The Practical Mysticism of Clarice Lispector's Uma Aprendizagem ou o Livro dos Prazeres Author(s): Richard A.

Mazzara and Lorri A. Parris Reviewed work(s): Source: Hispania, Vol. 68, No. 4 (Dec., 1985), pp. 709-715 Published by: American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/341971 . Accessed: 03/05/2012 10:12
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RichardA. Mazzara and Lorri A. Parris, Oakland University

The Practical Mysticism of Clarice Lispector's

Uma Aprendizagem ou o Livro dos Prazeres

concerns of Jean-PaulSartre, Albert Camus and other existentialist writers. Briefly stated, existentialism refers to the notionthat life has meaning only as a person participates fullyin it by takingcomplete responsibilityfor his own existence and "creating himself." Man becomes aware of the true meaning of existence only after he experiences nausea and comes to grips with the discovery of his fundamentalfreedom. Unleashed throughthe contemplation of animate and inanimate things in nature, nausea is the violent form of anguish that occurs when man recognizes the disparitybetween the existence of things and himself, when he recognizes what Camus " calls "absurdity. Unlikeman, things are complete in themselves- they act according to a predetermined plan and can exist without human presence in the world. Because man'sexistence is not predetermined-if he chooses to ignore the dictates of society, God or any other authority, he may do so--he seems to be a superfluous being both in the physical world and to himself.' As man reflects on the absence of any apparent meaning in his life, he comes to an awareness of his fundamental freedom. Accordingto Sartre, this freedom is both a blessing and a curse: it not only liberates man from the notion that his existence is predetermined, but also forces him to take absolute responsibilityfor whatever choices he makes. Faced with this awesome charge, man often wishes to ignore revelationsof the humancondition and continue living without makingany choice. Or he may go to a hedonistic extreme and revel in his freedom. Whilethese avenues are temptingto the Sartreanhero, he chooses instead to acknowledge life's absurdity and

I n her fictionClariceLispectorechoes the

use his anguish to create his life (HB, pp. 173, 176). As Clarice's protagonists experience nausea and discover man'sfreedom they too must make choices. Those made by Martim in A MaCd no Escuro (1961), G.H. in A Paixdo Segundo G.H. (1964) and L6ri in UmaAprendizagem ou 0 Livro dos Prazeres (1969) are representative of her characters'reactions to the existential challenge. Martim'snausea occurs as his senses are assaulted by the sights and smells of a barnyardwhere he has taken refuge to escape the consequences of the apparent murder of his wife. Although initially it seems that he is using his freedom to create himself, it later becomes clear that he has made the wrong choice. Viewinghis supposed crime as a heroic act of liberation from the conventions of society, he begins to believe that he is destined to play an important role among men. But his refusal to take responsibility for his act presupposes the failureof his quest.2 G.H.'s nausea occurs as she contemplates a cockroach that she has just crushed in a closet door. Quicklysuccumbing to the lure of freedom and reveling hedonistically in what proves to be absurdity,her quest fails because she refuses really to make any choice. She seeks refuge from the world, the setting in which she must learn to act if she is to become an authentic individual.3 L6ri'snausea, which is somewhat different from Martim's and G.H.'s reactions, occurs in the middle of her performance of some domestic tasks. The routine of her daily existence is broken as she experiences a pain so acute that it wracks her whole bodywith silent sobs. It is out of the prolonged anguish that follows this pain that L6ri slowly overcomes her indifferenceto life's pleasure and pain and

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learns the skill that is vital to the creation of an authenticexistence - experiencingandrelating to others. L6ri is that rare characterin Clarice's fiction who makes the right choice and is therefore successful in her quest.4 The reader acquainted with the existentialist notions of nausea and man'sfundamental freedom of choice can readilyidentifythem in Uma Aprendizagem.Here are two examples:
Sobretudo aprendera agora a se aproximardas coisas a sem ligai-las sua fungAo.Pareciaagora poder ver como seriam as coisas e as pessoas antes que Ihes tiv6ssemos dado o sentido de nossa esperanga humanaou de nossa dor. (UA, p. 32) Inclusive os adolescentes, que eram de rosto puro, 'a medida que iam vivendo fabricavama pr6pria mascara. E com muita dor. Porque saber que de entio em diante se vai passar a representar um papel que era de uma surpresaamedrontadora.Era a liberdadehorrivel de naoser. E a hora da escolha. (UA, p. 91)

