FROM SILENCE TO (RE)BIRTH: THE (RE)CONSTRUCTION OF SUBJECTIVITY IN THE SHORT STORY “NATALINA SOLEDAD” BY CONCEIÇÃO EVARISTO

Abstract

Literary texts play an essential role in society as they aesthetically convey human experiences and emotions. Through narratives, they offer readers the opportunity to reflect on the complexity of relationships while also addressing issues related to social problems such as inequality, racism, and sexism. In this context, the concept of “escrevivência” serves not only as a theoretical tool to express the lived experiences of Black women but, more importantly, as an instrument of struggle and resistance. From this perspective, the present essay, based on a qualitative bibliographic methodology, aims to demonstrate - through the analysis of the short story “Natalina Soledad”, part of the collection Insubmissas lágrimas de mulheres (2016) by Conceição Evaristo (1946-) - how the act of changing one’s name promotes the (re)construction of subjectivity. This analysis shows that reading this narrative enables an understanding that choosing self-naming as a means of freeing oneself from the marks of a sexist and oppressive system constitutes an act of resistance and rebirth.