In the Author’s Dedication, Clarice Lispector introduces herself as an element of this story and introduces the tone and themes of the book. The author’s dedication shows tremendous similarities to the first few passages of the book in which the audience gets to know the actual narrator of the book, Rodrigo SM. However, I think the author’s dedication was included to show similarities between the author, Clarice Lispector, and both the narrator and Macabea herself. The first section of the dedication uses repetition to emphasize the fact that Clarice is dedicating this book to all forms of musicians who have “revealed me to myself and made me explode into me”. This love for music and its effects is a direct parallel between Clarice and Macabea. Additionally, Clarice is also a girl from the Northeast, and the phrase “and I had never eaten lobster” reminds the reader of Macabea, who is also poor and would never eat lobster. Additionally, Clarice parallels herself and Rodrigo in the comparison to the atom and the title “A Record of Preceding Events”. This title is reminiscent of Rodrigo’s musings that before all history there is prehistory, and before prehistory there was more prehistory, and so on. At the end of the Dedication, there is a list of 13 titles for the book, the one written on top being “The Hour of the Star”. However, the fact that this list of titles was included in the publication demonstrates that each of them are significant in a way. I found it very interesting that the actual title was third on this list, not last like I would expect. This seems to imply that the Clarice continued searching for titles even after “The Hour of the Star”, which makes it seem that she was not satisfied with this title and continued searching for more. Additionally, her signature after “The Right to Protest” gives this one a more personal element, and the one titled “Let Her Fend for Herself” demonstrates both peoples’ attitudes towards the poor and how the people walked by Macabea as she was dying. I think the title “The Hour of the Star” was very fitting though, as Macabea was a star for an hour as she lay dying.
In my passage in The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector, Rodrigo S.M., the narrator of the novel, introduces himself and why he is about to talk about the story of Macabea. First off, it is apparent that Rodrigo is an educated and contemplative writer from his language. In fact, he spends most of his time talking about why he will talk about Macabea than actually telling about her. He is bent on being “cold” and “impartial” (13) in telling the story. As the narrator, he claims that he by himself has the right to be “devastatingly cold” (13) and feel no pity unlike his readers. Furthermore, he believes that this story must be written by a man as “a woman would weep her heart out” (14). He emphasizes his intention of being as true as possible and facing the truth about existence and the harsh reality behind it in order to relay his perspective on existence and life. Rodrigo also constantly writes about how it is true that there is not a single person who “cares a damn” (14) about the girls like Macabea in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Rodrigo seems to believe there is no meaning or importance in life. Not only do the girls have nothing at all, but there seems to be no future or brightness in these girls’ lives. They don’t have a body to sell, anybody to “desire” them, and no one to listen to them. Instead of actively pursuing dreams, goals, and possessions, Rodrigo focuses on the value of nothingness as “emptiness is everything I [Rodrigo] can ever hope to possess” (14) and “has its value … resembling abundance” (14). He continues his contradicting arguments as he claims that one way of obtaining is not to search, and one way of possessing is not to ask. Rather than moving forward in life, he uses contradicting ideas in order to relay his idea of existence and the meaninglessness/emptiness in life.
On pages 17 and 18 of Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector characterizes the narrator through her use similes and juxtaposition. Rodrigo, the narrator, explains that the purpose of his writing is a girl from the Northeast. He describes her but doesn't give her name throughout the whole passage. He conveys his passion and excitement to write about this nameless girl when he says “I tend to write with bold, severe strokes like a painter” and “How I should love to hear the peeling of bells in order to work up some enthusiasm as I decipher reality: to see Angels flutter like transparent wasps around my fevered head” (pg 17). His comparison to a painter gives the reader the idea that he is writing this story with the intention of creating a work of art. The girl, then, is his artistic inspiration and characterizes her as someone inspiring or incredibly beautiful. He then describes his thoughts about her as fluttering angels. Both of these similes, however beautiful, are very misleading. Rodrigo continues the story as a very realistic look at a girl with a seemingly unimportant life. This is not the only example of contradictory writing in this novel. In the first paragraph of this passage he writes, “Things were somehow so good that they were in danger of becoming very bad because what is fully mature is very close to rotting” (pg 17). Although his point is clear and makes sense, it seems odd to look at the peak of his existence with such a negative connotation. He ends the passage by writing, “Eternity is the state of things at this very moment” (pg 18). Eternity is seen as every moment of all time whereas this very moment is just one small part of that time. He is looking at it as the idea of eternity being the compilation of all moments at their respective times. Again, it makes sense and yet makes no sense at all. If this moment is part of eternity, is eternity part of this moment? By writing this right now in this moment, I suppose that I am impacting every moment after this which is, therefore, eternity. This sort of thinking characterizes Rodrigo as a deep thinker and, in a way, a philosopher. Lispector’s use of similes and juxtaposition characterizes the narrator as an artist whose inspiration is anything but inspiring.
My passage was on pages 17-18 in the book. I think that this whole passage revolves around reality. I think one of the most important things that Rodrigo says about reality is “reality exceeds me. Whatever one understands by reality” (17). I think that what he means by this is that everyone has different interpretations of events and what happens in the world, so there are different realities for everyone. He goes on to talk about how he will write the story because he only wants to write things how they really happened. He does not want to get caught up in emotion. I thought that it was interesting that Rodrigo says “as I decipher reality” because he acknowledges that he is telling his reality while being the readers’ only source of information. Rodrigo also mentions “let things be known by their real names. Each thing is a word”. I think that things being known by “their real names” shows that Rodrigo is only trying to convey the truth behind the story. This only re-enforces that Rodrigo’s purpose is to write the story as it happened and nothing more. Another thing that I would like to discuss is the relation of reality and eternity. Rodrigo writes “we live exclusively in the present because forever and eternally it is the day of today, and the day of tomorrow will be a today. Eternity is the state of things at this very moment”. While relating himself to Macabea, Rodrigo says that he lives in the now (or day), while continuously living in eternity. So basically they both live in eternity? This is obviously very confusing, especially to me. The idea that Rodrigo lives in the moment may show how he relates to reality and how that contributes to his writing.
My passage of Hour of the Star is full of contradictions that I believe show the duality of man. In the passage it seems that the narrator is trying to find the words to express his inner passion for the story he must tell. He says he wants to make it clear that the story he is about to tell is a simple one and that it should not be built into something complex by our minds. Yet he contradicts himself by droning on about figuring out how to tell the story. Later he says, “In writing this story, I shall yield to emotion and I know perfectly well that every day is one more day stolen from death” (16), when previously he said, “I am much more interested in facts than meditation” (16). These ideas contrast because one presents the idea that he is more interested in cold hard reality and not philosophical thought or expression, yet he expresses that he will write this novel “with my body” (16). It is an example of man’s balance of between that of emotion and reason based knowledge. The words that mean the most in this passage must be the phrase, “This book is silence: an interrogation” (16). It seems as if the narrator is engaged in an internal battle. His passion for the story he is about to tell is indescribable, yet he almost has to use all his energy to describe how he feels about the story. It’s almost as if he is hiding something deep inside him that this story is connected to and he does not want those feelings to come up. He feels something, yet he does not want to let the feelings out.
My passage was on pages 18 and 19 in the novel. I believe this passage reflects the narrator's difficulty in writing, or starting to right, his narrative on Macabea while also showing his pride as an artist. In the beginning of the passage Rodrigo questions himself “the question is: how do I write?”. Rodrigo is not asking how her writes, as in his penmanship or writing speed but the analytical features that should be considered in writing his narrative. Rodrigo’s consideration of literary elements is just how any artist would think before constructing a piece, how should it be structure? How will this piece fit here? Will this work? Rodrigo is considering everything for his masterpiece. Rodrigo also comments on how difficult writing is “no, it’s not easy to write. It is as hard as breaking rocks. Sparks and splinters fly like shattered steel”. Rodrigo is speaking from the point of view of an artist again, he holds pride is his craft and believes what he is doing is it in it’s purest form. Of course anyone could easily write down words on paper but writing a narrative as Rodrigo is doing is not easy at all, it requires meticulous planning and consideration. Saying it’s easy is disrespecting the artist’s work. Rodrigo is also scared “I am scared of starting. I don’t even know the girl’s name”. Anyone who’s wanted to do something has wondered if they should even go through with it, from doing a blog post to creating your very own masterpiece like Rodrigo. Rodrigo reflects the self doubt one has when creating like any true artist.
My passage was on pages 18-19. At this point, the narrator begins to question his existence, seeing as he does not fit into the clearly defined social classes. The first paragraph of my passage is very different from the other three. Rodrigo directly compares himself to the higher and lower social classes saying, “The upper classes consider me a strange creature, the middle classes regard me with suspicion, afraid that I might unsettle them, while the lower classes avoid me” (18). He feels as if he does not have a voice and he sees himself as an alien placed on the wrong planet. He comes to the conclusion that he “belongs to no social category”. After questioning who he really is, he begins to talk about how he does feel a certain duty, which is a reoccurring motif throughout the novel. He feels that he must narrate a complex subject but hasn’t done it justice. The subject is a human, whom he feels is his duty to guard and care for. Lispector writes, “Of one thing I am certain: this narrative will combine with something delicate: the creation of an entire human being who is as much alive as I am. I have taken care of her because my mandate is simply to reveal her presence…” (19). It is Rodrigo’s job to take something so complex and simplify it down into something that anyone can understand and he struggles with this overwhelming idea. With this heavy weight on his shoulders, feeling trapped, he wants nothing but a bit of freedom and escape. In the last paragraph of my section, he talks about the motif of freedom. Lispector writes, “…I want to walk naked or in rags; I want to experience at least once the insipid flavour of the Host. To eat communion bread will be to taste the world’s indifference, and to immerse myself in nothingness… to abandon comforting sentiments from the past” (19).
(#8) The significance of dying a virgin links to separating the world into the “haves” and the “have-nots”. Additionally, earlier in this story, Rodrigo explains that “one never forgets someone who one has slept with”. This makes it seem that, because Macabea has never slept with anyone, no one will remember her. (#7) I think Macabea’s death represents her finally achieving her stardom and demonstrates that every person contains an inner, inextinguishable light. As she dies it is revealed that even though the entire book Rodrigo puts down Macabea as unimportant and easily overlooked, as she dies she has finally attained her stardom. Her death is her moment of retribution and redemption. Despite her poverty and the constant reminders from Rodrigo that she is unimportant, she has a shining last moment. She contains and eternal spiritual abundance, and in her death she becomes pure and beautiful. (#3) I think Macabea truly is happy because she has nothing to compare it to and doesn’t know she should be unhappy. “Ignorance is bliss” and I think that Macabea is in her own blissful ignorance. I don’t think the reader should feel sorry for Macabea, I think we should even envy her. She doesn't know that she should not be happy, something that in our society is impossible to do. She lives in her own ignorance, which is something that cannot ever be attained once one has been made aware that they should be unhappy. Additionally, Macabea has faith, not in God. What exactly she has faith in is unclear. I think if we were all as unconditionally happy and content with our situations as Macabea, we would live in a much more happy society. I think she is not pitiful, but Rodrigo paints her as pitiful because he himself is not self-content and feels superior to Macabea is some sad way. He thinks himself above her, and is thus not as ignorant as her and subsequently is discontent.