The first passage, which refers to what L6ri has learned from her experience with nausea, contains two phrases that must be translated freely to understandbetter their link to existentialism: "sem ligai-lasa sua fungao" and "antes que lhes tiv6ssemos dado o sentido de nossa esperanga humanaou de nossa dor." These reflect L6ri's realizationthat she has been interpreting things in terms of her own experience and not as they really are. It is at this moment in her apprenticeshipthat she becomes aware of the facticity of her existence. The reader comes closer to this understanding by replacing "linking them" in the first phrase and "hadgiven them the meaning" in the second with "interpretingthem" and "hadinterpreted them," respectively; and "to her function"and "of our human hope or of our pain" with "in terms of herself' and "in terms of our human aspirations and pain," respectively. The second passage, which refers to L6ri's recognition of man's freedom, closes with the phrase "E a hora da escolha." The central idea here is that there comes a time in a person's life when he must choose a mask to represent himself to the world, for better or for worse. This notion has its counterpart in existentialism in the moment when a person realizes that he must make a choice if his life is to have meaning, i.e. "the existential moment." Both Sartre and Clarice establish guidelines for the person engaged in an existential quest. However, it is here that their philosophies begin to diverge. Whereas Sartre be-

lieves that a code of ethics should serve as man'sguide in his search for meaning, Clarice belives that one must look to religion.According to Sartre man gives meaning to his existence by taking part in a kind of romantic rebellion waged in the name of fraternity.For Clarice it is first through a sharing between the person and non-humanreality that life has meaning. In many ways this relationshipresembles the mystical union with the Divine of all the great religions (HB, p. 286n; MCL, pp. 103-04). Thus, Clarice'sfictionechoes the concerns of both existentialist and mystical traditions. The concept of a mystic way can be seen inA Magdno Escuro,A Paixdo SegundoG.H. and Uma Aprendizagem.This path has been generally defined as the "intensive form of the essential humanreligiousexperience" and as "the expression of the innate tendency of the human spirit toward complete harmony "1 with the transcendentalorder. In her monumental work, Evelyn Underhillidentifies five stages in this paththat she considers universal in application.6Although these stages are based on traditional Catholic theology, because of their schematic nature they underscore the wide range of mystical experiences and illuminate important similarities and differences between Western and Eastern traditions (MR, p. 168). Of these five stages, all of which appear in one form or another in the three Brazilian works discussed here, those known as "awakening,""purgation,"and "union" are the most basic. Awakeningis described as the first experience of the joys of the spiritual life. Throughsudden, spontaneousflashes the novice is awakened to a larger universe of reality than any he has known before. The flashes experienced by Martim and L6ri are typical of this stage. Martim'sview of his surroundingsfrom atop a mountainin the wilderness turns into a vision of cosmic existence. L6ri'spoolsideview of Ulysses, the existential hero of Uma Aprendizagem, and what surrounds her as the sun sets is much the same vision. Unlike those of Martim and L6ri, G.H.'s flashes are atypical of the Western tradition.As she contemplates the insect that she has just killed, G.H. is drawnas if into a horrible, primeval ooze. Her initiation into the quest for life's meaning more closely resembles a descent into Hell than the ascent to Heaven characteristicof the mysticaljour-

