Isabela Figueiredo: revolutionary or reactionary?

Abstract

This article presents a critical analysis of Isabela Figueiredo’s work, exploring her rejection of the dichotomous classifications of revolutionary or reactionary. Through her novels Caderno de memórias coloniais (2009), A gorda (2016) and Um cão no meio do caminho (2022), the study examines how the author constructs a literature marked by ambivalence and the complexities of human experience. Her texts navigate between testimony and autofiction, addressing themes such as parenthood, sexuality, colonialism, and identity. The analysis highlights Figueiredo’s stance on “cancel culture” and her defense of the writer’s creative freedom, rejecting censorship imposed by moral conventions. Female sexuality, a central element in her literature, is explored in a visceral manner, challenging taboos and exposing the repression imposed on women, as emphasized by Paulina Chiziane in her preface to Caderno de memórias coloniais. Additionally, the article discusses the role of the body in Figueiredo’s narratives, where it is depicted as both a site of pleasure and conflict. Through an unfiltered and uncompromising writing style, Isabela Figueiredo offers a profound reflection on the human condition, refusing simplifications and presenting a literature that defies fixed categories. Rather than providing definitive answers, her work invites readers to adopt a more critical and nuanced perspective on existence. In this way, she establishes herself as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Portuguese-language literature.