BETWEEN REALITY AND FICTION: FEMINICIDE IN PONCIÁ VICÊNCIO BY CONCEIÇÃO EVARISTO

Abstract

This article aims to examine the representation of feminicide in the novel Ponciá Vicêncio (2013) by Conceição Evaristo, placing it within the socio-historical and legal context of Brazil. The analysis focuses on the characters Vó Vicência, the bricklayer's wife, and the prostitute Bilisa, revealing how their stories illustrate the complexities of gender violence intersected with racial and social issues. The study contextualizes the narrative within Brazilian legislative transformations related to feminicide. By presenting cases of feminicides, we seek to understand how Evaristo's work reflects and dialogues with the realities experienced by Brazilian women, challenging simplistic notions about the dynamics of power and oppression. We rely on recent data from the Anuário Brasileiro de Segurança Pública (2022) to reveal the ongoing prevalence of this serious problem in the country. This initial study not only highlights the importance of literature in raising awareness about feminicide but also emphasizes the urgent need for deeper and more effective approaches to combat gender violence in Brazil, a challenge that transcends the limits of fiction and impacts the real lives of countless women.