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ney (MR, pp. 172-74; LCL, p. 26; MCL, p. 104). As a result of his awakening, the novice is stimulated to deepen his relationship with transcendentalreality. In order to do so, however, he must first purge his life of all that is contrary to his quest through ascetic discipline and morality. He must rid himself of all earthly attachments, of everything that is inconsistent with the radiant peace of union. This purge is perhaps best described in terms of the "Nightof the Senses" spoken of by San Juan de la Cruz in his Subida del Monte Carmelo (MR, pp. 168, 174; MCL, p. 103). As this night descends upon the incipient mystic, his soul is enveloped in Nothingness, the process by which his soul will be emptied of all human substance so that it may receive the divine substance. During the novice's initial participationin Nothingness he experiences solitude, inner as well as outer darkness, and dryness. At first he is taken back to a primevalexistence, a state where he and all things animate and inanimate pulsate as one without separate functionand form. Then beatificvisions begin to fill his emptiness, and his soul is ready for union. Martim, G.H. and L6ri all experience both forms of this participation. The purges of Martim and L6ri, however, differ from G.H.'s in that the former place less importance on their stage in primevalexistence thandoes G.H. Her purge, more lawless than disciplined, is reminiscent of the paradoxical purge of license more common among Hindu and Buddhist than among Catholic mystics (MCL, pp. 105-06). Whether the mystic undergoes a purge through discipline or license, the purpose is to preparehimto attainthe goal of the mystical path, union with the Divine characterizedby calm, steady peace suffused with quiet joy. ForWesternmanmystic Godis a transcendental and providential Being; for the Eastern He is impersonaland exists on the same ontological plane as man. It is at this stage that the paths of Martim, G.H. and L6ri diverge (MR, p. 168; LCL, p. 51). AlthoughMartimhas many experiences resembling union, he is unable to relinquish completely his attachment to his self and therefore he never experiences the sense of perfect integration with God that is a prerequisite to union. G.H. goes to the other extreme: she unlearns allthat she has learned in order to expunge allvestiges of her self andto

unite with God. Once she achieves this, she is reluctantto returnto earthlylife, preferring to remain in a perpetual state of grace. L6ri achieves a happy medium between the two. After learning how to live authentically,she unites with God and comes backto life armed with the knowledge that she may renew her faith in subsequent experiences with grace; and that the way to finalunion is throughlove of man and God. She pursues this way by engaging in a long-awaitedsexual union with Ulysses and by promising to commit herself fully to her students (ME, pp. 235, 238, 245, 257; LCL, p. 75; MR, pp. 180-82). It is in the light of these mystical phenomena of awakening, purgation, and union also that the readermust approach work. Some the of the typical problems encountered concern the most appropriate understanding of "0 Deus" and "Nada," two concepts that have special connotationsin mystical theology. Literally translated, "0 Deus" means "The God."The reader's first inclinationis perhaps to ignore the article because it is not idiomatic in English. If he does so, however, he belies its importance in Clarice's world view. ThroughG.H. in A Paixdo SegundoG.H. and then L6riin UmaAprendizagem Claricemakes the following statement concerning her concept of God's impersonality:
Escuta sem susto e sem sofrimento: o neutro do Deus e tao grande e vital que eu, nao agiientandoa celula do Deus eu a tinha humanizado. Sei que 6 horrivelmente perigoso descobrir agora que o Deus tem a forga do impessoal- porquesei. . . que e como se isso significasse a destruigao do pedido. (PSGH, p. 148) L6ri ... chegara ao ponto de acreditar num Deus tao vasto que era o mundo corn suas galaxias: isso ela vira no dia anterior ao entrar no mar deserto s6zinha. E por causa da vastidao impessoal era um Deus parao qualnao se podia implorar:podia-se era agregar-se a ele e ser grande tamb6m. (UA, p. 86)

Despite differences in their concepts of the Divine- G.H. embraces the Eastern one of a non-transcendentBeing and L6ri the Western one of a transcendent God- both G.H. and L6rithinkin terms of an impersonalBeing who exists in all things. Clarice expresses this belief through the use of the words "0 Deus" in the latter part of A PaixafoSegundo G.H. and throughout the entire narrative in Uma Aprendizagem. In employing this construction she is saying that, whereas "God" is a proper noun that refers to one thing only, "The God" is a common noun that signifies God's immanence (LCL, p. 58).

