THE “FRENZIED MACHINE OF FICTION PRODUCTION” IN TEATRO, BY BERNARDO CARVALHO

Abstract

Bernardo Carvalho stated in an interview that “the novel is a frenzied machine of fiction production”. This article aims at showing that in Teatro the fictional construction is settled in the complex deconstruction of the reality effect. This can be seen in the clash between the title and the narrative, also between the first and second parts of the novel. An analysis of the plot and characters reveals that this narrative withdraws from the usual trend of realism in Brazilian fiction. What prevails instead is the imagination and the creative intent that the author believes to be essential aspects in literature. Although the narrated events are grounded in reality, the narrative cannot be read as “real” since it is incomplete and contradictory. Nevertheless, both parts of the novel are utterly close because of its roots in contemporary matters, and because the characters and the intrigue are issues that connect individuals, territories and nations in our days.