3. Was Macabea happy? Are we meant to feel sorry for her? I do believe that in some way Macabea was happy. Because she didn’t know anything else besides her own life, she could never imagine that the world could be better. She believed that her situation was normal. Lispector writes, “There wasn’t a trace of human misery within this girl. She carried herself with an aura of innocence. For, strange as it may seem, she had faith”(38). It seems that Macabea is so innocent that she does not realize that her situation is bad and that she should be miserable. Plus, Macabea still believes that things can change for her and that she can become a movie star. I do not think that we are meant to feel sorry for Macabea. In the introduction, he tells the readers not to hope for Macabea because he is just telling the story how it happens. He says not to expect “stars”, which may mean that he doesn’t want to the readers to expect happiness or fluff. 7-8. I think the significance of Macabea’s death is that no one even cared that she was dying. She was that insignificant to people that no one stopped to help her. This makes me think about human nature and how everyone seems immune to poverty and does not pay attention to it even when it is right in front of them. Humans may be naturally self obsessed and apathetic. Macabea’s death reflects her life because no one is interested in her. I think that Macabea dying a virgin may represent innocence. It is thought that if you are a virgin when you die that you may go directly to heaven, so maybe Macabea goes to heaven when she dies. 13-14. I noticed that a lot of Rodrigo’s thoughts in the beginning of the novel were shown throughout the book. One example of this is in Macabea’s death. At the beginning, Rodrigo mentions how he “would love to hear the pealing of bells in order to work up some enthusiasm” (17). On the last page of the novel, Rodrigo writes “The bells were ringing without making any sound. I now understand this story. She is the imminence in those bells, pealing so softly” (85). I think that it is possible that Rodrigo just wanted to get the book over with when writing at the beginning, but now that he finishes he realizes the meaning of the story. The sentence at the end feels very final. The bells may be a symbol in the story. Another example of the ideas in the intro in the book is when Macabea is talking to Gloria. Rodrigo writes “She liked to feel the passage of time. She did not possess a watch, and perhaps for that very reason, she relished the infinity of time” (62). This reminded me of the sentence “Eternity is the state of things in this very moment” (18). This felt like an example of how Macabea “lived in the present”. I am a little bit confused about the meaning of these sentences but I know they connect.
I believe that Lispector’s purpose in writing this novel is to show the insignificance of life. When she wrote this, she was at the end of her life. Although to some death is a very important part of life, I think that Lispector saw it as nothing more than the end of an unimportant series of events. This idea lead to the theme that people add unnecessary value to their lives and that happiness shouldn't be circumstantial, it should be a choice. In the beginning of the story, I think Macabea was happy. She was content with her life despite its simplicity. It is only after she sees the fortune teller that she begins to recognize the things she misses out on. I do think the audience is meant to feel sorry for her but ultimately I think Lispector’s purpose is for the audience to recognize that she was happy before she looked at the things she missed out on. In Macabea’s case, happiness was a default and unhappiness was a decision made for her by someone else. At first I did feel pity for her. Her life, compared to mine, seemed so empty. She was mostly alone and the man she loved didn't seem to love her back. Personally, I don't think I could be happy if I lived like that. However Macabea seems totally content with her life. I mistook this as ignorance at first but upon finishing the book, it occurred to me that it is possible for ignorance to be bliss. This ignorance is key in her relationship with Olimpico. I don't think Macabea has any idea what love is, or at least what love is to most people. In this case I don't really think that matters. He made her feel good and that may be the only reason he was included in the book at all. Not only does her life not have to be perfect, but her relationship can also be severely flawed by society's standards and still bring her joy.
3. Was Macabéa happy? Are we meant to feel sorry for her? If she is self-content, is she so pitiful after all? Throughout the whole book, Rodrigo S.M. writes about Macabea in a pitiful light, yet he repeatedly emphasizes that she, and other many other girls are simply unaware of how miserable their lives are in comparison to others/readers and therefore feel content with what they have. Rodrigo clearly hopes to make readers feel sorry for her and her unaware state, especially in the beginning of the book when he writes, “Unlike the reader, I reserve the right to be devastatingly cold” (13), and insists that if another were to relay this story, “it would have to be a man for a woman would weep her heart out” (14). Although Macabea may be satisfied with her life, Rodrigo still portrays her as pitiful because of the fact that their ignorance is the reason of their happiness. He conveys this message by describing her as “unremarkable, barely literate, backward” (15), and “simpleminded” (16), and then emphasizing that “no one cares a damn about their existence” (14) and that “there is no one to listen [to them]” (14).
11. Is Rodrigo the protagonist of this novel? Or is it Macabéa? Throughout the book, Macabea seems to be the protagonist of the book as the narrative is about her life. However, Rodrigo is also the protagonist because in his writing/narration, his commentary and philosophical thinking is so entrenched within the story that his ideas are just as apparent, if not more, in the book about Macabea’s life. For example, the way the book is written is very similar to the stream of consciousness and Rodrigo seems to be telling the story as he is thinking. This leads to many contradicting ideas and “off-track” philosophical tangents that may seem to do very little directly with Macabea’s story. For example, he spent a long time time to actually start his narration, and before he even introduces Macabea, he spends a lot of time talking about how no one actually cares about the girl he is about to write about- not even himself. He writes, “I [Rodrigo] don’t need her either and that what I am writing could be written by another” (14). Then he continues to discuss about the value of emptiness and how “one way of obtaining is not to search, one way of possessing is not to ask; simply to believe that my inner silence is the solution to – to my mystery” (14) despite how he was initially criticizing/lamenting about Macabea’s “emptiness” and lack of possession. Although the book is about Macabea’s life story, it is more importantly a work that analyzes and shows Rodrigo’s raw thought processes and thinking, so Rodrigo seems to be the more important protagonist of the two.
17. What other questions would you like the class to discuss? Something I was wondering about was how much of Clarice Lispector’s personal experiences/life events of an influence on The Hour of the Star. Lispector was a Brazilian writer from a Jewish background and from Ukraine. Her difference experiences must have had a large impact on her writing and philosophical ideas. Also, how much of her own ideas match up with Rodrigo’s writing/thinking in the book? Is all of his writing representative of Lispector’s ideas? If so, why would she make the narrator a male and specifically write that Macabea’s story “would have to be [told by] a man for a woman would weep her heart out” (14)? And, if not, why would she write in a different perspective of her own?
What was Lispector’s purpose in writing this book? What is the theme? The major theme of this book is the question of identity. Identity is something that is easy to see being a major theme played out in Hour of the Star. Clarice Lispector's past may have contributed to the theme choice in this novel. Lispector was a Ukrainian Jew and had to migrate with her family to Brazil. In 1938 Brazil began attempting to assimilate the new Jewish population to Brazilian life. Yiddish and Jewish organizations were closed. Anti-semitic sentiment would increase until 1945, when a democratic Government was elected. This history of suppression could be one reason why Clarice choose to dive into this topic. Furthermore, her novel offers questions such as, “am I a monster?” (Macabea 17), which are philosophical questions that question what it is to be human and are meant to help the reader think about his or her own identity.
What is the significance of dying a virgin? Virginity is symbolic of the purity and innocence of Macabea, who dies in a simple and uneventful way. She is described as dirty, unattractive, and empty headed, yet these qualities do not disqualify her from being pure and innocent. In fact they encourage the idea of innocence. Macabea is simply unaware of her circumstances as she seems to always be happy. Macabea says, “I can’t do anything about my face. But it’s only my face that’s sad, because I’m really quite happy inside. It’s wonderful to be alive, don’t you think?” (Macabea 52), which shows the reader how ignorance is bliss. She doesn’t seem to care or know about societal standards for beauty. It clearly does not matter to her as she tells us that she is happy to merely be alive. It is a humbling comment from such a simple minded person, as the narrator describes her to be. What is the significance of the reference to Julius Cæsar (“Et tu, Brute” p. 84)? The expression “Et tu, Brute” (Pg. 84), is meant most obviously to display dismay at the idea of Macabea dying. Her sudden death is something that surprises the reader greatly. So these words are used to confirm that yes indeed she is dead and that the narrator did just kill the main character, with what seems at first glance, for no real reason. The narrator even says, “Yes this is the way I had hoped to announce that- that Macabea was dead” (Macabea 84). The other reason for the use of the phrase is to help emphasis the idea of life betraying humans. One minute we are living peacefully and happily, and then the next moment we die. Most times people don’t choose when they die. Many times it is life's many pleasure that kill human beings. In this case, ease of transportation. And so it seems a sif life had stabbed Macabea in the back, just as Caesar in Shakespeare's play had been stabbed by assassins. One of the assassins was a friend named Brutus. Life, which one would think is happy and good, includes death and that is what Macabea learned tragically that day after leaving the fortune teller.
I think Macabea “loved” Olimpico is because he showed her affection when they met for the first time, in fact he’s the first person to show her affection. Macabea’s loveless life is what draws her towards Olimpico, she’s constantly neglected and abused. Macabea interacts with several characters in the story like her coworkers but they don’t give her anything reminiscent of affection. Olimpico gave her exactly what she’s missing in life even if it’s only a tiny bit. This is what compels Macabea to chase him even after knowing he’s an awful person. It’s evident that Olimpico didn’t care about Macabea or anyone but himself really but Macabea was helpless since he gave something that was missing in her life.
Is Rodrigo the protagonist of this novel? Or is it Macabea?
In my protagonist of the novel is Rodrigo. While Macabea is the character the novel follows as the narrator, who’s communicating through a stream of consciousness we are able to gain insight on Rodrigo’s mind. Macabea serves as a focal point for Rodrigo to express his thoughts and explore the theme of his writing. The reader get to know and understand Rodrigo as the story goes on, and the novel, Macabea, and other characters serve as tools to allow the reader to get to know him better. His commentary and description of the characters and their actions serve as characterization for Rodrigo as that is primarily how he expresses his thoughts and opinions.
What was Lispector’s purpose in writing this book? What is the theme?
I believe Claire Lispector’s purpose for writing Hour of the Star was to communicate existential ideas and comment on life while she was dying. Lispector writes the novel using a stream of consciousness, writing the ever changing feeling and observations of the narrator as opposed to monologue, to convey to thoughts of the narrator Rodrigo. Lispector is also speaking on these topics through Rodrigo as the stream of consciousness allows her to write to her thoughts as that of the narrator. Existentialism serves as the main theme of the novel as existential ideas are explored throughout the life of Macabea and the narration of Rodrigo.
Rodrigo alludes to creation and the bible while talking about the struggle of writing and says that “And when there is no word, it must be invented. This God of yours who commanded us to invent” (17). This demonstrates how everything was created and must continue to be created. Later in the story it states that, “Ah, merry month of May, abandon me no more! (Bang) she exclaimed inwardly the following morning, the seventh of May, she who never exclaimed anything” (42). This references the biblical idea that on the 7th day one rests after 6 days of work. On this seventh of may, she rests and has finally “been given something”. Macabea represents Jesus because Macabea is a figment of Rodrigo's imagination. Rodrigo uses Macabea to deal with the pain that he feels inside which is why Macabea has a terrible life. Macabea dies for Rodrigo so that Rodrigo can be free of the suffering that Macabea causes him. Rodrigo says that he knows Macabea and connects to her to himself. He says that “she had reduced herself to herself. After successive failures, I have also reduced myself” (18). This represents how Rodrigo created Macabea and created her to represent Jesus who died for another. Rodrigo must kill Macabea to rid himself of the suffering he feels while trying to write about her. He says that writing is “as hard as breaking rocks” (19) and because writing is so hard, especially writing about this girl, he does not want to continue so he kills her off in a grand way; her death is her grandest moment as Jesus’ death was his greatest moment. When Olimpico introduces himself, he calls himself Olimpico de Jesus Moreira Chaves (44) in an attempt to conceal that he is poor and his name is only Olimpico de Jesus. This is a biblical allusion as his name is literally Jesus and he is poor. Additionally, later Olimpico is described as “a demon of strength and vitality” (58) which alludes to the bible to show his bad character.
There are many Biblical allusions in the Hour of the Star. One example is in the introduction when Rodrigo writes “I want to walk naked or in rags” (19). It is possible that this is an allusion to Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbid them to do. After eating the fruit, they realized that they were naked and tried to make clothes for themselves out of fig leaves. God saw their attempts and showed them the type of clothes they needed. It is possible that Rodrigo does not care if he is guided by God or not because he does not care if he uses God’s guidance to have clothes or not.
