The representation of black women in afro-brazilian literature: A reading of "A Escrava", de Maria Firmina dos Reis and "Minha Mãe", de Luis Gama

Abstract

This article aims to study the Afro-Brazilian literature produced in the 19th century, in particular the short story "A esclrava" by Maria Firmina dos Reis, and the poem "Minha mãe" by Luís Gama, verifying how both published texts in 1859, although in distinct genres, they thematize and represent the black woman. As we enter into this discussion, some considerations become important with regard to the concept of Afro-Brazilian literature, and for this, we rely on
the theoretical framework of Eduardo Assis Duarte (2010, 2011). The representations of black women in "A slave" and "My mother," Joana and the mother of the writer Luís Gama, fruits of Afro-Brazilian writing, are built by the experiences of these writers, who challenge the logic of representations that
circulated through society of the time about the black population, a challenge that produces necessary narratives in our society, where social constructions based on racism are maintained in a structural way, therefore also the importance of this discussion in school spaces.