Social Hope in Clarice Lispector's The Hour of the Star

Abstract

In this essay I will show how the political intelligibility of The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector does not depend on the ability to get reality right. I will argue that Clarice Lispector is able to persuade us to imagine a different future for our society through aesthetic rather than representational means. My argument emphasizes that, although representation is indisputably important, this fact should not lead us to the temptation of rejecting certain books simply because they come from the top of the social ladder and are within the discourse of power. It is my contention that plenty of these books are not just rife with contempt and silence. They can also offer—albeit by other means—equally powerful and significant instruments to engage with pressing political issues.