Another allusion I found was “sin tempts me, forbidden pleasures lure me.” (70). This part references the seven deadly sins, specifically the sin of sexual relations. This also reminds me of the Forbidden Fruit in Adam and Eve. Eve is lured by a serpent to eat the Forbidden Fruit, and in turn she convinces Adam to eat it too. Just like Adam and Eve are tempted by fruit, Rodrigo is tempted to stop writing.
While writing the last allusion, I found another one!!! Woohoo! Rodrigo says that he went to the doctor and felt sick after “too much talk about beer”. He says, “ I must interrupt this story for three days. Now I awaken” (70). Wow, this page is full of allusions! Jesus is put in a tomb for three days and “awakens” after! Rodrigo stops the story after three days and then wakes up just like Jesus. I do not understand the purpose of this...
Also, Lispector names a place called “San Miguel”, which is also the name of one of the only three angels named in the Bible. “Saint Michael” is the protector of the sick and children in the Bible and fights in the war against Satan’s army. San Miguel is also a place in south Brazil where there are ruins of a Spanish Jesuit Church. Lispector could be referring to the ruins of the church when she is talking about doing voodoo at the site. Gloria says that many curses were cured for her at San Miguel. Because Michael lead the fight against evil, it makes sense that they would pick a spot named after him to keep evil away.
“Should God descend on Earth one day there would be a great silence” (85). This quote may be referring to the Rapture. The Rapture is the belief that there will be a second coming of Jesus Christ and that alive and dead believers of God will be swept up into the sky. After this quote, Rodrigo says that Macabea turns into air. It is said that during the Rapture, people “meet the Lord in air”. Lispector could be comparing Macabea to a believer or be saying that God has descended on Earth. It is possible that Macabea is also being compared to Jesus.
Throughout The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector includes many different biblical references. For example, Rodrigo mentions that yet I have no intention of adorning the word, for were I to touch the firl’s bread, the bread would turn yellow” (15). The author seems obsessed with making sure that he relays no emotion and personal ideas about Macabea, and he frets are using words, his main medium of power, to display Macabea greater than what she truly is. Thus, he fears that through his words, he may twist the audience’s idea by being like God and creating a false sotry of lives true in the readers’ heads. Lispector also brings up the reference Biblical stories like Adam and Eve and to bread (the fish and bread story from the Bible) when Rodrigo as the narrator writes “Meantime, I want to walk naked or in rags; I want to experience at least once the insipid flavor of the Hos. To eat communion bread will be to taste the world’s indifference and to immerse myself in nothingness” (19). In this reference, Rodrigo relays his hopes to be as basic and of only the essential state as possible by becoming simple and closest to God’s creations. Through these methods, he hopes to be as close to possible to relatable to Macabea’s state in her story. His next reference is to Jesus’s death and sacrifice. He writes, “I write because I have nothing better to do in this world: I write because I am desperate and weary … I should die symbolically each day” (21). In these lines, it is apparent that Rodrigo has no purpose/meaning in life, and his writing is the sole reason for his existence. His desperation and weariness can be compared to that of Jesus’ from the weight he carried from the peoples’ sins. Rodrigo hopes to relay his ideas of existentialism through writing words, and if it takes for him to die everyday from his “sacrifice,” he would do it because it is his only purpose in this world. Another biblical reference is when Rodrigo depicts Macabea questioning God’s existence. She things, “Her eyes were enormous, round, bulging and inquisitive … questioning eyes. Whom was she questioning? God? She did not think about God, nor did God think about her. God belongs to those who succeed in pinning Him down. God appears in a moment of distraction. She asked no questions” (26). Macabea does not seem to believe in God. In fact, she does not even seem to spare any specific thought towards God. This seems play a part in the lack of meaning in Macabea’s life as well as upholding her “ignorant” personality. Although the book seems to have the theme “ignorance is bliss” towards the beginning with Macabea being unaware of her sad conditions, the book seems to move away from that idea as the lack of meaning in life plays a large part in the author and Macabea’s satisfaction and meaninglessness in life. Macabea’s roommates are all names Maria (Maria da Penha, Maria Aparecida, Maria Jose, and Plain Maria). Rodrigo writes that “they were too exhauseted to complain, worn out by an occupation that was no less taxing simply because it was anonymous” (31). In the bible, Maria is the mother of Jesus. However, in the book, the roommates who have the name Maria pay no attention to Macabea, perhaps representing Macabea’s lack of religious beliefs and/or the meaningless life of Macabea as no one, not even one of Maria’s name show any care towards Macabea’s life. Lispector constantly writes about God and other biblical references in contradicting ideas. As Rodrigo is speaking in a stream of consciousness style, he seems to be writing while thinking. At time he believes the God is the answer and an essential part of our lives, hence the myriad of the biblical references, but he also writes about God at time in a manner that questions his existence and true role of out lives.
In the novel The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector uses biblical references scattered throughout the story. One of the first I noticed was in the very beginning of the novel as the line, “I want to walk naked or in rags” (19), which can be taken to refer to the attire of Jesus being that he was a poor individual when it came to material wealth. Furthermore the narrator chooses to be this way just as jesus choose to be void of material wealth. He also says he wishes to enjoy the fruit of the world that he lives on. He wishes to walk among humans and “experience at least once the the insipid flavour of the host” (19). This seems to be a reference to Jesus simply being among man. The reason this reference is so easy to see is because before he says these lines, he describes himself much like a god. The narrator goes out of his way yet again to put himself on a tutu stool by saying, “Later, I shall almost certainly write something more cheerful, but why cheerful, but why cheerful? Because I too, am a man of hosannas and perhaps one day I shall intone praises instead of the misfortunates of the girl from the North-east” (19). He describes himself as if he is some sort of god. So from this it is easy to see the transition and connection to the bible. Later on in the novel, the author also uses, “Sin tempts me, forbidden pleasures lure me” (70). This quote refers to the sinful pleasures of sexual ventures that tempt individuals. As well as the quote, “I want to I want to be both pig and hen then kill them and drink their blood” (70), which could refer to the blood of christ and that which is pure and good. Finally towards the end of the novel, Clarice Lispector adds the phrase, “Should God descend on Earth one day there would be a great silence” (85), which is an obvious reference to the rapture, in which Jesus come down to take the believers to heaven and will leave those who do not believe to suffer in the apocalypse. This is used to help conclude the death of Macabea and the novel. As her world ends the narrator relates this to the world ending, because it really has for her and for the reader involved in the novel.
Rodrigo emphasizes the fact that he must abstain from emotion in order to correctly convey the story as it happened, and he describes this as he says “I want my story to be cold and impartial” (13). He says that in order to explain the story in full, he has to be impartial and not take into account emotion. “It is my duty to relate everything about this girl among thousands of others just liker her.” (13) Rodrigo emphasizes how she is not special or individual, and is just a small part in a large urban society. “She wasn't’ even aware that she lived in a technological society where she was a mere cog in the machine.” (29) This dehumanization makes it easier for him to be impartial while deciding her fate and to create the idea that she is a small part of a large machine. He explains “-that she was inept. Inept for living.” (24) He also thinks himself above her. He describes himself as above her social class, and sees himself as between the middle class and the poor. This makes it easier to dehumanize her, and makes him feel less guilty about what he writes about her. He describes that “Her existence is sparse” (23) and that “No one paid any attention to her on the street, for she was as appetizing as cold coffee.” (27) He continues the metaphor of comparing her to cold coffee throughout the book, which makes her sound unappealing. However, she did enjoy drinking her cold coffee and saw it as wonderful treat. “By loving my dog that consumes more food than she does.” (26) Rodrigo compares Macabea to various animals, in this instance a dog. “(It’s as good as saying that a healthy dog is worth more.)” (35) He compares Macabea to a dog and then a bird, saying that “-she had the expression of someone with a broken wing-” (26). This dehumanizes her, making her seem unimportant and simply something to be controlled.
Lispector maintains Rodrigo’s objectivity as a way to critique the impact of industrialization and the growing wealth gap. She writes, “The upper classes consider me a strange creature, the middle classes regard me with suspicion, afraid that I might unsettle them, while the lower classes avoiding me” (18). Lispector is vague and contradictory when describing Rodrigo. She does this purposely so that Rodrigo doesn't associate with any certain social class. Rather, he remains a mystery for the most part. This is to distance him from any prejudice or stereotypes on the part of the reader. If he revealed that he was a wealthy member of society, the reader would assume that he only spoke so negatively of Macabea because she was poor. He dehumanizes her throughout the book. He writes, “And since I have discovered almost everything about her, she has clung to my skin like some vicious glue or contaminating mud”(21). In this quote he compares her to something so unwanted and almost annoying and yet, she's stuck to his skin. This is very much like the rest of the book in that he seems totally unjustified in his fascination with her. He also reduces her to almost nothing because of her social class. Macabea is extremely poor. Rodrigo describes poverty as “both ugly and promiscuous”(21). He is speaking for more than himself here. Rodrigo, I believe, represents the common belief of the time. This belief still exists. Humans are instinctively disgusted when looking at a homeless or financially insecure person and often reduce them to a level beneath themselves. Rodrigo remains objective as a way maintaining his role of the common view on inequality.
During the course of the story, Rodrigo seems to be hiding some sort of insecurity. He always speaks negatively about Macabea, who is a poor and simple girl. Rodrigo uses any chance he can get infact, to deal provocative blows to his character of a lower social standing. An example of this grasp at opportunity would be when he writes, “They sat on something free of charge: a bench in the public park. Sitting there, they were indistinguishable from the rest of nothingness.” (47) It seems that any chance he gets, he wants to transfer the reader’s attention to how ‘pathetic’ Macabea’s life is, because she is poor. He puts her down with the idea that she is nothing in order to convey ideas he may struggle with, possibly being of a lower status. He may be using her as a scapegoat to express his own struggle as a poor writer. This is why so many little things culminate into so many negative comments. He continues to hint at his own struggle for success with the quote, “No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her.” (16) In many societies the poor and sick are ignored, because in modern society it is easy to distract oneself with new forms of entertainment, even in the 20th century. Thus it is appropriate that Macabea is ignored with such normality. However it is puzzling why Rodrigo cares so much, and it is even more puzzling why lispector has Rodrigo care so much. Perhaps Lispector was trying to convey her pain as an underappreciated artist with Rodrigo. Other examples of the cold treatment of Macabea by Rodrigo include numerous comments such as, “Extract gold from coal.” (16), which implies that her life is dark, dirty, and worthless. More commentary by Rodrigo backs the idea that there is something that clearly is bothering him and that he is using his character as an outlet for the dissatisfaction he harbors deep down. He describes her on multiple occasions as apart of her in more complex ways and in more literal ways, as demonstrated in the quote, “And since I have discovered almost everything about her, she has clung to my skin like some viscous glue or contaminating mud.” (21) From this he clearly believes she has a connection to him that is more than just on the social hierarchy. He continues on with his odd relationship, with what seems like another part of himself that the author doesn’t like. He even questions his own choices and writes as if he is thinking about whether or not to reveal his true feelings about the poverty he suffers with the quote, “She merely exists, inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling. Why should there be anything more? Her existence is sparse.” (23) The breathing adds a profound effect that makes it seem as if he is almost taking a deep breath in order to muster the courage to reveal untold insecurities he has been holding onto. On occasion Rodrigo shows signs of almost exhaustion, which he clearly expresses in many exerts, as in this sentence, “She was hopelessly rachitic at birth, the inheritance of the backwoods-the legacy of misfortune I mentioned earlier.” (27) Rodrigo seems too exhausted from his lack to go into tremendous detail and simply mentions a previous time in the book. The tone also changes in this sentence with the use of the word “misfortune” which seems to show empathy for his character. As if the predicament Macabea is in, is one that can not be controlled.
