The maze-life and the captivities of Duzu-Querença: the space in “Duzu-Querença,” by Conceição Evaristo

Abstract

Conceição Evaristo’s Olhos D’água (2014), primarily represents realities and events experienced in marginalized spaces, incorporating a human perspective to experiences that refract a reality faced by many Black Brazilians who live in the state of poverty and violence. This work aims to analyze the short story “Duzu-Querença” in this collection, highlighting aspects related to the narrative’s spaces and their implications for the main character’s actions: a person experiencing homelessness whose steps and spaces are traced, retracing her story up to the present. Following the concept and definitions of topoanalysis, by Borges Filho (2008), on the functions of space in literature, a critical-analytical approach to the narrative will be taken, regarding its role on the development of the character’s story, according to concepts that deal with space in literature, according to Lins (1976) and Bakhtin (2018), as well as a brief analysis of the marginalized spaces represented, considering concepts such as cultural racism, pointed out by Gonzalez (2020) and captivity, discussed by Collins (2024). We acknowledge the spaces described as a revealing trait that facilitates the character’s actions, opening doors to different forms of exploitation, keeping her trapped in a maze-like life and its captivity.