comparison/simile between the girl (Macabea) and an animal (dog). The girl is dehumanized to the point where she has the thought process akin to a dog. Just like a dog, she also was not able to be “aware of her own unhappiness” (27). Because of her inability to recognize her terrible situation, she was able to maintain faith and happiness. I believe that this idea can also connect to how dogs are known and admired for their unconditional love and happiness. Macabea can be connected to this idea as she never loses faith even when bad things are happening in her life.
“…for she was as appetizing as cold coffee” (27)
In Brazil, coffee is an integral part of the culture there. Not only is this a dehumanizing comparison of a girl to coffee, but it is a comparison to the culture of Northeast Brazil. In addition, this comparison allows the reader to connect and to understand how the narrator feels about this girl.
“There are thousands of girls like this girl from the Northeast to be found in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, living in bedsitters or toiling behind counters for all they are worth. They aren’t even aware of the fact that they are superfluous and that nobody cares a damn about their existence” (14)
This quote further dehumanizes and lessens the importance of girls like Macabea in Rio de Janeiro. The language that the narrator uses in this excerpt also makes it seem like he is extremely passionate about what he is saying, and that maybe he strongly believes in it. In addition, it also generalizes all of these girls to be exactly like Macabea; they are unable to comprehend their unimportance.
“Macabea, you’re like a hair in one’s soup. It’s enough to make anyone lose their appetite” (60)
In this excerpt, Olimpico had just “broken up” with Macabea and started a new relationship with Gloria, Macabea’s “friend”. Olimpico is now telling Macabea the truth about how he feels about her; she is like a “hair in one’s soup” (60). This dehumanizing simile compares Macabea to an annoyance and something that can make one lose their appetite. Right after this comment, Macabea replies “No, no, no!” almost as if she is trying to hide from this truth and maintain her happiness.
1. The avoidance of Macabea’s name
ReplyDeleteThroughout the entire portion of Rodrigo’s introduction of Macabea, he avoids using her name at all costs. Instead he calls her “the girl”, “the young girl” or “the girl from the Northeast” repeatedly. In a way, it is more difficult to avoid using her name than it is to just say it. Usually, names/nicknames are used to represent the connection between characters, and not having a name for her shows that he does not think of her as even an equal. This shows that Rodrigo is going to the extremes to express his appreciation.
2. Justification
Rodrigo repeated goes on about the fact he must have an explanation for writing the novel about an unpleasant girl. Within the first few paragraphs, he states, “Even as I write this I feel ashamed at pouncing on you with a narrative that is so open and explicit” (12). The audience’s first impression of the novel is already set at a negative tone for Macabea, and even then, most books that discuss tragedy are not given an explanation. Rodrigo is not letting her life story explain itself and he is almost apologizing for his work and still documents it, most likely without even getting her permission.
3. “Gosh, it sounds like the name of a disease… a skin disease” (43)
Macabea not only gets dehumanized by the narrator, but by other characters in the novel. Even though her and Olimpico had just met, the author immediately makes it so he judges her based on her name. It is ironic because in real life, a scenario like that would probably not happen, but it occurs to Macabea. She is not treated like a normal person because most people judge her off of her appearance, which also explains why she does not have many friends.
4. “Her life was duller than plain bread and butter” (58)
Everyone has a life story and whether people know about it or not it’s still something. By judging Macabea for having a boring and dull life Rodrigo is not giving her the benefit of the doubt of the fact that she goes through up’s and down’s everyday. He is criticizing her for living simplistically which is ironic due to the fact that he emphasizes that everything is simple in the introduction.
5. “…Her flat chest heaved and fell as she struggled for breath” (82)
Even as Macabea got hit by a yellow Mercedes and is about to die, the author has to mention that she is flat chested. As unimportant and unnecessary as it is in the context, Rodrigo goes out of his way to mention it. Considering that it is something no women appreciates hearing, it shows how Rodrigo does not respect her as a female.
6. “No one paid attention to her on the street, for she was as appetizing as cold coffee” (27)
In order to emphasize how Rodrigo feels about Macabea, he compares her to cold coffee because that’s something everyone can understand and relate to. Especially since in Brazilian culture, they are very particular with how they like their coffee and drink it traditionally warm. He does not even try to sugar coat his opinion of Macabea. Later he how he loves Macabea, but it does not seem to be the truth for if he did appreciate her and did love her, he would not criticize her as much as he does.