Throughout The Hour of the Star, Rodrigo always seems to be contradicting himself as he writes as if he is thinking as the moment. This raw form of his writing and thoughts may seem deceptive, but it also can show the narrator’s thought clearer than any other way. For example, he continuously dehumanizes and objectifies Macabea and those of the lower class despite the fact the he cares for her and feels obligated to tell her story. I interpreted this as Rodrigo trying to show the readers how the people of the lower class are seen as objects and inanimate objects in contrast to the higher class. However, in reality, Rodrigo himself pities them, thus relaying Macabea’s story. When he first introduces Macabea, he writes, “There are thousands of girls like this girl from the North-east 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). His dehumanization by quantifying of Macabea and other girls like her and claiming them as superfluous and uncared for serves to show the readers how people of the lower class are typically viewed within the society. Furthermore, he writes, “As for the girl, she exists in an impersonal limbo, untouched by what is worst or best. She merely exits, inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling. Why should there be anything more? Her existence is sparse” (23) to questions the value of Macabea’s life as he emphasizes that she is merely an existence, rather than a life of a human. He even goes further as to compare her to a “mere cog in the machine,” when he writes, “Life is like that: you press a button and life lights up. Except that the girl didn’t know which button to press. She wasn’t even aware that she lived in a technological society where she was a mere cog in the machine.” (28-29) Rodrigo also constantly criticizes her appearance and physical condition. For example, he writes, “No one paid any attention to her on the street, for she was as appetizing as cold coffee” (27). In society especially those with education and class, appearance is highly judged and a normal/healthy physical condition is somewhat generally taken for granted. Although he himself writes disparagingly about Macabea, I think he does this on purpose and in a way, seems to be imitating/mocking the way society and societal standards are. Rodrigo also writes about when Macabea didn’t even have a name: “For the first year of my life, I wasn’t called anything because I didn’t have a name. I’d have preferred to go on being called nothing instead of having a name that nobody has ever heard of, yet it seems to suit me…” (43). He even compares Macabea to dogs/animals and dehumanizes her constantly. When he describes her with, “Not knowing sounds awful, but it was not so awful for the girl knew lots of things just as a dog knows how to wag its tail or a beggar how to feel hungry: things happen and you suddenly know” (28), it seems harsh and inhumane, but in reality, that is how people viewed those of the lower class- equal to that of a dog.
“The person whom I am about to describe scarcely has a body to sell; nobody desires her, she is a harmless virgin nobody needs” (14). This description of Macabea completely puts her down and tells the readers that she is worthless. Rodrigo makes her seem so insignificant that even if she needed to sell her body for money, no one would want to buy it. This makes me wonder: if Macabea is so insignificant, then why is Rodrigo writing about her? “No one acknowledges her for they don’t even notice her” (16). When talking about how Macabea smiles to people on the street, Rodrigo says that she goes unnoticed. By saying that people do not even see Macabea makes it seems like she does not even exist. The author makes readers think that her actions are pointless because everyone knows that her actions will not change her fate. Even simple actions like smiling do not make a difference in the world and neither does Macabea. “How can I get satisfaction? I found the answer: by loving my dog that consumes more food than she does. Why does she not fight back? Has she no pluck? No, she is sweet and docile” (26). Here, Rodrigo mentions that Macabea still has hope and that this makes him sad, so he comes to the conclusion that he will love his dog to be happier. He compares Macabea to the dog by saying that she eats less food than it. This makes readers feel sympathy for Macabea. Next, Rodrigo asks a series of questions about Macabea, but he seems like he is talking about a dog. He asks why she never fights back, meaning why does she not do anything to make her situation better. His answer is that she does not know better and is sweet. “Being very superstitious, the girl imagined that if she should ever bring joy to life, the spell would be broken. She would cease to be a princess and become transformed into an insect” (31). Rodrigo compares Macabea to an insect and a princess. I think that he says that Macabea is a princess because she is oblivious to being sad about her circumstances. She does not realize that she should be unhappy, and I think that if she became truly happy she would be “an insect”. When she has a moment of happiness she may see that she is unhappy because she has experienced something better than what she has now. “He- why the fuss? Aren’t you a human being? Human beings talk about other human beings. She- Forgive me, but I don’t believe I am all that human” (48). It surprised me here when Macabea says that she doesn’t think that she is that human. I realize that she is just saying that she does not like to talk about others, but it could mean something more serious. I think that she dehumanizes herself here because she does not think that she fits in with society. “Macabea- you’re like a hair in one’s soup. It’s enough to make anyone lose their appetite” (60). A simile is used to describe Macabea by Olimpico. Olimpico says that Macabea is unappetizing and unpleasing to look at. What I thought was interesting is that Macabea did not care when he said this nor does she care whenever Olimpico insults her. By comparing Macabea to hair in soup, Olimpico makes Macabea seem insignificant in society.
The Hour of the Star represents an experimental novel very well. First, it has an anti-hero that is not very likable. This character is Macabea, who is unnoticed and unimportant to society. Rodrigo says that “she often smiles at other people on the street. No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her” (16). A normal hero would be important and noticed, but since Macabea is an anti-hero, she is unimportant. Her brief boyfriend even tells her that she is like “hair in one’s soup”. No one seems to like or value Macabea, which supports that this novel is an experimental novel. Another aspect of an experimental novel is an unreliable narrator. In the introduction of the book when Rodrigo talks endlessly about writing the story, he confuses the readers a lot. He says, “the story is true even though invented”. He may mean that he made the story up but it is very similar to the poor in Brazil. He continues on to say that he caught a glimpse of a girl from the Northeast and that he knows her story “by living”. This leaves the readers to question the reliability of the narrator and the truth of the story he tells. Lastly, the experimental novel breaks the fourth wall. Breaking the fourth wall means that the narrator speaks directly to the audience. Also in the introduction, Rodrigo says “you know more than you imagine, however much you may deny it”. By mentioning the readers and himself, Rodrigo breaks the fourth wall. All of these aspects of the Experimental Novel are present in the Hour of the Star.
An experimental is written in the stream of consciousness style of narration, which the hour of the star is. This novel is written as Rodrigo thinks of it and lacks any clear organization or planning ahead of time. Additionally, he even states that “as it happens, I have no idea how this story will end” (16). This demonstrates that he is writing this as he thinks of it in a stream of consciousness format. Additionally, an experimental novel is characterized by breaking the fourth wall, something that Rodrigo does multiple times in this novel. He states that he must follow the title “As For The Future” by a complete stop because “if, instead of a full stop, the title were followed by dotted lines, it would remain open to every kind of speculation on your part” (13). He addresses the reader directly, which breaks the fourth wall as he recognizes that he will be merely a character in this novel. He writes that “The story...should have some seven characters, and obviously I am one of the more important” (13) in which he directly accepts that he is merely a character in this novel. An experimental novel also has an inconsistent narrator, and in this novel, Rodrigo is very inconsistent and contradicts himself frequently. He starts off saying “it’s true that I too have no pity for my main character” (13) and he continues to explain that she should not be pitied and she is not deserving of anything significant. However, at the end of the novel, he writes “Yes, i adore Macabea, my darling Maca” (25). This demonstrates inconsistent narration and how his opinions change drastically over the course of this novel. An experimental novel contains an anti-hero, who is the protagonist that is disliked. I would argue that in this novel, Rodrigo is the anti-hero because he is continuously putting Macabea below himself and making himself overall unlikable. He dehumanizes Macabea throughout the entire novel, detailed in my last blog post, and he does this to make himself feel superior and not feel guilty when he kills such a helpless character.
A characteristic of an experimental novel is an unreliable narrator. Lispector uses Rodrigo to fill this role in Hour of The Star. Rodrigo explains “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”(12). He explains that his story is just a vision that he had. Yet, after this he describes a girl which the reader is led to believe is real. Rodrigo doesn't make a clear distinction between facts and opinions and never shares much about himself which makes him less trustworthy. Pessimism is a common trait in the protagonist of experimental novels. Arguments could be made that Macabea is the protagonist, however, I don't believe that Macabea is pessimistic. I think she is quite the opposite. Little things bring her joy in life and she is very capable of wishful thinking. It is Rodrigo that lessens the value of life and criticizes Macabea for her simple way of living. Depression is a another common theme that is touched upon in this novel. Although not outright depressed, the reader generally feels the pain in Macabea’s life. She is very poor and lacks nutrition and family and doesn't really have any reason not to be depressed. It is possible that she is depressed but doesn't acknowledge it because she's never lived any other way. The less than ordinary main character is criteria that is absolutely met by Hour of The Star. Rodrigo writes, “How can one disguise the simple fact that the entire world is somewhat sad and lonely? The girl from the Northeast was lost in the crowd”(40). He says that even her depression and sadness doesn't make her special. She doesn't stand out or mean anything to anyone. Her lack of originality is so blatant that the reader is almost forced to question why anyone would write a book about her.
The Hour of the Star is full of qualities of experimental literature. One obvious example is the contradiction of what the narrator and his unreliability. Throughout the whole book, from beginning to end, Rodrigo is constantly contradicting himself, sometimes even within the next line or two. In fact, in the very first sentence of the book, he writes, “everything in the world began with a yes” (11), but then he ends the same paragraph with “I do not know why, but I do know that the universe never began” (11). By opening the novel with a contradiction which is only followed by more, readers can immediately sense confusion and the unreliability of Rodrigo as a narrator. Another representation of Rodrigo’s unreliability is his frequent seemingly random sentences and “conversations” in which he writes sentences after another that seem to have no connection to each other. For instance, he writes, “I have a restless character in my hands who escapes me at every turn and expects me to retrieve her. / I forgot to mention that everything I am now writing is accompanied by the emphatic ruffle of a military drum” (22). Although the drum is an important part of the book, the sudden mention of the military drum throws off the reader and only serves to show Rodrigo’s unpredictability. Another style Rodrigo uses in his narration is the use of sentence fragments and inconsistency in his syntax. Although he does a better job of using correct or more “right” writing grammar-wise, his writing gets a lot more disjointed and choppy at the end of the novel as he incorporates more sentence fragments. A lot of his fragments are for the purpose of emphasizing his previous sentence or repeating it. For example, he writes, “As for the future (84), “Yes it is so” (84), “Star with a thousand pointed rays” (84), “The greatness of every human being (85), and “Silence,” (85). Although these fragments do seem to have a purpose, the way he writes gives a very choppy and disorientating feeling. Another strange technique Rodrigo uses is for the characters’ dialogue. Rodrigo uses dashes for dialogue, which is correct for writing dialogue in Spanish. Throughout the book, most of the dialogue is just a dash and the said words with very few instanced of “she said” or “he said.” However, for once conversation between Olimpico and Macabea, Rodrigo writes “he” and “she” before every dash (48). However, this only occurs for about one page before the conversation continues without the “he” and “she” written in. This once again shows inconsistency and the nonconventional writing style of most writers, but I think he wrote this way to give more emphasis and attention to this particular conversation because it slightly touches upon Macabea’s personal thoughts about life and existentialism.
There are many obvious example of how Hour of the Star is an experimental novel. For instance the multiple titles that were created for the novel do not follow the tradition of a one title book. This indecisiveness is carried on by the author to the plot where we are introduced to a very wishy washy author who jumps between being too detailed and then complaining about trying to make the story short and clear. The author has a sense of direction, yet is not reliable like most of us know authors to be in traditional stories. This may be done in order to express the duality of man. Humans are not just black and white beings but we are a mix of complex emotions that evolve as we age. Rodrigo, the author, will jump into the middle of the story to add a very miniscule detail about the story. Additionally he breaks the fourth wall in this line, “Just as I am writing at the same time as I am being read.” (12) The book also lacks any real structure as it does not have clear chapters and dialogue is very unconventional. This may be done in order to show the chaos of ideas swimming in Lispector’s head as she is dying. This along with the fact that Rodrigo jumps around a lot is, perhaps, meant to express the panic of human being in there most authentic moment. The author poses a lot of random questions as well during the book as if she is panicked and wants answers before death takes her.
