LITERATURE AS INSPIRATION IN SCIENCE TEACHING: THE NOVEL "O QUINZE" AND THE CONTEXTUALIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE BRAZILIAN SEMIARID

Abstract

The present article sought to analyze the potential of literature as an interdisciplinary resource for contextualized Science teaching in the Brazilian Semiarid region, focusing on the novel O Quinze by Rachel de Queiroz. This research adopts a qualitative, bibliographical approach grounded in Critical Theory, starting from an analytical and interpretive reading of the literary work, guided by an analysis framework based on pedagogical and scientific criteria. The methodology included the thematic categorization of excerpts from the novel that address phenomena such as drought, migration, Caatinga ecosystems, health, social inequality, and local knowledge, articulating these themes with the Science curriculum and the students' reality. The theoretical discussion was based on authors such as Adorno (1991), Arroyo (2004), Candido (2004), Cosson (2014), Freire (1970), Gadotti (2000), Gramsci (1999), and Santos (2006), highlighting the humanizing role of literature and the importance of an education committed to local knowledge. The results indicate that the novel O Quinze acts as a powerful catalyst for scientific and social reflections, contributing to a meaningful, emancipatory pedagogical practice committed to the critical development of Basic Education students. The findings demonstrated that the articulation between literature and science strengthens contextualized teaching and promotes student agency in understanding and transforming their reality.