Racial limbo and its ramifications

an analysis of “ Brown and Yellow” by Paulo Scott

Authors

  • Ederson de Oliveira Cabral Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo/RS – Brasil
  • Daniel Conte Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo/RS – Brasil
  • Barbara Paiva Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Sul – IFRS, Campus Restinga, Porto Alegre/RS - Brasil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15536/thema.V24.2025.1-17.3987

Keywords:

racism, trauma, memory, black literature, racial limbo

Abstract

This article addresses symbolic violence and its effects on the construction of ethnic identity, drawing on the character Federico in Paulo Scott's novel Marrom e Amarelo (Brown and Yellow). It highlights the importance of literature in reflecting on racial issues and in re-signifying ethnic identity. Contemporary black authors are seeking space for their narratives, bringing visibility to experiences that are not only subaltern, but also tragic and traumatic. Literary criticism plays a fundamental role in this process, as it emphasizes narratives that avoid stereotypes and highlights how racism produces not only material inequalities but also profound psychological scars. The research method applied is qualitative, utilizing close reading and heuristic analysis. Based on a post-colonial approach, this article aims to identify scenes that illustrate symbolic violence in the work, as well as to understand its effects on the identity of the character Federico. The analysis aims to demonstrate how literature offers an in-depth perception of the affections and conflicts experienced by black individuals in Brazilian society.

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Author Biographies

Ederson de Oliveira Cabral, Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo/RS – Brasil

Daniel Conte, Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo/RS – Brasil

Barbara Paiva, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Sul – IFRS, Campus Restinga, Porto Alegre/RS - Brasil

Published

2025-01-31

How to Cite

CABRAL, E. de O.; CONTE, D.; PAIVA, B. Racial limbo and its ramifications: an analysis of “ Brown and Yellow” by Paulo Scott. Revista Thema, Pelotas, v. 24, n. 1, p. 1–17, 2025. DOI: 10.15536/thema.V24.2025.1-17.3987. Disponível em: https://periodicos.ifsul.edu.br/index.php/thema/article/view/3987. Acesso em: 5 feb. 2025.

Issue

Section

Linguística, Letras e Artes