In the Author’s Dedication, Clarice Lispector introduces herself as an element of this story and introduces the tone and themes of the book. The author’s dedication shows tremendous similarities to the first few passages of the book in which the audience gets to know the actual narrator of the book, Rodrigo SM. However, I think the author’s dedication was included to show similarities between the author, Clarice Lispector, and both the narrator and Macabea herself. The first section of the dedication uses repetition to emphasize the fact that Clarice is dedicating this book to all forms of musicians who have “revealed me to myself and made me explode into me”. This love for music and its effects is a direct parallel between Clarice and Macabea. Additionally, Clarice is also a girl from the Northeast, and the phrase “and I had never eaten lobster” reminds the reader of Macabea, who is also poor and would never eat lobster. Additionally, Clarice parallels herself and Rodrigo in the comparison to the atom and the title “A Record of Preceding Events”. This title is reminiscent of Rodrigo’s musings that before all history there is prehistory, and before prehistory there was more prehistory, and so on.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the Dedication, there is a list of 13 titles for the book, the one written on top being “The Hour of the Star”. However, the fact that this list of titles was included in the publication demonstrates that each of them are significant in a way. I found it very interesting that the actual title was third on this list, not last like I would expect. This seems to imply that the Clarice continued searching for titles even after “The Hour of the Star”, which makes it seem that she was not satisfied with this title and continued searching for more. Additionally, her signature after “The Right to Protest” gives this one a more personal element, and the one titled “Let Her Fend for Herself” demonstrates both peoples’ attitudes towards the poor and how the people walked by Macabea as she was dying. I think the title “The Hour of the Star” was very fitting though, as Macabea was a star for an hour as she lay dying.
In my passage in The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector, Rodrigo S.M., the narrator of the novel, introduces himself and why he is about to talk about the story of Macabea. First off, it is apparent that Rodrigo is an educated and contemplative writer from his language. In fact, he spends most of his time talking about why he will talk about Macabea than actually telling about her. He is bent on being “cold” and “impartial” (13) in telling the story. As the narrator, he claims that he by himself has the right to be “devastatingly cold” (13) and feel no pity unlike his readers. Furthermore, he believes that this story must be written by a man as “a woman would weep her heart out” (14). He emphasizes his intention of being as true as possible and facing the truth about existence and the harsh reality behind it in order to relay his perspective on existence and life. Rodrigo also constantly writes about how it is true that there is not a single person who “cares a damn” (14) about the girls like Macabea in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Rodrigo seems to believe there is no meaning or importance in life. Not only do the girls have nothing at all, but there seems to be no future or brightness in these girls’ lives. They don’t have a body to sell, anybody to “desire” them, and no one to listen to them. Instead of actively pursuing dreams, goals, and possessions, Rodrigo focuses on the value of nothingness as “emptiness is everything I [Rodrigo] can ever hope to possess” (14) and “has its value … resembling abundance” (14). He continues his contradicting arguments as he claims that one way of obtaining is not to search, and one way of possessing is not to ask. Rather than moving forward in life, he uses contradicting ideas in order to relay his idea of existence and the meaninglessness/emptiness in life.
ReplyDeleteOn pages 17 and 18 of Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector characterizes the narrator through her use similes and juxtaposition. Rodrigo, the narrator, explains that the purpose of his writing is a girl from the Northeast. He describes her but doesn't give her name throughout the whole passage. He conveys his passion and excitement to write about this nameless girl when he says “I tend to write with bold, severe strokes like a painter” and “How I should love to hear the peeling of bells in order to work up some enthusiasm as I decipher reality: to see Angels flutter like transparent wasps around my fevered head” (pg 17). His comparison to a painter gives the reader the idea that he is writing this story with the intention of creating a work of art. The girl, then, is his artistic inspiration and characterizes her as someone inspiring or incredibly beautiful. He then describes his thoughts about her as fluttering angels. Both of these similes, however beautiful, are very misleading. Rodrigo continues the story as a very realistic look at a girl with a seemingly unimportant life. This is not the only example of contradictory writing in this novel. In the first paragraph of this passage he writes, “Things were somehow so good that they were in danger of becoming very bad because what is fully mature is very close to rotting” (pg 17). Although his point is clear and makes sense, it seems odd to look at the peak of his existence with such a negative connotation. He ends the passage by writing, “Eternity is the state of things at this very moment” (pg 18). Eternity is seen as every moment of all time whereas this very moment is just one small part of that time. He is looking at it as the idea of eternity being the compilation of all moments at their respective times. Again, it makes sense and yet makes no sense at all. If this moment is part of eternity, is eternity part of this moment? By writing this right now in this moment, I suppose that I am impacting every moment after this which is, therefore, eternity. This sort of thinking characterizes Rodrigo as a deep thinker and, in a way, a philosopher. Lispector’s use of similes and juxtaposition characterizes the narrator as an artist whose inspiration is anything but inspiring.
ReplyDeleteMy passage was on pages 17-18 in the book. I think that this whole passage revolves around reality. I think one of the most important things that Rodrigo says about reality is “reality exceeds me. Whatever one understands by reality” (17). I think that what he means by this is that everyone has different interpretations of events and what happens in the world, so there are different realities for everyone. He goes on to talk about how he will write the story because he only wants to write things how they really happened. He does not want to get caught up in emotion. I thought that it was interesting that Rodrigo says “as I decipher reality” because he acknowledges that he is telling his reality while being the readers’ only source of information. Rodrigo also mentions “let things be known by their real names. Each thing is a word”. I think that things being known by “their real names” shows that Rodrigo is only trying to convey the truth behind the story. This only re-enforces that Rodrigo’s purpose is to write the story as it happened and nothing more. Another thing that I would like to discuss is the relation of reality and eternity. Rodrigo writes “we live exclusively in the present because forever and eternally it is the day of today, and the day of tomorrow will be a today. Eternity is the state of things at this very moment”. While relating himself to Macabea, Rodrigo says that he lives in the now (or day), while continuously living in eternity. So basically they both live in eternity? This is obviously very confusing, especially to me. The idea that Rodrigo lives in the moment may show how he relates to reality and how that contributes to his writing.
ReplyDeleteMy passage of Hour of the Star is full of contradictions that I believe show the duality of man. In the passage it seems that the narrator is trying to find the words to express his inner passion for the story he must tell. He says he wants to make it clear that the story he is about to tell is a simple one and that it should not be built into something complex by our minds. Yet he contradicts himself by droning on about figuring out how to tell the story. Later he says, “In writing this story, I shall yield to emotion and I know perfectly well that every day is one more day stolen from death” (16), when previously he said, “I am much more interested in facts than meditation” (16). These ideas contrast because one presents the idea that he is more interested in cold hard reality and not philosophical thought or expression, yet he expresses that he will write this novel “with my body” (16). It is an example of man’s balance of between that of emotion and reason based knowledge. The words that mean the most in this passage must be the phrase, “This book is silence: an interrogation” (16). It seems as if the narrator is engaged in an internal battle. His passion for the story he is about to tell is indescribable, yet he almost has to use all his energy to describe how he feels about the story. It’s almost as if he is hiding something deep inside him that this story is connected to and he does not want those feelings to come up. He feels something, yet he does not want to let the feelings out.
ReplyDeleteMy passage was on pages 18 and 19 in the novel. I believe this passage reflects the narrator's difficulty in writing, or starting to right, his narrative on Macabea while also showing his pride as an artist. In the beginning of the passage Rodrigo questions himself “the question is: how do I write?”. Rodrigo is not asking how her writes, as in his penmanship or writing speed but the analytical features that should be considered in writing his narrative. Rodrigo’s consideration of literary elements is just how any artist would think before constructing a piece, how should it be structure? How will this piece fit here? Will this work? Rodrigo is considering everything for his masterpiece. Rodrigo also comments on how difficult writing is “no, it’s not easy to write. It is as hard as breaking rocks. Sparks and splinters fly like shattered steel”. Rodrigo is speaking from the point of view of an artist again, he holds pride is his craft and believes what he is doing is it in it’s purest form. Of course anyone could easily write down words on paper but writing a narrative as Rodrigo is doing is not easy at all, it requires meticulous planning and consideration. Saying it’s easy is disrespecting the artist’s work. Rodrigo is also scared “I am scared of starting. I don’t even know the girl’s name”. Anyone who’s wanted to do something has wondered if they should even go through with it, from doing a blog post to creating your very own masterpiece like Rodrigo. Rodrigo reflects the self doubt one has when creating like any true artist.
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ReplyDeleteMy passage was on pages 18-19. At this point, the narrator begins to question his existence, seeing as he does not fit into the clearly defined social classes. The first paragraph of my passage is very different from the other three. Rodrigo directly compares himself to the higher and lower social classes saying, “The upper classes consider me a strange creature, the middle classes regard me with suspicion, afraid that I might unsettle them, while the lower classes avoid me” (18). He feels as if he does not have a voice and he sees himself as an alien placed on the wrong planet. He comes to the conclusion that he “belongs to no social category”. After questioning who he really is, he begins to talk about how he does feel a certain duty, which is a reoccurring motif throughout the novel. He feels that he must narrate a complex subject but hasn’t done it justice. The subject is a human, whom he feels is his duty to guard and care for. Lispector writes, “Of one thing I am certain: this narrative will combine with something delicate: the creation of an entire human being who is as much alive as I am. I have taken care of her because my mandate is simply to reveal her presence…” (19). It is Rodrigo’s job to take something so complex and simplify it down into something that anyone can understand and he struggles with this overwhelming idea. With this heavy weight on his shoulders, feeling trapped, he wants nothing but a bit of freedom and escape. In the last paragraph of my section, he talks about the motif of freedom. Lispector writes, “…I want to walk naked or in rags; I want to experience at least once the insipid flavour of the Host. To eat communion bread will be to taste the world’s indifference, and to immerse myself in nothingness… to abandon comforting sentiments from the past” (19).
(#8) The significance of dying a virgin links to separating the world into the “haves” and the “have-nots”. Additionally, earlier in this story, Rodrigo explains that “one never forgets someone who one has slept with”. This makes it seem that, because Macabea has never slept with anyone, no one will remember her.
ReplyDelete(#7) I think Macabea’s death represents her finally achieving her stardom and demonstrates that every person contains an inner, inextinguishable light. As she dies it is revealed that even though the entire book Rodrigo puts down Macabea as unimportant and easily overlooked, as she dies she has finally attained her stardom. Her death is her moment of retribution and redemption. Despite her poverty and the constant reminders from Rodrigo that she is unimportant, she has a shining last moment. She contains and eternal spiritual abundance, and in her death she becomes pure and beautiful.
(#3) I think Macabea truly is happy because she has nothing to compare it to and doesn’t know she should be unhappy. “Ignorance is bliss” and I think that Macabea is in her own blissful ignorance. I don’t think the reader should feel sorry for Macabea, I think we should even envy her. She doesn't know that she should not be happy, something that in our society is impossible to do. She lives in her own ignorance, which is something that cannot ever be attained once one has been made aware that they should be unhappy. Additionally, Macabea has faith, not in God. What exactly she has faith in is unclear. I think if we were all as unconditionally happy and content with our situations as Macabea, we would live in a much more happy society. I think she is not pitiful, but Rodrigo paints her as pitiful because he himself is not self-content and feels superior to Macabea is some sad way. He thinks himself above her, and is thus not as ignorant as her and subsequently is discontent.
3. Was Macabea happy? Are we meant to feel sorry for her?
ReplyDeleteI do believe that in some way Macabea was happy. Because she didn’t know anything else besides her own life, she could never imagine that the world could be better. She believed that her situation was normal. Lispector writes, “There wasn’t a trace of human misery within this girl. She carried herself with an aura of innocence. For, strange as it may seem, she had faith”(38). It seems that Macabea is so innocent that she does not realize that her situation is bad and that she should be miserable. Plus, Macabea still believes that things can change for her and that she can become a movie star. I do not think that we are meant to feel sorry for Macabea. In the introduction, he tells the readers not to hope for Macabea because he is just telling the story how it happens. He says not to expect “stars”, which may mean that he doesn’t want to the readers to expect happiness or fluff.
