SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND POWER GAMES IN UNIVERSITY: THE CONTROL OF OVER THOUGHT IN THE NOVEL DUAS PRAÇAS, BY RICARDO LÍSIAS

Abstract

Duas praças, by Ricardo Lísias, presents two tragic parallel stories that intertwine at the end: Maria, a very religious homeless woman with clear signs of insanity, falls in love with Mannequin, an “employee” at a clothing store. Meanwhile, a doctoral student is given the arduous task of solving the mystery of the disappearance of student who is believed to be one of the many children stolen from her parents, political dissidents of the Argentine dictatorship (1976-1982), and handed over to families of the army. The first illustrates the serious social inequality in Brazil. The second, the power games, the urge for prestige and the veiled censorship in the environment of a university. Both stories can constitute poles of a dialogue with the concept of control over though, by Luiz Costa Lima. Having the aforementioned novel as its object, the article aims to identify and legitimize the meeting points between this novel and this theoretical category. The first stage will be dedicated to the concept of imaginary control; the second, to the novel itself; and the third, in a conclusive tone, to the seam between them.