Lima Barreto - Blog Posts

The Don Quixote of Brazilian Nationalism

"And she thought how diverse and varied life is, how it is richer in sadness than in happiness and how in the variety of life there are more varieties of sadness than there are of happiness and how sadness lies at the core of life."

About the Book

Title: The Sad End of Policarpo Quaresma Author: Lima Barreto Published: 1915 Original Title: Triste Fim de Policarpo Quaresma

Summary

Policarpo Quaresma is a civil servant and a devoted patriot. An extremely idealistic man, he seeks to promote Brazilian culture in every way possible—advocating for Tupi as the national language and even attempting agricultural reforms (you know this is going to go wrong).

Quaresma is almost like Don Quixote—delusional and idealistic. His story is a tragedy, and Lima Barreto masterfully critiques the hypocrisy of Brazilian society, exposing its resistance to change at the beginning of the Republic.

P.S.: This book is frustrating, goddamnit.

Key Themes

Tragedy

Political Criticism

Cultural Identity

Nationalism and Idealism