The diasporic narrativeof Orlanda Amarílis under a Bakhtinian perspective

Abstract

This article presentes three Afro-Lusophone short books: Cais-do-Sodré té Salamansa (1974), Ilhéu dos pássaros (1982), and A casa dos mastros (1989), by Orlanda Amarílis (1924-2014), delving into the analysis of the short story Cais-do-Sodré to examine how the construction of identities occurs in a diasporic situation. Diaspora, a recurrent theme in Amarílis’s works, is explored. With a theoretical foundation in Bakhtin’s Theory of the novel (2014) and insights from the studies os Hall (2003), Brah (2011), Bauman (2017), and Kristeva (1994), the aim is to comprehend the migratory process and identity dilemmas. The outcome of the migratory process and the experience of the diaspora result in an identity influenced by cultural and social changes and differences. Despite the writer's works being translated into various countries, there is still a dearth of in-depth studies on her literary production. This justifies this work, as she is a female, African, and subaltern writer.