Ferréz's Re-Appropriation and Redefinition of the Marginal Identity
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City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2016 (Sub)versions of Banditry: Ferréz’s Re-appropriation and Redefinition of the Marginal Identity Marissel Hernández-Romero The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1488 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] (SUB)VERSIONS OF BANDITRY. FERRÉZ’S REAPPROPRIATION AND REDEFINITION OF THE MARGINAL IDENTITY by MARISSEL HERNÁNDEZ-ROMERO A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Languages and Literatures in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2016 ©2016 MARISSEL HERNÁNDEZ-ROMERO All Rights Reserved ii (Sub)versions of Banditry. Ferréz’s Re-appropriation and Redefinition of the Marginal Identity By Marissel Hernández-Romero This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Hispanic and Luso- Brazilian Language and Literature in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. _______________________ ______________________________ Date Magdalena Perkowska, Ph.D. Co-Chair of Examining Committee _______________________ ______________________________ Date José del Valle, Ph.D Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Camilo Gomides, Ph.D. Co-Chair of Examining Committee Araceli Tinajero, Ph.D. José del Valle, Ph.D. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT This study examines how Ferréz’s work is related to the 19th and early 20th century banditry narrative. The current study examines the evolution of the work of Ferréz and discusses his relevance in Brazilian and Latin America literature. However, this dissertation examines in what extent Ferréz’s work transgresses the genre in that he breaks its rules and departs from its traditions. Rather than being the voice of the elite put into the mouth of a lower-class bandit character, Ferréz’s bandits speak with the voice of the oppressed and subversively criticize the elite. His work is not viewed through the lens of a single theoretical framework but rather through a dialogue of theories that can help to analyze its different cultural and literary dimensions. This study draws on the ideas presented by two manifestos: the manifesto, “Terrorismo Literário” by Ferréz, defines the principal features of Literatura Marginal and the “Manifesto de Antropofagia Periférica” by Sérgio Vaz, a poet from the group Cooperifa. Along with the two manifestos, theories of banditry provide another framework for this study. Two studies on banditry are essential to this research: Bandit by Eric Hobsbawm (2000), and Nightmare of the Lettered City: Banditry and Literature in Latin America, 1816-1929 (2007) by Juan Pablo Dabove. This study also seeks to go beyond parallels with banditry and a genealogy of Brazilian bandits in that it addresses issues of representation and adaptation within the Literatura Marginal movement and how the lettered city’s perspective of banditry differs from the view from the margins. Ferréz’s work presents a new peripheral aesthetic that reasserts the voice of the bandits themselves, and contradicts the traditional view in Latin American literature of the bandit as “demonic force”. Furthermore, this dissertation examines the representations of marginality, the discourses enunciated by both the marginal and by the iv critics and institutions that refer to them. Special attention is given to the the issue of visibility of the marginal in Brazilian imaginary. Ferréz’s work allows for a questioning of an imposed performance and, thus, constitutes an effective mechanism of empowerment against the institutionalized power that forbids a thoughtful formation of selfhood. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation first, to my advisors, Magdalena Perkowska and Camilo Gomides, who assumed the responsibility to guide me and rode with me through this rollercoaster that is writing a dissertation. Magdalena, my deepest gratitude is yours. You commanded this process always with words of comfort, wisdom and encouragement. Thanks for your patience and for bringing your expertise to this project that greatly enriched the final version and for having given me the space to grow as a scholar. Camilo, I do not have enough words to express my gratitude. You have been my greatest ally in this process. I was very lucky to find someone as affable as advisor to direct me. I am grateful for the bate-papo on Wednesdays and all the references you provided me for the project enrichment. I also want to thank the other members my committee, professor Araceli Tinajero and professor