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The word "Nada" appears throughout about a character.This theory of course deClarice's narrative also in two different con- rives its name from the Christianfeast comtexts. In one it appears to refer to God: "... memoratingthe manifestationof Christto the ela amava o Nada ... aceitava o mist6rio de Magi and has various religious connotations. amar ao Deus desconhecido" (UA, p. 25). In It therefore seems well suited to serve in the another it seems to refer to His kingdom:"0 revelation of Clarice's existential-mystical cora~gotem que se apresentardiantedo Nada philosophy.The author imbues her symbols, chiefly animals, silence per se and water, with s6zinho . . nas trevas ... Quando este se todo nu, nem 6 comunicagao,6 sub- epiphanicqualities to express her perception apresenta missao" (UA, p. 36). Within the context of of man's existence." L6ri's encounters with mysticism "Nothing" or "Nothingness" has animate and inanimatethings are frequentspecial connotations: according to the Ger- in her imaginationshe sees horses, gazelles, man mystic, Meister Eckart, God is Nothing monkeys, elephants and jaguars; as she venbecause one can describe Him only in terms tures out into the world with Ulysses and on of what He is not; andaccordingto the Spanish her own she sees swallows, dogs, fish, flowmystic, San Juan de la Cruz, God manifests ers, fruits and vegetables. On an existential Himself in man's soul in the form of Nothing- level these objects represent the world of ness duringthe "Nightof the Senses" (MCL, fixed, undismayedentities that can exist without man's presence or speech. On a mystical pp. 105-08). authorof course chooses a style that level they symbolize life's exuberance and Every he hopes will best transmit his message to man's link with cosmic existence. Here is a the reader, but Clarice utilizes style in such good illustration: a way that it becomes an integral part of the L6rinao sabiaexplicar que, mas achava os anique por na com action in her work. Her intentionis to involve maisentravam maisfrequiencia graqade existir que aqueles the reader in an active search for meaning do que os humanos.S6humanos n5o sabiam,e os obstaculos tinham Os humanos que percebiam. throughimagery, symbolismandpunctuation, nao dificultavam vida dos animais,como raciocinio, a dictatedby her theory of the dual- 16gica, an intention tinham que compreensao. Enquanto os animais Accordingto Claricelanguage esplendidez daquiloque e direto e se dirige direto. (UA, ity of language.7 can never express the truly importantthings p. 148). an in life. As man searches for the meaning of In this passageL6ridemonstrates instincbeof his existence he is beset with inarticulate- tive awareness the essentialdifference existence:because andhuman ness. Because languageobscures true reality, tween animal about are the only way for him to overcome this obstacle animals unableto formjudgments morefullyin and gain access to a greater reality is through theirexistencethey participate silence. However, it is inevitable for humans whatis real thanhumansdo. Untouched by to try to articulate their innermost thoughts. the latters'contradictions, are more sethey This tendency allows for the continualenrich- cure. They have what Claricecalls here "a " de ment of our languageas they attempt to com- graga existir, orto coina phrase,"existenmunicate the untransmittablethrough imag- tial grace" (ECL, pp. 133, 155). Clarice'sepiphanicuse of silence has exisery and the use of symbols. Clarice'stheory of duality is translated into stylistic duality: tential and mystical significance also. Silence her style is at the same time complex and is the key to both philosophies:nausea causes simple. The first qualityis in part manifested the protective cloak of language to disappear, in her symbolism and Joycean imagery of allowing silence to take its place as a means epiphany,and the second is often revealed in by which God communicates with the mystic. stylistic and grammatical"errors"(ECL, pp. According to mystics of all persuasions, it is impossible to describe communion with God 118, 159; MCL, p. 94). It is important for the reader to under- in its differentforms duringthe mysticaljourstand the idea of epiphany as it relates to ney except in symbolic terms. CatholicmysClarice'ssymbolism and imagery in order to ticism regularly uses marriage to symbolize avoid making invalid interpretations. Epiph- the final stage in the journey, with the groom any, as a theory of literary symbolism, is best representing God and the bride the soul. defined as follows: there are certain objects, Clariceat times employs the image of an apple statements, actions, and details that can re- in the dark to signify communion with God. veal everything that an author wants to say The fruit is the Biblicalsymbol for knowledge

