SOURCE: "The Stations of the Body, Clarice Lispector's Abertura and Renewal," in Studies in Short Fiction, Vol. 15, No. 1, Winter, 1984, pp. 55-69.

In the following essay, Vieira examines the textual and thematic structure of A via crucis do corpo, asserting that the main theme of this collection of sexually explicit tales is the sufferings of the female with regard to the body. Vieira goes on to argue that, with these stories, Lispector reaches out to a wider readership but still addresses the issues of her earlier stories: self-determination, sexual independence, authenticy, absurdity, male/female relationships, bad faith, oppression, and rebellion.'

Clarice Lispector is recognized as one of Brazil's master short story writers. Her figurative narratives are known for their evocative and suggestive moods, sensitive insights and sparks of awareness about the human condition, rather than for their actual storytelling in the conventional, mimetic and realist sense. Associated with...