In The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector explores the dehumanizing effect of the urban world on the poor through the narrator, Rodrigo. When first introducing Macabéa, he remarks, "But the person whom I am about to describe scarcely has a body to sell; nobody desires her" (Lispector 14). This commentary on Macabéa’s body makes her seem as though she is scrawny and weak, similar to a stray dog that no one wants. Later, Rodrigo claims that, "...she was inept. Inept for living" (Lispector 24). Once again, this description connects Macabéa to an incompetent animal that has no purpose for life. Similarly, the narrator states that, "The girl did not know that she existed, just as a dog doesn't know that it's a dog" (Lispector 27). In this line, Rodrigo makes a direct comparison between Macabéa and a specific animal, comparing her oblivion to that of a dog. Later, the narrator remarks, "She rarely spoke (having little or nothing to say)..." (Lispector 33). Although human beings are able to communicate quite proficiently, Rodrigo uses Macabéa’s silence to bring her down to the status of an animal that is unable to speak as humans can. In addition, Rodrigo claims that, " Macabéa only noticed unimportant things..." (Lispector 51). Similar to how a dog can entertain itself for hours by simply playing fetch or chasing its tail, the narrator sees Macabéa in a similar way: that she only sees things at an animal’s level. Lastly, the narrator subtly connects her to an animal once again by saying, "...Macabéa was nothing but a vague sentiment lying on the dirty paving stones" (Lispector 83). Although Macabéa is a girl, Rodrigo describes her position in such a way that she sounds like a stray animal laying on the street. All of these instances of Rodrigo dehumanizing Macabéa lead to one question; why? It is one thing to make someone sound dull and unimportant, but to bring a human being down to an animal’s rank just seems harsh. However, there is deeper meaning behind Rodrigo's dehumanization of Macabéa. While comparing Macabéa to an animal emphasizes her insignificance, it also shows that although she appears to be miserable and worthless, she is inwardly free. So just as an animal is unaware of it's irrelevant existence, Macabéa doesn't realize that she is expected to be unhappy with her life.
ReplyDelete1. “It strikes me that I don’t need her either and that what I am writing could be written by another. Another writer, of course, but it would have to be a man for a woman would weep her heart out” (14).
ReplyDeleteRodrigo distances himself from Macabéa by claiming that he is an impartial narrator and that he lacks an emotional connection to her. The reader later discovers this to be clearly untrue as Rodrigo becomes more and more involved psychologically in Macabéa’s story. Rodrigo would like to remain cold and reserved in the face of his tragic narrative, a feat that he believes a woman writer would be unable to accomplish.
2. “I confine myself to narrating the unremarkable adventures of a girl living in a hostile city” (15).
Rodrigo downplays the importance of Macabéa’s story. However, the reader can see through Rodrigo’s apparent indifference because he is never able to explain why he puts so much effort into ensuring that Macabéa’s story is told. The reader can infer that Rodrigo is in fact deeply impacted by the idea of this girl who is completely insignificant yet happy.
3. “It’s as follows: like some vagrant bitch she was guided entirely by her own remote control” (18).
In addition to downplaying the tragic aspects of Macabéa’s story, Rodrigo uses scathing language to describe her successes. Being guided by one’s own free will is usually seen as an achievement of independence from detrimental outside influences. However, Rodrigo describes it negatively in order to show that the city expects people to be influenced by one another. The urban world dehumanizes people by forcing them to be completely interdependent, and Macabéa’s separation from this both intrigues and exasperates Rodrigo.
4. “Before being born was she an idea? Before being born was she dead? And after being born was she about to die? What a thin slice of watermelon” (27).
Rodrigo’s reflections on life and death demonstrate Macabéa’s insignificance in the grand scheme of things. He compares her to “a thin slice of watermelon” to show how short and meaningless her life is.
5. “Olímpico concerned himself with important things but Macabéa only noticed unimportant things like herself” (51).
