O preconceito racial presente no conto “A fronteira de asfalto” de José Luandino Viera

Abstract

The objective of this work is to propose a reflection on racial prejudice in the short story “A fronteira de asfalto” ["The Asphalt Frontier"], which is part of the book A cidade e a infância (1960), by Angolan writer José Luandino Vieira. This tale describes quite objectively the contrast regarding racial inequality present in the pre-independence context of Angola. The narrative uses two characters: Marina, of white color, and Ricardo, of black color. Our analysis makes clear, that the story is very pertinent in showing the fact that, in childhood, both characters are together; however, after the adulthood, they are separated by the prejudice practiced by the girl's family, who lived in a rich neighborhood. She is forbidden from getting involved with those who live in musseques (poor and suburban districts of Angola). In this analysis, we employed, among others, the works of Antonio Candido (2006), Júlio Cortázar (1974) and Tânia Macêdo (2008)