The Body as Metaphor for Portuguese Decadence: An Interpretation of A Gorda (2016), by Isabela Figueiredo

Abstract: In A Gorda (2016), Isabela Figueiredo gives life to Maria Luísa, a middle-aged teacher whose dreams of attaining happiness dissolve into depression due to her inability to overcome trauma. Apart from narrating her return from Mozambique and the adversities she goes through as she grows up, Luísa recounts sexual experiences and describes her dysfunctional relationships with her relatives and lovers. Revolving around topics such as body dysmorphia and gender inequality, A Gorda also chronicles the misfortunes of a retornado dealing with issues associated with her own identity. To examine Portugal's transition to democracy and adaptation to a multicultural lifestyle contrasting with the backwardness brought about by decades of dictatorship, this article evaluates how Maria Luísa's personal struggles hold a mirror to societal problems that help to comprehend the mentalities of the Portuguese. Through a brief incursion into Caderno de Memórias Coloniais (2009), this article also evaluates how Figueiredo's experiences in Africa contributed to consolidate her viewpoints on topics such as sexism and violence against women. Finally, it scrutinizes the writer's denunciations of a male-dominated culture that ostracizes emancipated women.