Rodrigo consistently emphasizes how “unimportant” Macabéa is. However, his descriptions of her end up reflecting a certain wisdom that she possesses, allowing her to be happy despite terrible circumstances. Even though Macabéa concerns herself with “unimportant things like herself,” the fact that Olímpico is interested in “important things” indicates that these important things are not important at all. By describing Olímpico as such an obscene, lowlife character and then contrasting him with Macabéa, Rodrigo gives Macabéa some dignity.
6. “But emptiness, too, has its value and somehow resembles abundance” (14).
Although this quote does not directly relate to the dehumanizing impact of the urban world, it is interesting because it explains why Rodrigo attempts to distance himself from Macabéa. By avoiding the emotions associated with Macabéa’s impoverished and tragic story, Rodrigo attempts to make himself empty. This emptiness is something that Macabéa has unconsciously achieved in her life; she has no jealousy, regrets, dreams, or bitterness associated with her condition. When Macabéa visits Madame Carlota at the end of the novella, she finally gains hope and becomes “a person enriched with a future” (79). Ironically, she is killed immediately afterwards by a rich man in a yellow Mercedes, the figure from Madame Carlota’s prophecies. The world only allowed Macabéa to be happy when she was ignorant of her unhappiness—when she was “empty.” By ignoring his emotions, Rodrigo hopes to maintain his “emptiness” and prevent his own metaphorical demise along with Macabéa.
“- Macabea, you’re like a hair in one’s soup” (60)
ReplyDeleteMacabea existence is an annoyance. Comparing herself to a hair in a soup means that she is not worth the time. No one picks the hair out of the soup and continue to eat it, but they simply just throw it away and order a new another soup dish.
“I think about Macabea’s vagina, minute, yet unexpectedly covered with a thick growth of black hairs - her vagina was the only vehement sign of her existence”(70)
By saying the only thing that remind Rodrigo of Macabea is her vagina, he undermine her as a poor girl who cannot get through poverty without selling her body. This contradict with what he mentions earlier in the novel where he says no one want her virginity. This leads to the idea that women, in Rio, are no more than the figure representation of prostitution, that beauty and physical looks are all what matters; poor women, like Macabea, cannot get through except by prostitution.
“She herself asked for nothing, but her sex made its demands like a sunflower germinating in a tomb” (70)
This is a paradox, a seed cannot germinates in a tomb where there are no light, water, or nutrients for the seed to grow. By comparing her sex with the analogy, it is a way of saying she has nothing to wager to gain something. That even sex - something men want from women, as Rodrigo is describing like a prostitute - cannot get her out of poverty.
“Are you frightened of words, my pet?” (74)
By comparing her with a pet means that she cannot take care of herself and she needs someone to help her with every step of the way. She is helpless and dependents on others in order to survive, which is meaningful in this context as she happens to be happy after Madame Carlota’s prediction of her being happen again with her boyfriend.
“- Macabea! I have some wonderful news for you! Listen carefully, my flower, because what I’m about to tell you is of the greatest importance,”(76)
Obviously, by comparing Macabea to a flower, it means women are just there for their desires physical beauty. Furthermore, in this context Madame Carlota’s fortune reading predicts that Macabea will have an amazing future, even though it is ironic that the fate of a flower is to wilt and same with Macabea’s life ending by her getting hit by a truck. Her life has no meaning, she lives to die.
“As a little girl, because she had no one to kiss, she often used to kiss the wall. Embracing the wall was like embracing herself,” (78)
By saying embracing the wall as herself, Rodrigo means she will never have another person in her life; walls are always by themselves until they are tear down.
Nam Nguyen
An experimental novel is defined as a novel that refuses to stay within the traditional boundaries of most novels. Experimental novels are often characterized as a novel that includes many contradictions, lack of structure, stream of consciousness, metafiction, unreliable narrator, stories within stories and the breaking of the fourth wall. The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector is classified as an experimental novel as it includes many of these traits.
