Community and affections in Brazilian marginal literature

Abstract

The accelerated modernization process of recent decades in Brazil has produced a significant shift in the affective economy of all individuals, particularly those living on the margins of traditional society. The Brazilian literary field responded to this scenario with a new type of writing, known as “marginal literature.” In this literature, a significant group of new subjects become the protagonists of the narratives, and their living conditions become the stage for the action; precarious living conditions that drive actions marked by violence and intense emotions. Thus, both subjective and communal bonds are determined by a fatal interdependence of affect and power, where subjective perception prevails, preventing the adoption of a political and ethical stance that could contribute to an objective solution. In this article, we will examine this assertion through an analysis of the novels Cidade de Deus by Paulo Lins and Manual prático do ódio by Ferréz.