Os bruzundangas: trama, República silenciada e sombras do racismo

Abstract

Death policies and death seed ideas characterize biopolitics and necropolitics in their relations of power and domination of black bodies in a racist society. In this context, in his work Os Bruzundangas (2021), Lima Barreto – the first self-declared black author – satirically and ironically exposes Brazil during the First Republic and its behavior, social relations, and the consequences of these aspects for the wealthy classes. This dissertation aimed to create a connection between Os Bruzundangas (2021), structural racism, and technologies of power. This research surveys critical works that dealt with Os Bruzundangas, by Lima Barreto, highlighting the author as a visionary personality regarding the political structure of the Republic beginning and the social problems that involved the republican agents. Thus, concerning this author's text, the plot contains traces of biopolitics, perceived between the lines of Os Bruzundangas, that illustrates this concept in literature and society. Under an attentive look, the definition of necropolitics can also be found in Lima Barreto's text. This research is bibliographic, and the following works were used: Michel Foucault (1978-79), Achille Mbembe (2019), Silvio Almeida (2019), Laurentino Gomes (2019), and Abdias Nascimento (2016). This work is divided into three parts: the first part contextualizes the author Lima Barreto's struggle and racism as a technology of power in Os Bruzundangas; in the second moment, the concept of biopolitics is discussed between the lines of the work and its alignment with the satire. Then, satirically, the term necropolitics is treated in Lima Barreto's production to discuss the domination and exclusion of groups. Finally, there was an understanding of racism and structural racism addressed in the author's work.