ReplyDeleteStream of Consciousness, Lack of Structure and Unreliable Narrator
Stream of consciousness is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as, “the continuous unedited flow of conscious experience through the mind.” In The Hour of the Star, the narrator Rodrigo S.M. uses stream of consciousness to tell his story about Macabea. It feels like he is writing as we are reading. It also feels like he writes how he would talk in person, almost as if he is talking directly to the reader. There are times where he stutters or just plainly writes what he is thinking. He also asks a lot of questions. Rodrigo often uses dash marks in his sentences which makes it seem like while he was in the middle of writing a sentence, he had a new thought and had to include it before he forgot it. Rodrigo writes, “I should explain that this story will emerge from a gradual vision - for the past two and a half years I have slowly started discovering the whys and the wherefores. It is the vision of the imminence of… of what?” (Lispector 12). This seems a little chaotic to me, which adds to the fact that this novel is very disorganized. It is not split up into chapters and one thought just seems to flow to another without any separation. Lack of structure is another trait that helps to qualify The Hour of the Star as an experimental novel. Rodrigo often goes back and forth between his thoughts/explanations and the story of Macabea. He writes, “I also believe she was weeping because the music helped her to perceive that there were other ways of feeling… She perceived a lot of things that she could not understand” (51). Rodrigo acts like he knows everything about Macabea, including her actions, thoughts and feelings. This adds to the trait of an unreliable narrator. In the beginning of the novel, Rodrigo states the he must empty himself from all emotions in order to tell this story. He tries to tell the story from an apathetic point of view without attaching himself or allowing the reader to attach to Macabea. However, Rodrigo often tells his opinion about Macabea. He writes phrases that include, “I also believe,” “To my great joy I find that” and “Personally I…” which add bias to the story. It makes me question how Rodrigo knows so much about this girl without ever having any physical interaction with her and what right does he have to write about what he thinks she feels and thinks herself? How does the reader know to trust what Rodrigo is telling us?
Contradictions
The Hour of the Star includes many contradictions. For example, at the beginning of the novel, Rodrigo looks down upon Macabea and sees himself as superior to her. He writes, “Anyway, it’s true that I too have no pity for my main character” (13). However later in the story, Rodrigo begins to show the opposite what he previously stated. He embraces her flaws and ignorance of her existence. He writes, “Yes, I adore Macabea, my darling Maca. I adore her ugliness and her total anonymity for she belongs to no one” (68). Rodrigo frequently contradicts himself in his descriptions of Macabea throughout the novel.
Unreliable narrator
ReplyDeleteIn the introduction of the novel, the narrator refers to Macabéa as, “…my main character…” (Lispector 13). This alludes to the fact that he is making the story up as he goes. In other words, Macabéa is just a figment of Rodrigo’s imagination, a character in his story and nothing more. However, later in the novel, Rodrigo claims that, “I did not invent this girl” (Lispector 29). So despite his prior statement that Macabéa is a character, Rodrigo later seems to think that she is real. These contradictory claims characterize the narrator as unreliable, a common element in experimental fiction. And it is these opposing phrases that confuse the reader make the narrator appear as untrustworthy or simply confused himself.
Meta-reference
An aspect of The Hour of the Star that makes it different from other novels is that the narrator often breaks the fourth wall and address the reader directly. First, Rodrigo refers to the reader as 'you' and even states, "So, dear readers, you know more than you imagine..." (Lispector 13). In association with experimental fiction, this is known as meta-reference, a technique in which characters demonstrate awareness that they are in fact characters in a book. This also connects to the unreliable narrator aspect as it causes the narrator to seem misleading, as if his thoughts are filtered for an audience. This realization gives the reader a more feigned interpretation of the story rather than a narrators usual subconscious thinking.
Introspection
In experimental novels and meta-fiction, characters often examine their own conscious thoughts and feelings. This is referred to as introspection, or more commonly known as self-reflection. This concept is present throughout The Hour of the Star, as Rodrigo often questions his subconscious thinking. This is first brought up in the beginning of the novel where Rodrigo remarks, “…am I a monster or is this what is means to be a person?” (Lispector 15). Later, he asks himself, “…who am I to censure the guilty?” (Lispector 81). This profound self-awareness makes Rodrigo appear more realistic to the audience because his questions are relatable to the reader.
