O silêncio em Vida Secas

Abstract

This paper is based on the reflection and discourse analyses of the silence on Vidas Secas , by Graciliano Ramos. In this study it could be observed how linguistics approach is fundamental to understand the focus of book, considering the social, cultural, historic, politic and ideological conditions. This research aims to analyze the various silences demonstrations inside the speech, in order to emphasize the significance of silence. In this case, the communication difficulties of the character Fabiano, as well as his silence, are examples related to the dry land. The third-person narrative, unusual in Graciliano Ramos works, becomes an important element that proves how hard the communication is, thus many times the silence speaks for them. In this narrative, it can be observed that Fabiano and Sinhá Vitória s children do not have names, being called The Oldest Boy and The Younger Boy . There is a policy of silence constitutive of a sense which defends that to say something, it is needed not to say. The silence of the characters is responsible for the animal s process, which occurs with the man in Vidas Secas. In this situation, the dog of the family (Baleia) has a name, but not the children. Nevertheless, it is important to observe that silence is not a complement of the verbal language, it makes sense and has a meaning itself. This is a manifestation of the founder silence, as well as the lack or excess of silence. These beliefs about silence indicate the complexity of discourse analysis, observed by the contradictory effects of senses production, especially from the comments of silence and the way to impose the silence in the opposition to the spoken language.