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of God and the dark represents another medium through which He communicates. The apple appears first in A Maad no Escuro and later in UmaAprendizagem,where it has the addedsignificanceof a thingin the existential sense. Silence, which symbolizes the inability of words to express man's innermost feelings, is exemplified in its epiphanic use in Uma Aprendizagem:
Como estar ao alcancedessa profunda medita?aodo silincio? (p. 34). (The profound meditation of silence that Clarice speaks of is comparable to the continuous and absolute meditation characteristic of the unitive stage. See MR, p. 179.) O sil~ncio e a profundanoite secreta do mundo (p. 34). (Clarice'suse of the word "night"is reminiscent of San Juan de la Cruz's use of the word with reference to the two purgative stages of the mystical path: the "Night of the Senses" and the "DarkNight of the Soul.") Entio, se ha coragem, nao se luta mais. Entra-se nele, vai-se parao Inferno?(p. 36). (Clariceseems to be referring to the novice's initial participationin Nothingness, which according to G. H. 's description indeed resembles Hell.)

epiphanic use of this symbol:

Ai estava o mar, a mais ininteligivel das existencias naohumanas. E ali estava a mulher... 0 mais ininteligivel dos seres vivos .. . S6 poderia haver um encontro de seus misterios se um se entregasse ao outro: a entrega de dois mundos incognosciveis feita com a confian?acom que se entregariam duas compreens6es. (UA, p. 82). (This passage underscores the mystery surrounding union of the soul, represented by L6ri, with God, represented by the sea. It serves also to illustratethat union is not a one-sided affair:God desires it as muchas humans do. See Mr, pp. 181-82). Seu corpo se consola de sua pr6priaexigiiidade em relagao a vastidaiodo mar porque 6 a exigiiidade do corpo que o permite tornarse quente e delimitado, e o que a tornava pobre e livre gente . . . (UA, p. 83). (Here Clarice refers to the extreme impersonalityof God, contrasting it with the humble condition of humans.) O sal, o iodo, tudo liquido deixam-na por uns instantes cega, toda escorrendo- espantadade p6, fertilizada... E era isso o que estava lhe faltando: o mar por dentro como o liquido espesso de um homem. (UA, p. 84). (This passage gives the idea of humanunionto symbolize divine union.)

Another importantmystical image used by Clarice is that of water after a period of dryness. It symbolizes both human love and divine union.
Seus olhos abertos e diamantes. Nos telhados os pardais secos. "Eu vos amo, pessoas" era frase impossivel. ... Nada, nada morria na tarde enxuta, nada apodrecia.Nao existe menstruaqao. Os ovarios duas p6rolas secas. sdo Vou vos dizer a verdade: por 6dio seco, quero 6 isto mesmo, e que nao chova . . . E exatamente entio ela ouve alguma coisa . . E um rolar de trovao seco, ... mas onde? ... e antes da chuva cair o diamante dos olhos se liquefaz em duas lhgrimas ... E enfim o c6u se abranda. (UA, pp. 20-22)

In this passage water represents the ability at last to express love for others, which L6ri is just beginning to experience. Clarice expresses this concept through a juxtaposition of dryness and wetness. Her images of dryness-"seus olhos diamantes," "pardaissecos," "na tarde enxuta," "nao existe menstruagao," and "os ovirios sao duas perolas secas"-bring to mind the dryness characteristic of San Juan de la Cruz's "Nightof the Senses." Her images of wetness- "achuva," "o diamante dos olhos se liquefaz em duas ligrimas," and "o c6u se abranda"-represent L6ri'sfirst experiences with feeling, the beginning of love for others, which is the sine qua non of the unitive state (MR, pp. 181-82). Clarice dedicates a whole chapter of Uma Aprendizagemto water as a symbol of divine union. The following examples illustrate her