Circular ending
The opening line of the book states, "Everything in the world began with a yes" (Lispector 11). And the very last line in the novel reads, “Don’t forget, in the meantime, that this is the season for strawberries. Yes” (Lispector 86). These start and end points both have one thing in common; the word ‘yes’. This directly connects to the idea of a circular ending, a popular aspect of experimental novels. And the circular ending alludes to the idea of the circle of life: although Macabéa dies in the end, there will be rebirth.
“The Hour of the Star” by Clarice Lispector is an example of an experimental novel not only because it is a very complex novel with intricate characters, but it also includes elements that define an experimental novel. Some of these elements that are included in the novel include the use of an “anti-hero” and the motivation of the “anti-hero” by unconscious sources.
ReplyDeleteIn this novel, Lispector employs the help of Macabea to play the anti-hero role. She is an impoverished typist, who is less than ordinary; she is, at first glance, boring and incapable of deep or insightful thoughts. Also, from the audience’s perspective, it might seem as though she is weak and that she lacks self-confidence because she cannot realize the terrible situation in which she is living. This can turn off the audience thus establishing Macabea as an anti-hero. She is not hated by the audience. Rather, there is some amount of dislike and pity towards her that qualifies Macabea to fit this character archetype. The author makes an effort to characterize Macabea in this way, saying how “she was as light-headed as an idiot, only she was no idiot” (25). Not only is this a contradictive statement (another aspect of an experimental novel), but it also establishes how Macabea is not a very smart character. Another example of how the narrator characterizes Macabea as one who is not very likeable occurs when the narrator states “the girl did not know that she existed, just as a dog does’t know that it’s a dog” (27). This simile compares Macabea to a dog in terms of thought process, which further puts off the audience to Macabea.
Another element of the experimental novel is how the anti-hero is motivated by unconscious sources. The narrator tells us that Macabea has faith. However, it is unsure in what she faith. “She wasn’t even aware that she was unhappy. The one thing she had was faith. In what? In you? It isn’t necessary to have faith in anyone or in anything – it is enough to have faith. This often endowed her with a state of grace” (25). This inner faith that she had, regardless of where she got it, drove her do continue past bad events that were happening in her life. It is this inner part of her deep unconsciousness that motivates Macabea. In addition, the narrator goes on to say that “There wasn’t a trace of human misery in the girl. She carried within her an aura of innocence” (38). This inner “aura innocence” motivates Macabea even though she is not capable of understanding that she has this “aura”.
1. The first reason that The Hour of the Star can be classified as an experimental novel is the stream of consciousness writing technique that Clarice Lispector employs. Instead of being a story with “a beginning, a middle, and a ‘grand finale,’” as Rodrigo wishes to write, The Hour of the Star follows Rodrigo’s thoughts, often unorganized and contradictory, rather than a normal plotline. Lispector’s use of stream of consciousness writing allows her to comment on the struggles of the writing process, as when she says, “The question is: how do I write?” (18). She also experiments with the relationship between the narrator and his characters. Rodrigo realizes that “when I write I am surprised to find that I possess a destiny” (15). As the novella progresses, Rodrigo as a narrator becomes more and more intertwined with Macabéa until he finally exclaims, “Macabéa has murdered me” (85). Lispector uses this connection between the narrator and characters in order to explore whether it is ever possible to truly understand another human being.
ReplyDelete2. The Hour of the Star presents ideas in a contradictory and occasionally irrational manner that seeks to imitate the internal processes of the human mind. Rodrigo often contradicts himself, which is most evident in his conflicting feelings about Macabéa. Although he often sounds dry and severe, he cannot avoid becoming emotionally attached to the girl from the Northeast. He describes Macabéa as lacking “substance like most inferior products” (58) but also says that she has a “breath of life” that is “expansive and diffused” (59). Rodrigo’s conflicting ideas and descriptions establish Lispector’s theme that human beings are inconsistent and multifaceted.
3. Macabéa is a perfect example of an anti-hero because she is less than ordinary in both body and mind. Rodrigo describes her as “inept for living” (24). She certainly does nothing heroic, and comes across as rather pathetic to the reader. However, Macabéa’s one redeeming and psychologically interesting characteristic is her inability to feel sorry for herself. While the narrator struggles with existential questions, Macabéa accepted the fact that “It is so because it is so” (26). Despite her bland, inconsequential life, the reader is intrigued by Macabéa as an anti-hero because of her ability to accept the world as it is.