7-8. I think the significance of Macabea’s death is that no one even cared that she was dying. She was that insignificant to people that no one stopped to help her. This makes me think about human nature and how everyone seems immune to poverty and does not pay attention to it even when it is right in front of them. Humans may be naturally self obsessed and apathetic. Macabea’s death reflects her life because no one is interested in her. I think that Macabea dying a virgin may represent innocence. It is thought that if you are a virgin when you die that you may go directly to heaven, so maybe Macabea goes to heaven when she dies.
13-14. I noticed that a lot of Rodrigo’s thoughts in the beginning of the novel were shown throughout the book. One example of this is in Macabea’s death. At the beginning, Rodrigo mentions how he “would love to hear the pealing of bells in order to work up some enthusiasm” (17). On the last page of the novel, Rodrigo writes “The bells were ringing without making any sound. I now understand this story. She is the imminence in those bells, pealing so softly” (85). I think that it is possible that Rodrigo just wanted to get the book over with when writing at the beginning, but now that he finishes he realizes the meaning of the story. The sentence at the end feels very final. The bells may be a symbol in the story. Another example of the ideas in the intro in the book is when Macabea is talking to Gloria. Rodrigo writes “She liked to feel the passage of time. She did not possess a watch, and perhaps for that very reason, she relished the infinity of time” (62). This reminded me of the sentence “Eternity is the state of things in this very moment” (18). This felt like an example of how Macabea “lived in the present”. I am a little bit confused about the meaning of these sentences but I know they connect.
I believe that Lispector’s purpose in writing this novel is to show the insignificance of life. When she wrote this, she was at the end of her life. Although to some death is a very important part of life, I think that Lispector saw it as nothing more than the end of an unimportant series of events. This idea lead to the theme that people add unnecessary value to their lives and that happiness shouldn't be circumstantial, it should be a choice.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the story, I think Macabea was happy. She was content with her life despite its simplicity. It is only after she sees the fortune teller that she begins to recognize the things she misses out on. I do think the audience is meant to feel sorry for her but ultimately I think Lispector’s purpose is for the audience to recognize that she was happy before she looked at the things she missed out on. In Macabea’s case, happiness was a default and unhappiness was a decision made for her by someone else. At first I did feel pity for her. Her life, compared to mine, seemed so empty. She was mostly alone and the man she loved didn't seem to love her back. Personally, I don't think I could be happy if I lived like that. However Macabea seems totally content with her life. I mistook this as ignorance at first but upon finishing the book, it occurred to me that it is possible for ignorance to be bliss.
This ignorance is key in her relationship with Olimpico. I don't think Macabea has any idea what love is, or at least what love is to most people. In this case I don't really think that matters. He made her feel good and that may be the only reason he was included in the book at all. Not only does her life not have to be perfect, but her relationship can also be severely flawed by society's standards and still bring her joy.
3. Was Macabéa happy? Are we meant to feel sorry for her? If she is self-content, is she so pitiful after all?
ReplyDeleteThroughout the whole book, Rodrigo S.M. writes about Macabea in a pitiful light, yet he repeatedly emphasizes that she, and other many other girls are simply unaware of how miserable their lives are in comparison to others/readers and therefore feel content with what they have. Rodrigo clearly hopes to make readers feel sorry for her and her unaware state, especially in the beginning of the book when he writes, “Unlike the reader, I reserve the right to be devastatingly cold” (13), and insists that if another were to relay this story, “it would have to be a man for a woman would weep her heart out” (14). Although Macabea may be satisfied with her life, Rodrigo still portrays her as pitiful because of the fact that their ignorance is the reason of their happiness. He conveys this message by describing her as “unremarkable, barely literate, backward” (15), and “simpleminded” (16), and then emphasizing that “no one cares a damn about their existence” (14) and that “there is no one to listen [to them]” (14).
11. Is Rodrigo the protagonist of this novel? Or is it Macabéa?
Throughout the book, Macabea seems to be the protagonist of the book as the narrative is about her life. However, Rodrigo is also the protagonist because in his writing/narration, his commentary and philosophical thinking is so entrenched within the story that his ideas are just as apparent, if not more, in the book about Macabea’s life. For example, the way the book is written is very similar to the stream of consciousness and Rodrigo seems to be telling the story as he is thinking. This leads to many contradicting ideas and “off-track” philosophical tangents that may seem to do very little directly with Macabea’s story. For example, he spent a long time time to actually start his narration, and before he even introduces Macabea, he spends a lot of time talking about how no one actually cares about the girl he is about to write about- not even himself. He writes, “I [Rodrigo] don’t need her either and that what I am writing could be written by another” (14). Then he continues to discuss about the value of emptiness and how “one way of obtaining is not to search, one way of possessing is not to ask; simply to believe that my inner silence is the solution to – to my mystery” (14) despite how he was initially criticizing/lamenting about Macabea’s “emptiness” and lack of possession. Although the book is about Macabea’s life story, it is more importantly a work that analyzes and shows Rodrigo’s raw thought processes and thinking, so Rodrigo seems to be the more important protagonist of the two.
17. What other questions would you like the class to discuss?
Something I was wondering about was how much of Clarice Lispector’s personal experiences/life events of an influence on The Hour of the Star. Lispector was a Brazilian writer from a Jewish background and from Ukraine. Her difference experiences must have had a large impact on her writing and philosophical ideas. Also, how much of her own ideas match up with Rodrigo’s writing/thinking in the book? Is all of his writing representative of Lispector’s ideas? If so, why would she make the narrator a male and specifically write that Macabea’s story “would have to be [told by] a man for a woman would weep her heart out” (14)? And, if not, why would she write in a different perspective of her own?
What was Lispector’s purpose in writing this book? What is the theme?
ReplyDeleteThe major theme of this book is the question of identity. Identity is something that is easy to see being a major theme played out in Hour of the Star. Clarice Lispector's past may have contributed to the theme choice in this novel. Lispector was a Ukrainian Jew and had to migrate with her family to Brazil. In 1938 Brazil began attempting to assimilate the new Jewish population to Brazilian life. Yiddish and Jewish organizations were closed. Anti-semitic sentiment would increase until 1945, when a democratic Government was elected. This history of suppression could be one reason why Clarice choose to dive into this topic. Furthermore, her novel offers questions such as, “am I a monster?” (Macabea 17), which are philosophical questions that question what it is to be human and are meant to help the reader think about his or her own identity.
What is the significance of dying a virgin?
Virginity is symbolic of the purity and innocence of Macabea, who dies in a simple and uneventful way. She is described as dirty, unattractive, and empty headed, yet these qualities do not disqualify her from being pure and innocent. In fact they encourage the idea of innocence. Macabea is simply unaware of her circumstances as she seems to always be happy. Macabea says, “I can’t do anything about my face. But it’s only my face that’s sad, because I’m really quite happy inside. It’s wonderful to be alive, don’t you think?” (Macabea 52), which shows the reader how ignorance is bliss. She doesn’t seem to care or know about societal standards for beauty. It clearly does not matter to her as she tells us that she is happy to merely be alive. It is a humbling comment from such a simple minded person, as the narrator describes her to be.
What is the significance of the reference to Julius Cæsar (“Et tu, Brute” p. 84)?
The expression “Et tu, Brute” (Pg. 84), is meant most obviously to display dismay at the idea of Macabea dying. Her sudden death is something that surprises the reader greatly. So these words are used to confirm that yes indeed she is dead and that the narrator did just kill the main character, with what seems at first glance, for no real reason. The narrator even says, “Yes this is the way I had hoped to announce that- that Macabea was dead” (Macabea 84). The other reason for the use of the phrase is to help emphasis the idea of life betraying humans. One minute we are living peacefully and happily, and then the next moment we die. Most times people don’t choose when they die. Many times it is life's many pleasure that kill human beings. In this case, ease of transportation. And so it seems a sif life had stabbed Macabea in the back, just as Caesar in Shakespeare's play had been stabbed by assassins. One of the assassins was a friend named Brutus. Life, which one would think is happy and good, includes death and that is what Macabea learned tragically that day after leaving the fortune teller.
Why do you think Macabéa “loved” Olímpico?
ReplyDeleteI think Macabea “loved” Olimpico is because he showed her affection when they met for the first time, in fact he’s the first person to show her affection. Macabea’s loveless life is what draws her towards Olimpico, she’s constantly neglected and abused. Macabea interacts with several characters in the story like her coworkers but they don’t give her anything reminiscent of affection. Olimpico gave her exactly what she’s missing in life even if it’s only a tiny bit. This is what compels Macabea to chase him even after knowing he’s an awful person. It’s evident that Olimpico didn’t care about Macabea or anyone but himself really but Macabea was helpless since he gave something that was missing in her life.
Is Rodrigo the protagonist of this novel? Or is it Macabea?
In my protagonist of the novel is Rodrigo. While Macabea is the character the novel follows as the narrator, who’s communicating through a stream of consciousness we are able to gain insight on Rodrigo’s mind. Macabea serves as a focal point for Rodrigo to express his thoughts and explore the theme of his writing. The reader get to know and understand Rodrigo as the story goes on, and the novel, Macabea, and other characters serve as tools to allow the reader to get to know him better. His commentary and description of the characters and their actions serve as characterization for Rodrigo as that is primarily how he expresses his thoughts and opinions.
What was Lispector’s purpose in writing this book? What is the theme?
I believe Claire Lispector’s purpose for writing Hour of the Star was to communicate existential ideas and comment on life while she was dying. Lispector writes the novel using a stream of consciousness, writing the ever changing feeling and observations of the narrator as opposed to monologue, to convey to thoughts of the narrator Rodrigo. Lispector is also speaking on these topics through Rodrigo as the stream of consciousness allows her to write to her thoughts as that of the narrator. Existentialism serves as the main theme of the novel as existential ideas are explored throughout the life of Macabea and the narration of Rodrigo.
Rodrigo alludes to creation and the bible while talking about the struggle of writing and says that “And when there is no word, it must be invented. This God of yours who commanded us to invent” (17). This demonstrates how everything was created and must continue to be created. Later in the story it states that, “Ah, merry month of May, abandon me no more! (Bang) she exclaimed inwardly the following morning, the seventh of May, she who never exclaimed anything” (42). This references the biblical idea that on the 7th day one rests after 6 days of work. On this seventh of may, she rests and has finally “been given something”.
ReplyDeleteMacabea represents Jesus because Macabea is a figment of Rodrigo's imagination. Rodrigo uses Macabea to deal with the pain that he feels inside which is why Macabea has a terrible life. Macabea dies for Rodrigo so that Rodrigo can be free of the suffering that Macabea causes him. Rodrigo says that he knows Macabea and connects to her to himself. He says that “she had reduced herself to herself. After successive failures, I have also reduced myself” (18). This represents how Rodrigo created Macabea and created her to represent Jesus who died for another. Rodrigo must kill Macabea to rid himself of the suffering he feels while trying to write about her. He says that writing is “as hard as breaking rocks” (19) and because writing is so hard, especially writing about this girl, he does not want to continue so he kills her off in a grand way; her death is her grandest moment as Jesus’ death was his greatest moment.
When Olimpico introduces himself, he calls himself Olimpico de Jesus Moreira Chaves (44) in an attempt to conceal that he is poor and his name is only Olimpico de Jesus. This is a biblical allusion as his name is literally Jesus and he is poor. Additionally, later Olimpico is described as “a demon of strength and vitality” (58) which alludes to the bible to show his bad character.
ReplyDeleteThere are many Biblical allusions in the Hour of the Star. One example is in the introduction when Rodrigo writes “I want to walk naked or in rags” (19). It is possible that this is an allusion to Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbid them to do. After eating the fruit, they realized that they were naked and tried to make clothes for themselves out of fig leaves. God saw their attempts and showed them the type of clothes they needed. It is possible that Rodrigo does not care if he is guided by God or not because he does not care if he uses God’s guidance to have clothes or not.
