Maternidade e a (re)descoberta de si mesma: uma análise da obra Quarenta Dias, de Maria Valéria Rezende
Abstract
The oppression and domination of women are often anchored in perceptions of women's bodies and sexuality, seen as markers of their supposed inferiority and negativity. This view has deeply influenced the concepts of motherhood, shaped by patriarchal values that have historically marginalized and silenced women. The practice of motherhood was idealized as an act of sacrifice and total dedication of the woman to her children, assuming that maternal love is a natural and indisputable feeling. Furthermore, being a mother is often seen as a validation of a woman's femininity, and the absence of this experience is interpreted as a deviation in character. However, contemporary discussions are challenging this one-sided view of motherhood, recognizing the diversity of experiences that make up being a mother. In this context, the present study aims to explore the representation of motherhood in the work Quarenta dias (2014), by Maria Valéria Rezende. This paper suggests that the book offers a vision of motherhood that breaks with the patterns traditionally attributed to this experience, revealing its complexities and ambiguities through the understanding of motherhood by the character-narrator, Alice. To support the discussion, the study relies on theorists such as Chodorow (1978), Badinter (1980), Rich (1986), and Donath (2017).
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