4. Rodrigo can also be considered an anti-hero. He is motivated by the unconscious need to explain poverty and insignificance. The story of Macabéa, inspired by nothing more than seeing a girl on the street, comes to dominate Rodrigo’s life and relate to his own existential uncertainties. The reader gains insight into Rodrigo’s mind, which is often irrational, uncertain, and impotent. Even though Rodrigo as the writer has the ability to save Macabéa from dying, he does not do so, demonstrating his belief that he has no power over fate.
1. Structure of the Novel
ReplyDeleteThere are no chapters in The Hour of the Star. Even the transition from the end of Rodrigo’s talking to the novel is not split with a chapter end. As well as the fact that there are no chapters, Clarice Lispector gives the options to multiple titles in addition to the novel. With the dialogue, it is very inconsistent with the formatting considering that the author uses multiple techniques. There are no quotation marks, as well as the start of each spoken piece of dialogue begins with either a pronoun or just a dash.
2. Unreliable Narrator
Throughout Rodrigo’s writing, there are many inconsistencies where he contradicts himself. For example, Rodrigo states, “It is better not to speak of happiness or unhappiness…I have no desire to provoke any of these things for they are painful” (60). As impossible as it is to avoid unhappiness/happiness, Rodrigo does not attempt to write in the middle ground. Everything he writes seems to be extremely happy or extremely sad.
3. Stream of Consciousness
The most unique part of this novel is the fact that the narrator is aware that he is a character in the story. Rodrigo says, “I forgot to mention that everything I am now writing is accompanied by the emphatic ruffle of a military drum” (22). Since the story is set in present tense, there is never a time when the story will be read that Rodrigo won’t be involved with the story and “writing” as it is occurring.
4. Macabea
It is strange how the main character of the novel is not the hero of the novel. Usually, main characters are brave and dynamic, however Macabea does not change much from the beginning of the novel to the end. In fact, Macabea is the character who gets bullied in a sense and does not ever evolve to become the hero that everyone loves. However, depending on the perspective of the reader, she could be the underdog for being naïve and content with her simplistic lifestyle.
Stream of Consciousness
ReplyDeleteA part of an Experimental Novel is its factor of stream of consciousness. The noticeable of the “(bang)” is seen throughout and especially near the end of the book. It could be a foreshadow toward the truck hitting Macabea, the sound of the truck hitting her, but then the repetition does not make complete sense, as once is enough to be a foreshadow. It occurs at random time and does not fit within the context of Rodrigo’s narration, “Macabea’s eyes opened wide as she felt a hunger for the future (bang)” (76); although it does make sense in a way that she will die, the prediction that Madame Carlota was making is of an optimistic future. It an odd, but most noticeable for the novel as being experimental.
Contradictory within Narration
“Everything in the world began with a yes… I do not know why, but I do know that the universe never began,” (11). Rodrigo starts with a simple opening, but contradicts it. This makes the narration unreliable as to whether or not what he believes is true or can the readers can trust in what he is saying. He does this throughout the book, where he says he does not want to continue to write the book but obviously he does as the book obviously continues.
Disorganization
Rodrigo claims, “So I shall attempt, contrary to my normal method, to write a story with a beginning, middle, and a ‘grand finale’ followed by silence and falling rain” (13). He does not follow this direction. The book does not have chapters and the events are not happening in chronological orders. HE went from Macabea’s job as a typewriter back to her childhood as being abuse and then toward the end where she dies in a truck accident.
No Real Ending
Lispector introduces the book with a beginning and somewhat ends it. Throughout the book, she mentions rebirth, “The action of this story will result in my transfiguration into someone else and in my materialization into an object” (20) and with the ending, “Don’t forget, in the meantime, that this is the season for strawberries. Yes” (86). She does not quite completely ends it with an ending, rather when she mentions the strawberries’ season it meant that there will always be a beginning of something, as strawberries will grow in different time of the year and that nothing ever completely dies. This goes with the saying, “When one door closes, another one opens; but we look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not look at the one which has open for us” (Alexander Graham Bell).
Nam Nguyen