Três visitas a Manarairema : forma e ideologia em A Hora dos Ruminantes, de José J. Veiga

Abstract

Resumo: A hora dos ruminantes (1966), primeiro romance publicado por José J. Veiga, possui características temáticas e formais recorrentes a outras produções do autor. Esta dissertação aborda alguns desses elementos, como a cidadezinha interiorana, a coletivização dos personagens e a atmosfera de vigilância e de opressão. Mas, embora se trate de um livro representativo da obra completa, o que em parte contribui para nosso interesse sobre ele, esta investigação não visa à descrição generalizante do estilo veigueano, e sim ao aprofundamento das particularidades dessa primeira narrativa longa. Outros pesquisadores já afirmaram que esse escritor goiano fez uma leitura crítica de seu tempo, análise com a qual concordamos, todavia, consideramos necessário justificá-la com argumentos baseados na articulação do próprio texto literário, daí a opção por enfocarmos um único livro. A partir da leitura minuciosa de três elementos (o espaço, o tempo e o narrador), procuramos observar como a ideologia se configura esteticamente. Concluímos que isso se dá pela concorrência de duas formas, uma tradicional e outra típica do romance do século XX, que sugerem um processo de transição vivenciado por aquela comunidade. Destacamos três atores importantes para a trama: os nativos (força conservadora), os visitantes (força modernizante) e o narrador (força questionadora das duas precedentes). Pela caracterização desses agentes, procuramos relacionar a composição de A hora dos ruminantes com a experiência brasileira da modernização.

Abstract: José J. Veiga's first novel A hora dos ruminantes (1966) has some thematic and formal features that appear continuously in other writings by the author. This thesis approaches some of those elements, like the country town, the collective treatment of the characters and the oppressive and vigilante atmosphere. Even if this book contains the essence of his complete work, our research does not only describe his general style, but it focus particularly on his first long narrative. Other researchers have already asserted that Veiga has made a critical analysis of his time. We agree with that interpretation, but we also consider necessary to justify this affirmation based on the articulation of the literary text, that's why we have chosen to study a single book. Starting from a close reading of three elements (space, time and the narrator), we observe how the ideology is configured aesthetically. We conclude that two forms coexist, one traditional and the other more typical in the narratives of the twentieth century, suggesting that there's a transition situation experienced by that community. We emphasize three important actors in the plot: the natives (conservative force), the visitors (modernizing force) and the narrator (a force that questions both natives and visitors). By the characterization of those agents, we try to relate the composition of A hora dos ruminantes with the experience of modernization in Brazil. José J. Veiga's first novel A hora dos ruminantes (1966) has some thematic and formal features that appear continuously in other writings by the author. This thesis approaches some of those elements, like the country town, the collective treatment of the characters and the oppressive and vigilante atmosphere. Even if this book contains the essence of his complete work, our research does not only describe his general style, but it focus particularly on his first long narrative. Other researchers have already asserted that Veiga has made a critical analysis of his time. We agree with that interpretation, but we also consider necessary to justify this affirmation based on the articulation of the literary text, that's why we have chosen to study a single book. Starting from a close reading of three elements (space, time and the narrator), we observe how the ideology is configured aesthetically. We conclude that two forms coexist, one traditional and the other more typical in the narratives of the twentieth century, suggesting that there's a transition situation experienced by that community. We emphasize three important actors in the plot: the natives (conservative force), the visitors (modernizing force) and the narrator (a force that questions both natives and visitors). By the characterization of those agents, we try to relate the composition of A hora dos ruminantes with the experience of modernization in Brazil.