Another allusion I found was “sin tempts me, forbidden pleasures lure me.” (70). This part references the seven deadly sins, specifically the sin of sexual relations. This also reminds me of the Forbidden Fruit in Adam and Eve. Eve is lured by a serpent to eat the Forbidden Fruit, and in turn she convinces Adam to eat it too. Just like Adam and Eve are tempted by fruit, Rodrigo is tempted to stop writing.
While writing the last allusion, I found another one!!! Woohoo! Rodrigo says that he went to the doctor and felt sick after “too much talk about beer”. He says, “ I must interrupt this story for three days. Now I awaken” (70). Wow, this page is full of allusions! Jesus is put in a tomb for three days and “awakens” after! Rodrigo stops the story after three days and then wakes up just like Jesus. I do not understand the purpose of this...
Also, Lispector names a place called “San Miguel”, which is also the name of one of the only three angels named in the Bible. “Saint Michael” is the protector of the sick and children in the Bible and fights in the war against Satan’s army. San Miguel is also a place in south Brazil where there are ruins of a Spanish Jesuit Church. Lispector could be referring to the ruins of the church when she is talking about doing voodoo at the site. Gloria says that many curses were cured for her at San Miguel. Because Michael lead the fight against evil, it makes sense that they would pick a spot named after him to keep evil away.
“Should God descend on Earth one day there would be a great silence” (85). This quote may be referring to the Rapture. The Rapture is the belief that there will be a second coming of Jesus Christ and that alive and dead believers of God will be swept up into the sky. After this quote, Rodrigo says that Macabea turns into air. It is said that during the Rapture, people “meet the Lord in air”. Lispector could be comparing Macabea to a believer or be saying that God has descended on Earth. It is possible that Macabea is also being compared to Jesus.
Throughout The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector includes many different biblical references. For example, Rodrigo mentions that yet I have no intention of adorning the word, for were I to touch the firl’s bread, the bread would turn yellow” (15). The author seems obsessed with making sure that he relays no emotion and personal ideas about Macabea, and he frets are using words, his main medium of power, to display Macabea greater than what she truly is. Thus, he fears that through his words, he may twist the audience’s idea by being like God and creating a false sotry of lives true in the readers’ heads.
ReplyDeleteLispector also brings up the reference Biblical stories like Adam and Eve and to bread (the fish and bread story from the Bible) when Rodrigo as the narrator writes “Meantime, I want to walk naked or in rags; I want to experience at least once the insipid flavor of the Hos. To eat communion bread will be to taste the world’s indifference and to immerse myself in nothingness” (19). In this reference, Rodrigo relays his hopes to be as basic and of only the essential state as possible by becoming simple and closest to God’s creations. Through these methods, he hopes to be as close to possible to relatable to Macabea’s state in her story.
His next reference is to Jesus’s death and sacrifice. He writes, “I write because I have nothing better to do in this world: I write because I am desperate and weary … I should die symbolically each day” (21). In these lines, it is apparent that Rodrigo has no purpose/meaning in life, and his writing is the sole reason for his existence. His desperation and weariness can be compared to that of Jesus’ from the weight he carried from the peoples’ sins. Rodrigo hopes to relay his ideas of existentialism through writing words, and if it takes for him to die everyday from his “sacrifice,” he would do it because it is his only purpose in this world.
Another biblical reference is when Rodrigo depicts Macabea questioning God’s existence. She things, “Her eyes were enormous, round, bulging and inquisitive … questioning eyes. Whom was she questioning? God? She did not think about God, nor did God think about her. God belongs to those who succeed in pinning Him down. God appears in a moment of distraction. She asked no questions” (26). Macabea does not seem to believe in God. In fact, she does not even seem to spare any specific thought towards God. This seems play a part in the lack of meaning in Macabea’s life as well as upholding her “ignorant” personality. Although the book seems to have the theme “ignorance is bliss” towards the beginning with Macabea being unaware of her sad conditions, the book seems to move away from that idea as the lack of meaning in life plays a large part in the author and Macabea’s satisfaction and meaninglessness in life.
Macabea’s roommates are all names Maria (Maria da Penha, Maria Aparecida, Maria Jose, and Plain Maria). Rodrigo writes that “they were too exhauseted to complain, worn out by an occupation that was no less taxing simply because it was anonymous” (31). In the bible, Maria is the mother of Jesus. However, in the book, the roommates who have the name Maria pay no attention to Macabea, perhaps representing Macabea’s lack of religious beliefs and/or the meaningless life of Macabea as no one, not even one of Maria’s name show any care towards Macabea’s life. Lispector constantly writes about God and other biblical references in contradicting ideas. As Rodrigo is speaking in a stream of consciousness style, he seems to be writing while thinking. At time he believes the God is the answer and an essential part of our lives, hence the myriad of the biblical references, but he also writes about God at time in a manner that questions his existence and true role of out lives.
In the novel The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector uses biblical references scattered throughout the story. One of the first I noticed was in the very beginning of the novel as the line, “I want to walk naked or in rags” (19), which can be taken to refer to the attire of Jesus being that he was a poor individual when it came to material wealth. Furthermore the narrator chooses to be this way just as jesus choose to be void of material wealth. He also says he wishes to enjoy the fruit of the world that he lives on. He wishes to walk among humans and “experience at least once the the insipid flavour of the host” (19). This seems to be a reference to Jesus simply being among man. The reason this reference is so easy to see is because before he says these lines, he describes himself much like a god. The narrator goes out of his way yet again to put himself on a tutu stool by saying, “Later, I shall almost certainly write something more cheerful, but why cheerful, but why cheerful? Because I too, am a man of hosannas and perhaps one day I shall intone praises instead of the misfortunates of the girl from the North-east” (19). He describes himself as if he is some sort of god. So from this it is easy to see the transition and connection to the bible. Later on in the novel, the author also uses, “Sin tempts me, forbidden pleasures lure me” (70). This quote refers to the sinful pleasures of sexual ventures that tempt individuals. As well as the quote, “I want to I want to be both pig and hen then kill them and drink their blood” (70), which could refer to the blood of christ and that which is pure and good. Finally towards the end of the novel, Clarice Lispector adds the phrase, “Should God descend on Earth one day there would be a great silence” (85), which is an obvious reference to the rapture, in which Jesus come down to take the believers to heaven and will leave those who do not believe to suffer in the apocalypse. This is used to help conclude the death of Macabea and the novel. As her world ends the narrator relates this to the world ending, because it really has for her and for the reader involved in the novel.
ReplyDeleteRodrigo emphasizes the fact that he must abstain from emotion in order to correctly convey the story as it happened, and he describes this as he says “I want my story to be cold and impartial” (13). He says that in order to explain the story in full, he has to be impartial and not take into account emotion.
ReplyDelete“It is my duty to relate everything about this girl among thousands of others just liker her.” (13) Rodrigo emphasizes how she is not special or individual, and is just a small part in a large urban society. “She wasn't’ even aware that she lived in a technological society where she was a mere cog in the machine.” (29) This dehumanization makes it easier for him to be impartial while deciding her fate and to create the idea that she is a small part of a large machine.
He explains “-that she was inept. Inept for living.” (24) He also thinks himself above her. He describes himself as above her social class, and sees himself as between the middle class and the poor. This makes it easier to dehumanize her, and makes him feel less guilty about what he writes about her. He describes that “Her existence is sparse” (23) and that “No one paid any attention to her on the street, for she was as appetizing as cold coffee.” (27) He continues the metaphor of comparing her to cold coffee throughout the book, which makes her sound unappealing. However, she did enjoy drinking her cold coffee and saw it as wonderful treat.
“By loving my dog that consumes more food than she does.” (26) Rodrigo compares Macabea to various animals, in this instance a dog. “(It’s as good as saying that a healthy dog is worth more.)” (35) He compares Macabea to a dog and then a bird, saying that “-she had the expression of someone with a broken wing-” (26). This dehumanizes her, making her seem unimportant and simply something to be controlled.
Lispector maintains Rodrigo’s objectivity as a way to critique the impact of industrialization and the growing wealth gap. She writes, “The upper classes consider me a strange creature, the middle classes regard me with suspicion, afraid that I might unsettle them, while the lower classes avoiding me” (18). Lispector is vague and contradictory when describing Rodrigo. She does this purposely so that Rodrigo doesn't associate with any certain social class. Rather, he remains a mystery for the most part. This is to distance him from any prejudice or stereotypes on the part of the reader. If he revealed that he was a wealthy member of society, the reader would assume that he only spoke so negatively of Macabea because she was poor.
ReplyDeleteHe dehumanizes her throughout the book. He writes, “And since I have discovered almost everything about her, she has clung to my skin like some vicious glue or contaminating mud”(21). In this quote he compares her to something so unwanted and almost annoying and yet, she's stuck to his skin. This is very much like the rest of the book in that he seems totally unjustified in his fascination with her.
He also reduces her to almost nothing because of her social class. Macabea is extremely poor. Rodrigo describes poverty as “both ugly and promiscuous”(21). He is speaking for more than himself here. Rodrigo, I believe, represents the common belief of the time. This belief still exists. Humans are instinctively disgusted when looking at a homeless or financially insecure person and often reduce them to a level beneath themselves. Rodrigo remains objective as a way maintaining his role of the common view on inequality.
During the course of the story, Rodrigo seems to be hiding some sort of insecurity. He always speaks negatively about Macabea, who is a poor and simple girl. Rodrigo uses any chance he can get infact, to deal provocative blows to his character of a lower social standing. An example of this grasp at opportunity would be when he writes, “They sat on something free of charge: a bench in the public park. Sitting there, they were indistinguishable from the rest of nothingness.” (47) It seems that any chance he gets, he wants to transfer the reader’s attention to how ‘pathetic’ Macabea’s life is, because she is poor. He puts her down with the idea that she is nothing in order to convey ideas he may struggle with, possibly being of a lower status. He may be using her as a scapegoat to express his own struggle as a poor writer. This is why so many little things culminate into so many negative comments. He continues to hint at his own struggle for success with the quote, “No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her.” (16) In many societies the poor and sick are ignored, because in modern society it is easy to distract oneself with new forms of entertainment, even in the 20th century. Thus it is appropriate that Macabea is ignored with such normality. However it is puzzling why Rodrigo cares so much, and it is even more puzzling why lispector has Rodrigo care so much. Perhaps Lispector was trying to convey her pain as an underappreciated artist with Rodrigo. Other examples of the cold treatment of Macabea by Rodrigo include numerous comments such as, “Extract gold from coal.” (16), which implies that her life is dark, dirty, and worthless. More commentary by Rodrigo backs the idea that there is something that clearly is bothering him and that he is using his character as an outlet for the dissatisfaction he harbors deep down. He describes her on multiple occasions as apart of her in more complex ways and in more literal ways, as demonstrated in the quote, “And since I have discovered almost everything about her, she has clung to my skin like some viscous glue or contaminating mud.” (21) From this he clearly believes she has a connection to him that is more than just on the social hierarchy. He continues on with his odd relationship, with what seems like another part of himself that the author doesn’t like. He even questions his own choices and writes as if he is thinking about whether or not to reveal his true feelings about the poverty he suffers with the quote, “She merely exists, inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling. Why should there be anything more? Her existence is sparse.” (23) The breathing adds a profound effect that makes it seem as if he is almost taking a deep breath in order to muster the courage to reveal untold insecurities he has been holding onto. On occasion Rodrigo shows signs of almost exhaustion, which he clearly expresses in many exerts, as in this sentence, “She was hopelessly rachitic at birth, the inheritance of the backwoods-the legacy of misfortune I mentioned earlier.” (27) Rodrigo seems too exhausted from his lack to go into tremendous detail and simply mentions a previous time in the book. The tone also changes in this sentence with the use of the word “misfortune” which seems to show empathy for his character. As if the predicament Macabea is in, is one that can not be controlled.
