Childhood, by Graciliano Ramos: an effort of memory, an effort of fiction

Abstract

“Childhood,” by Graciliano Ramos, published in 1945, can be considered the first admittedly autobiographical work of the author, in which he revisits his boyhood until the beginning of his adolescence. As a collection of memories, “Childhood” stands out precisely because of the fictional treatment given to the real characters and episodes narrated. From the studies on the autobiographical genre by Philippe Lejeune and Paul de Man, and also from some analysis of Ramos’ book by Brazilians researchers, this article intends to describe some of the procedures used by the writer in order to distinguish the reading experience that his memorialistic work creates in the reader, who is witnessing the hardships lived by the protagonist when he was a child.