Vidas Secas

Literal translation: Dry Lives

Author

Graciliano Ramos

Language

Portuguese

Year

1938

Country

Brazil

Genre

Novel

0

Vidas secas is a novel by twentieth-century Brazilian writer Graciliano Ramos, written in 1938. It tells the cyclical story of a family of five persons: Fabiano, the father; Sinhá Vitória, the mother; two sons and their dog called Baleia in the poverty stricken and arid Brazilian northeast. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the book is that it is written in said cyclical manner, making it possible to read the first chapter as a continuation of the last chapter, reflecting the cycle of poverty and desolation in the Sertão. Another distinguishing characteristic is that the dog Baleia is considered the most sensible and human character.