ReplyDeleteThroughout The Hour of the Star, Rodrigo always seems to be contradicting himself as he writes as if he is thinking as the moment. This raw form of his writing and thoughts may seem deceptive, but it also can show the narrator’s thought clearer than any other way. For example, he continuously dehumanizes and objectifies Macabea and those of the lower class despite the fact the he cares for her and feels obligated to tell her story. I interpreted this as Rodrigo trying to show the readers how the people of the lower class are seen as objects and inanimate objects in contrast to the higher class. However, in reality, Rodrigo himself pities them, thus relaying Macabea’s story. When he first introduces Macabea, he writes, “There are thousands of girls like this girl from the North-east 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). His dehumanization by quantifying of Macabea and other girls like her and claiming them as superfluous and uncared for serves to show the readers how people of the lower class are typically viewed within the society. Furthermore, he writes, “As for the girl, she exists in an impersonal limbo, untouched by what is worst or best. She merely exits, inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling. Why should there be anything more? Her existence is sparse” (23) to questions the value of Macabea’s life as he emphasizes that she is merely an existence, rather than a life of a human. He even goes further as to compare her to a “mere cog in the machine,” when he writes, “Life is like that: you press a button and life lights up. Except that the girl didn’t know which button to press. She wasn’t even aware that she lived in a technological society where she was a mere cog in the machine.” (28-29)
ReplyDeleteRodrigo also constantly criticizes her appearance and physical condition. For example, he writes, “No one paid any attention to her on the street, for she was as appetizing as cold coffee” (27). In society especially those with education and class, appearance is highly judged and a normal/healthy physical condition is somewhat generally taken for granted. Although he himself writes disparagingly about Macabea, I think he does this on purpose and in a way, seems to be imitating/mocking the way society and societal standards are. Rodrigo also writes about when Macabea didn’t even have a name: “For the first year of my life, I wasn’t called anything because I didn’t have a name. I’d have preferred to go on being called nothing instead of having a name that nobody has ever heard of, yet it seems to suit me…” (43). He even compares Macabea to dogs/animals and dehumanizes her constantly. When he describes her with, “Not knowing sounds awful, but it was not so awful for the girl knew lots of things just as a dog knows how to wag its tail or a beggar how to feel hungry: things happen and you suddenly know” (28), it seems harsh and inhumane, but in reality, that is how people viewed those of the lower class- equal to that of a dog.
“The person whom I am about to describe scarcely has a body to sell; nobody desires her, she is a harmless virgin nobody needs” (14). This description of Macabea completely puts her down and tells the readers that she is worthless. Rodrigo makes her seem so insignificant that even if she needed to sell her body for money, no one would want to buy it. This makes me wonder: if Macabea is so insignificant, then why is Rodrigo writing about her?
ReplyDelete“No one acknowledges her for they don’t even notice her” (16). When talking about how Macabea smiles to people on the street, Rodrigo says that she goes unnoticed. By saying that people do not even see Macabea makes it seems like she does not even exist. The author makes readers think that her actions are pointless because everyone knows that her actions will not change her fate. Even simple actions like smiling do not make a difference in the world and neither does Macabea.
“How can I get satisfaction? I found the answer: by loving my dog that consumes more food than she does. Why does she not fight back? Has she no pluck? No, she is sweet and docile” (26). Here, Rodrigo mentions that Macabea still has hope and that this makes him sad, so he comes to the conclusion that he will love his dog to be happier. He compares Macabea to the dog by saying that she eats less food than it. This makes readers feel sympathy for Macabea. Next, Rodrigo asks a series of questions about Macabea, but he seems like he is talking about a dog. He asks why she never fights back, meaning why does she not do anything to make her situation better. His answer is that she does not know better and is sweet.
“Being very superstitious, the girl imagined that if she should ever bring joy to life, the spell would be broken. She would cease to be a princess and become transformed into an insect” (31). Rodrigo compares Macabea to an insect and a princess. I think that he says that Macabea is a princess because she is oblivious to being sad about her circumstances. She does not realize that she should be unhappy, and I think that if she became truly happy she would be “an insect”. When she has a moment of happiness she may see that she is unhappy because she has experienced something better than what she has now.
“He- why the fuss? Aren’t you a human being? Human beings talk about other human beings. She- Forgive me, but I don’t believe I am all that human” (48). It surprised me here when Macabea says that she doesn’t think that she is that human. I realize that she is just saying that she does not like to talk about others, but it could mean something more serious. I think that she dehumanizes herself here because she does not think that she fits in with society.
“Macabea- you’re like a hair in one’s soup. It’s enough to make anyone lose their appetite” (60). A simile is used to describe Macabea by Olimpico. Olimpico says that Macabea is unappetizing and unpleasing to look at. What I thought was interesting is that Macabea did not care when he said this nor does she care whenever Olimpico insults her. By comparing Macabea to hair in soup, Olimpico makes Macabea seem insignificant in society.
The Hour of the Star represents an experimental novel very well. First, it has an anti-hero that is not very likable. This character is Macabea, who is unnoticed and unimportant to society. Rodrigo says that “she often smiles at other people on the street. No one acknowledges her smile for they don’t even notice her” (16). A normal hero would be important and noticed, but since Macabea is an anti-hero, she is unimportant. Her brief boyfriend even tells her that she is like “hair in one’s soup”. No one seems to like or value Macabea, which supports that this novel is an experimental novel. Another aspect of an experimental novel is an unreliable narrator. In the introduction of the book when Rodrigo talks endlessly about writing the story, he confuses the readers a lot. He says, “the story is true even though invented”. He may mean that he made the story up but it is very similar to the poor in Brazil. He continues on to say that he caught a glimpse of a girl from the Northeast and that he knows her story “by living”. This leaves the readers to question the reliability of the narrator and the truth of the story he tells. Lastly, the experimental novel breaks the fourth wall. Breaking the fourth wall means that the narrator speaks directly to the audience. Also in the introduction, Rodrigo says “you know more than you imagine, however much you may deny it”. By mentioning the readers and himself, Rodrigo breaks the fourth wall. All of these aspects of the Experimental Novel are present in the Hour of the Star.
ReplyDeleteAn experimental is written in the stream of consciousness style of narration, which the hour of the star is. This novel is written as Rodrigo thinks of it and lacks any clear organization or planning ahead of time. Additionally, he even states that “as it happens, I have no idea how this story will end” (16). This demonstrates that he is writing this as he thinks of it in a stream of consciousness format.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, an experimental novel is characterized by breaking the fourth wall, something that Rodrigo does multiple times in this novel. He states that he must follow the title “As For The Future” by a complete stop because “if, instead of a full stop, the title were followed by dotted lines, it would remain open to every kind of speculation on your part” (13). He addresses the reader directly, which breaks the fourth wall as he recognizes that he will be merely a character in this novel. He writes that “The story...should have some seven characters, and obviously I am one of the more important” (13) in which he directly accepts that he is merely a character in this novel.
An experimental novel also has an inconsistent narrator, and in this novel, Rodrigo is very inconsistent and contradicts himself frequently. He starts off saying “it’s true that I too have no pity for my main character” (13) and he continues to explain that she should not be pitied and she is not deserving of anything significant. However, at the end of the novel, he writes “Yes, i adore Macabea, my darling Maca” (25). This demonstrates inconsistent narration and how his opinions change drastically over the course of this novel.
An experimental novel contains an anti-hero, who is the protagonist that is disliked. I would argue that in this novel, Rodrigo is the anti-hero because he is continuously putting Macabea below himself and making himself overall unlikable. He dehumanizes Macabea throughout the entire novel, detailed in my last blog post, and he does this to make himself feel superior and not feel guilty when he kills such a helpless character.
A characteristic of an experimental novel is an unreliable narrator. Lispector uses Rodrigo to fill this role in Hour of The Star. Rodrigo explains “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”(12). He explains that his story is just a vision that he had. Yet, after this he describes a girl which the reader is led to believe is real. Rodrigo doesn't make a clear distinction between facts and opinions and never shares much about himself which makes him less trustworthy.
ReplyDeletePessimism is a common trait in the protagonist of experimental novels. Arguments could be made that Macabea is the protagonist, however, I don't believe that Macabea is pessimistic. I think she is quite the opposite. Little things bring her joy in life and she is very capable of wishful thinking. It is Rodrigo that lessens the value of life and criticizes Macabea for her simple way of living.
Depression is a another common theme that is touched upon in this novel. Although not outright depressed, the reader generally feels the pain in Macabea’s life. She is very poor and lacks nutrition and family and doesn't really have any reason not to be depressed. It is possible that she is depressed but doesn't acknowledge it because she's never lived any other way.
The less than ordinary main character is criteria that is absolutely met by Hour of The Star. Rodrigo writes, “How can one disguise the simple fact that the entire world is somewhat sad and lonely? The girl from the Northeast was lost in the crowd”(40). He says that even her depression and sadness doesn't make her special. She doesn't stand out or mean anything to anyone. Her lack of originality is so blatant that the reader is almost forced to question why anyone would write a book about her.
The Hour of the Star is full of qualities of experimental literature. One obvious example is the contradiction of what the narrator and his unreliability. Throughout the whole book, from beginning to end, Rodrigo is constantly contradicting himself, sometimes even within the next line or two. In fact, in the very first sentence of the book, he writes, “everything in the world began with a yes” (11), but then he ends the same paragraph with “I do not know why, but I do know that the universe never began” (11). By opening the novel with a contradiction which is only followed by more, readers can immediately sense confusion and the unreliability of Rodrigo as a narrator. Another representation of Rodrigo’s unreliability is his frequent seemingly random sentences and “conversations” in which he writes sentences after another that seem to have no connection to each other. For instance, he writes, “I have a restless character in my hands who escapes me at every turn and expects me to retrieve her. / I forgot to mention that everything I am now writing is accompanied by the emphatic ruffle of a military drum” (22). Although the drum is an important part of the book, the sudden mention of the military drum throws off the reader and only serves to show Rodrigo’s unpredictability.
ReplyDeleteAnother style Rodrigo uses in his narration is the use of sentence fragments and inconsistency in his syntax. Although he does a better job of using correct or more “right” writing grammar-wise, his writing gets a lot more disjointed and choppy at the end of the novel as he incorporates more sentence fragments. A lot of his fragments are for the purpose of emphasizing his previous sentence or repeating it. For example, he writes, “As for the future
(84), “Yes it is so” (84), “Star with a thousand pointed rays” (84), “The greatness of every human being (85), and “Silence,” (85). Although these fragments do seem to have a purpose, the way he writes gives a very choppy and disorientating feeling. Another strange technique Rodrigo uses is for the characters’ dialogue. Rodrigo uses dashes for dialogue, which is correct for writing dialogue in Spanish. Throughout the book, most of the dialogue is just a dash and the said words with very few instanced of “she said” or “he said.” However, for once conversation between Olimpico and Macabea, Rodrigo writes “he” and “she” before every dash (48). However, this only occurs for about one page before the conversation continues without the “he” and “she” written in. This once again shows inconsistency and the nonconventional writing style of most writers, but I think he wrote this way to give more emphasis and attention to this particular conversation because it slightly touches upon Macabea’s personal thoughts about life and existentialism.
There are many obvious example of how Hour of the Star is an experimental novel. For instance the multiple titles that were created for the novel do not follow the tradition of a one title book. This indecisiveness is carried on by the author to the plot where we are introduced to a very wishy washy author who jumps between being too detailed and then complaining about trying to make the story short and clear. The author has a sense of direction, yet is not reliable like most of us know authors to be in traditional stories. This may be done in order to express the duality of man. Humans are not just black and white beings but we are a mix of complex emotions that evolve as we age. Rodrigo, the author, will jump into the middle of the story to add a very miniscule detail about the story. Additionally he breaks the fourth wall in this line, “Just as I am writing at the same time as I am being read.” (12) The book also lacks any real structure as it does not have clear chapters and dialogue is very unconventional. This may be done in order to show the chaos of ideas swimming in Lispector’s head as she is dying. This along with the fact that Rodrigo jumps around a lot is, perhaps, meant to express the panic of human being in there most authentic moment. The author poses a lot of random questions as well during the book as if she is panicked and wants answers before death takes her.
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