José del Valle, for being part of this process. I would like to thank professor and writer Lidia Santos for having introduced me to Ferréz and for motivating me in the early stages of writing this dissertation. My gratitude to María Luisa Ruiz, who since I first stepped into Medgar Evers College, CUNY has been a great supporter of my academic career. Your friendship, guidance and inspiration were fundamental to reach this stage in my life. Thanks to The Graduate Center, CUNY for having supported me by granting me with the Chancellor Fellowship, the University Fellowship and Provost's Office University Fellowship. To my friends, mentors and colleagues Mareia Quintero and Yolanda Izquierdo, thanks for sharing your knowledge and for offering your unconditional support. Unknowingly, you have inspired many of these pages. Ileana Quintero, thanks for your steadfast love and solidarity. Although you were far away, your continuous thoughtfulness always kept you present. vi Thank you, to my colleagues at the University of Puerto Rico Lolita Villanúa, Agnes Bosch, Lourdes Suárez, Karen Leone, Luis Rivera, Antoine Phillipe, Roselina Rivera and Diana Ursulin for the emotional and moral support throughout the countless stages of this process. Special acknowledgement to my students at the University of Puerto Rico, I am thankful for your remarkable inspiration and motivation to endure and finish this thesis. I am also grateful for the people with whom I created a strong circle of comradeship and love at The Graduate Center, CUNY, especially Carolina, Berenice, Marcos, Michele, Regina, Ainoa, Marimer, the people in the Center of Latin America and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), and member of AELLA. To Jeca Rodríguez, Héctor Mercado, Lysamar de León, Lena Taub Robles, Lula Lastra, César Colón Montijo and Javier González, thank you for your always-loving support and for reading and commenting several rough drafts. Finally, I am especially thankful to Mary Applegate, who carefully read and edited the final draft, thank you so much, I owe you. vii TABLE OF FIGURES ST FIGURE 1. PHOTO PUBLISHED IN CAPÃO PECADO, 1 EDITION………………………….…. 118 FIGURE 2. COVER CAPÃO PECADO 1ST EDITION. ….………………………………………...122 FIGURE 3. PHOTO PUBLISHED IN CAPÃO PECADO, 1ST EDITION………………….……….…132 ST FIGURE 4. PHOTO PUBLISHED IN CAPÃO PECADO 1 EDITION………….……………………134 ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………….iv Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………... vi Table of Contents …………………………………………………………………………..viii List of Figures……………………………………………....….…………………….……..ix Introduction…………………….…………………………………………………………...1 1. Literatura Marginal: A New Kind of Banditry Narrative…….…...………………..….30 2. Capão: Once Quilombo, Now Periferia………………………….………......................73 3. Marginal Strikes a Pose……………………………………………….……………......114 4. On Mimicry, Cultural Transvestism And Being A Remediado……….……………..…151 Conclusion: Literatura Marginal Has The Game Changed?................................................181 Bibliography……………………………………………………………….……………….188 viii INTRODUCTION Overview Since 2000, the Brazilian cultural and literary movement Literatura Marginal has gained strength as a producer of culture. The movement, initiated by the author Ferréz (1975), is rooted in the underdeveloped space of the favela. Although some mainstream authors, such as Patricia Melo and Paulo Lins, also write about life in the periphery, the Literatura Marginal movement tells about life on the margins of society from the unique position of the people who experience it every day. The authors from Literatura Marginal redefine the ideological rupture between center and periphery and create new symbols to discuss the cultural and political conflicts of modern Brazil. Ferréz’s first three novels Capão Pecado (2002), Manual Prático do Ódio (2003), and Deus foi Almoçar (2012), along with texts by other authors such as Sacolinha, Sérgio Vaz, Alessandro Busso and Allan da Rosa have redefined culture in the periphery.1 The periphery is no longer just linked to poverty, drugs trafficking, or violent crime. The ambitious goals of Literatura Marginal make it different from other literary movements that are dedicated mainly to literary production. In contrast, Literatura Marginal encourages the self-management of the favela community by its residents and promotes many different cultural activities in the favelas located in the outskirts of São Paulo.2 The writers in this movement are also organizers, community 1 Hereafter, Capão Pecado will be refer as Capão, Manual Prático do Ódio as Manual and Deus foi Almoçar