A reading of Retrato calado, by Luiz Roberto Salinas Fortes: Benjaminian approaches

Abstract

This article proposes a reading of the testimonial book Retrato calado, by Luiz Roberto Salinas Fortes, a survivor of imprisonment and torture during the Brazilian military dictatorship. As theoretical references, we rely on Walter Benjamin's writings on the theme of memory, as well as texts by commentators on testimonial narratives. The analysis addresses both aspects related to the historical context of the book, as well as issues related to its formal structure. Thus, we intend to address the political and subjective motivations for its writing, as well as the aesthetic choices that guide the narrative, which is formed by autobiographical excerpts and reports of dreams, fragments of letters and excerpts from personal diaries.