The Brazilian Identity Puzzle: How Euclides da Cunha Shaped the Perspective on “Sertanejos” through Prejudice—Reframed by João Guimarães Rosa’s Grande Sertão: Veredas, lecture by Dr. Felipe Fiuza

 

This presentation explores the contrasting representations of the sertanejo in Euclides da Cunha’s Os Sertões and João Guimarães Rosa’s Grande Sertão: Veredas, through the lens of Embodied Cognition—a concept from cognitive science that posits human thought is deeply rooted in bodily experience. Cunha's text treats backlands inhabitants as static, almost inanimate figures, shaped by deterministic forces and devoid of agency. I argue that his depiction of the sertanejo is abstract, disembodied, and steeped in eugenic prejudice. In contrast, Rosa’s novel rehumanizes the sertanejo, portraying them as complex, embodied individuals whose lived experiences challenge the reductive stereotypes perpetuated by Cunha. Rosa’s characters are made of flesh and blood—they enact, feel, and transform—offering a radically different vision of the sertão as a space of existential depth and cultural richness. By juxtaposing these two literary visions, this presentation aims to reveal how historical and literary narratives continue to shape contemporary perceptions of the sertão and its people, influencing racial and regional dynamics in Brazilian society. Ultimately, this analysis contributes to a broader rethinking of Brazilian identity and supports the ongoing struggle against prejudice and exclusion.