The idea of a pessimistic evaluation of life can be faced by looking at the artistic works of many writers. Jorge Amado is one of the most outstanding examples of a writer who could make the traditional attitude toward things and people transformed in the literature manner of the Modernist trend. In fact, another writer, Isabel Allende, provided picturesque and rather artistically outlined works. Her observation of reality is shaped with a mere extent of love to people and peoples’ fallacies about love, life, and their place as ordinary people. Human reality can be evaluated in its pessimistic coloring on the example of Amado’s The miracle of the birds and Allendo’s Toads mouth and Two Words. In the analysis of these three stories, the idea of peoples’ worries and hopes is indicated. Furthermore, the standpoints in these stories are highlighted with projection on real life in its observation throughout the societal peculiarities. This point stands clear and is more felt in all stories under analysis. The manifestation of human reality in its particular relation to the new era where market relationships and a new approach toward life concerned with technologies deepens the picture of hypothetic happiness.
In The Miracle of the Birds, Jorge Amado describes the story of the protagonist Ubaldo CapadĂłcio. This man is well known in the town of Piranhas, State of Alagoas. The idea of evil spread everywhere and is supposed to be magnificent in contrast to goodness. In this respect Ubaldo is considered to be the most peculiar for its devotion to love and love affairs with women, to be precise. His being unengaged in serious relationships with a woman was finally described by the scene which was seen by townsmen in the marketplace. His affectionate person was hated by all men and Captain Lindolfo Ezequiel, in particular, because “Ubaldo was one hell of a lover” (Amado 99). This idea is one of those which in most cases gives birth to peoples’ hatred and disregard of human values. Sexual affairs with a woman who is married in fact gave precedent for Captain to kill Ubaldo. The pessimism is discovered in the inevitable grounding of the story and its relation to death. However, the happy end is especially imposed by the author, so that [to illustrate that among a total atmosphere of pessimism and sadness there should be a place for seductive people who charm others. In the story, it is illustrated in the episode where everyone in the marketplace was ashamed by what they had seen: “One minute the air was full of birds—pigeons and thrushes, orioles and cardinals, canaries and lovebirds—and the next they had picked up Ubaldo CapadĂłcio by his flimsy nightgown and flown away with him” (Amado 100). Captain in turn was transformed into a tree. Here comes the moral evaluation of the idea pin the story: in passion and hatred people find no love. In fact, pessimism about the story is enclosed into this very statement.
In the story Toad’s Mouth by Isabel Alllende the same idea of moral destruction is emphasized. The negativism of the story is felt in the scenes when Hermelinda allows men to “toss their coins”. The main idea is also underlined in terms of instincts’ power over human beings. This point tells a reader about the demoralization of the society and nature of human beings, particularly. The urge of men is described in the story is rather negative almost beasty estimation but not without the provocative manners of Hermelinda: “Laughing before the men’s hungry gazes, she would flex her legs so all could see she had nothing on beneath the yellow petticoats” (Allende 60). Her play gave her power over men. This shows that in contemporary society there are fewer points on morale. On the other hand, the author makes parallels when admitting that the place was situated in the wild area of the south. Hence, wild areas make people and their senses along with emotions wild well. The men, as the players, in the story, are colored with the reality of relationships between two halves. In this respect, Allende shows that human wild emotions of passion and obscenity take over peoples’ lives. Even in the far wild province, there is no morale. Then it is worthless o speak about people living in big cities.
Another story by Isabel Allende Two words can be fairly noted as the manifestation of the rationale approach over the emotional one. Spelling words are outlined in the example of Belisa Crepusculario, as an alternative for making people happy. Her story is catchy due to the scene when she was apt to make the colonel successful due to words for the election campaign. The simple explanation of peoples’ deeds is maintained owing to two words, namely: “What for” (Allende 77)? The pessimistic feature can be felt due to this simple question addressed to everyone who asks for dominance. This idea is more attractive when one bears in mind that Belisa Crepusculario underwent various difficulties concerned with her search for a better destination. She sought happiness trying her best even being a prostitute. Her ability to find the field of activities is concerned with oratory mastership, strange as it may seem: “That was the day Belisa Crepusculario found out that words make their way in the world without a master, and that anyone with a little cleverness can appropriate them and do business with them” (Allende 74). However, the author intends a reader to feel a difference: the power of the word and the life experience of other people is valued more. In other words, Belisa being of the lower layer in the society is opposed to the colonel notwithstanding that he should be more experienced. The drama of the story is implied in the total inability of people to listen to their hearts and minds.
To sum up, three stories manifest the significance of moral background and the concept of humane. The alteration of peoples’ affairs in terms of their instincts and passions as opposed to the sound idea of choosing the correct pathway. Jorge Amado always tried to reach for the genuine sphere where peoples’ thoughts confront reality. In his short story, he implements how primitive passion raised into love affairs can be estimated in terms of peoples’ emotions. Isabel Allende, on the other hand, tried to follow to write in the same manner, but her interests were directed straightforwardly to a woman’s heart and her emotions under conditions of the constant influence of passions and obscenity going from men. Both authors are united in the idea of how to make improvements in the sphere of a man’s soul so that it could be helpful for keeping morale, culture, and traditions in safety from modern trends of society.
Works cited
Allende, Isabel. The stories of Eva Luna. Barcelona: Atheneum, 1991.
Amado, Jorge. The miracle of the birds. New York: Targ Editions, 1983.