Macunaíma

novel by Andrade

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July 19, 2026

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Macuna\u00edma is a 1928 novel by Brazilian writer M\u00e1rio de Andrade. It is considered a seminal work of Brazilian Modernismo. The novel is written in Andrade's distinctive prose style, which attempts to capture colloquial Brazilian speech rather than formal Portuguese.

The story follows the adventures of Macuna\u00edma, a character who embodies the diverse ethnic and cultural makeup of Brazil. Through constant transformations, Macuna\u00edma's journey reflects the juxtaposition of differences among Brazil's major ethnic groups and its various regions. The novel explores themes of identity, folklore, and the search for an authentic national culture, blurring the lines between high art and popular culture.12

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Brazilian literature
Modernismo and regionalism
Macunaíma). The constant metamorphoses that its protagonist undergoes represent not synthesis but the juxtaposition of differences between Brazil’s three major ethnic groups and among its various regions. Diminishing the boundary between high art and popular culture, Mário de Andrade studied their interrelationship in order to…
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Macunaíma). The constant metamorphoses that its protagonist undergoes represent not synthesis but the juxtaposition of differences between Brazil’s three major ethnic groups and among its various regions. Diminishing the boundary between high art and popular culture, Mário de Andrade studied their interrelationship in order to…
Read More