The testimony of racism: an analysis of “A testemunha”, de Graciliano Ramos

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22456/2236-6385.134571

Abstract

In this work, we analyze the short story “The Witness” by Graciliano Ramos, mainly considering Frantz Fanon’s reflections (2008; 2022). Initially, we discuss interpretations by literary critics regarding the writer's stories and reads the currently analyzed text has received. Then, we argue the main character’s sense of unease stems from a displacement caused by the unjust conditions perceived during the trial. This shift moves from an individual and conformist perspective to a broader, societal viewpoint. This transformation leads the witness to perceive himself both as a victim and perpetrator of a colonial and racist logic of domination, which acts to perpetuate privileged and hegemonic power, numbing the individuals who take part in it. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

José Roberto de Luna Filho, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Doutorando em Estudos Literários pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Letras da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (PPGL-UFPE), com pesquisa sobre a obra não ficcional de Graciliano Ramos. Mestre em Teoria da Literatura pela mesma instituição, com dissertação sobre a melancolia como dispositivo formal no romance São Bernardo.

Published

2024-03-26

How to Cite

LUNA FILHO, José Roberto de. The testimony of racism: an analysis of “A testemunha”, de Graciliano Ramos. Cadernos do IL, [S. l.], n. 66, p. 86–103, 2024. DOI: 10.22456/2236-6385.134571. Disponível em: https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/cadernosdoil/article/view/134571. Acesso em: 22 aug. 2026.

Issue

Section

Artigos de estudos literários