Accordingto Christiandoctrine the revelation of Christ to the Magi came throughtheir senses, especially those of sight, sound and touch. Clarice'srevelations concerning man's search for meaning appear to be made in the same sensory manner (ECL, pp., 133, 15357). Typical of her images are: "E um rolar de trovio seco, sem uma saliva .. ." (UA, p. 22); "Aomesmo tempo o ar tem um cheiro adocicadode elefantes grandes" (UA, p. 22); and "Queria ir embora como quem soluga" (UA, p. 90). These give forceful expression to the senses of taste, smell and feeling, and symbolize dryness, the elan of animal existence, and the anguish associated with the existential quest. Clarice'sunusualimage for the lackof moisture in nature reflects L6ri'semotionalstate, that is, her unwillingness to express her feelings. It seems unlikely that elephants smell sweet; however, L6ri's heroic effort to enter into contact with nature makes the image quite acceptable. The point of the thirdexample is that L6ri is socially embarrassed, as one who sobs or hiccups in public. It is through her imagery and symbolism, then, that Clariceexpresses man'ssearch for meaning. She further expresses his quest of through the manipulation various linguistic devices. Her use of repetition and violation of grammaticalnorms, syntax, and punctuation are considered stylistic weaknesses by some critics. Others view them fromthe more appropriateperspective of an author creating

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a style that best suits her world view. Clarice uses repetition, for example, to express silence, which she considers the means by which man gains greater access to transcendentalreality.Throughfrequentuse of various words and phrases she negates their force, much as the absurdistsdo, leavingthe reader with something akin to silence (ECL, pp. 116-18). Claricefurther expresses man's search for meaning in her choice of narrativetechniques. She uses stream-of-consciousness narrative in the beginning of the novel and interior monologue throughout the rest of the work. The purpose of these narrativetechniques is to capture the succession of thoughts characterizing human irrationality.One of Clarice's of chief devices here is the manipulation syntax and punctuation (ECL, p. 116). Some examples of her ellipticaluse of syntax are: "Sem se olharno espelho, era um sorriso que tinha a idiotice dos anjos" (UA, p. 126) and
"-

tive, obvious at the beginning of the novel, the reader does not expect conventionalpunctuation. Elsewhere, where the presence or absence of punctuationinterferes with his understanding,he is almost forced to supply his own punctuation. It is interesting, however, to note that as L6ri'sevolutioninto an authentic individual progresses Clariceherself tends to normalize punctuation. sidered the first to use fiction for the purpose of metaphysicalinquiryand the first to develop a style uniquely suited to such inquiry.Her worldview is an interesting blend of existential and mystic philosophies which she expresses through a style characterized by epiphanicimagery and symbolism as well as a sometimes studied indifferenceto stylisnorms. Clarice'scomplextic and grammatical ity of thought and expression is perhaps best revealed in Uma Aprendizagem,one of her three most important metaphysical works. This novel brings to its culminationthe existential and mystic quest begun in A Magd no Escuro and carried to its extreme in A Paixdo Segundo G.H. Those who have discussed the differentphases of existentialism explored by Claricehave noted that growing mysticism of the protagonistsin her novels preceding Uma Aprendizagem.Their efforts to find a mystical solutionto the problemof the humancondition would have reached a peak in A Magd no Escuroand especiallyinA PaixdoSegundoG.H., after which their authorsupposedly moved in an entirely differentdirection,with somewhat anti-climacticresults. While some of the discussants do not ignore the still very important mystical aspects of Clarice's more recent work, what they all stress is the return to humanity of the protagonists of UmaAprendizagem. Such an understandingis correct, but it is equally important to understand that not only existentialism but mysticism is a humanism. The greatest Christianmystics have preserved their humanity along the mystic way and in mystical union. Furthermore, after their times of spiritual anguish and delight, and because of them, they haveenjoyedearthly ones, which range from the most commonplace to the most exalted. This is the case also of L6ri and Ulysses who by the end of Uma Aprendizagemhave found an idea and learned a means by which to live, as was not the case of the protagonists of A Maga no

Clariceis conmongher compatriots

teve o mundo como este o e." The idea, of course, is that L6ri instinctively knew what kindof smile she was wearing;after indicating the subject, Clarice emphasizes the object. In the second sentence, Clariceuses a directobject pronoun somewhat unconventionally. The "o"shouldrefer to an adjective, but none appearsearlier, nor is any clearlyunderstood. Disregardingall norms, Clariceuses her own punctuation to record the inarticulateness that characterizes man's search for meaning (ECL, pp. 115-16). For example, the reader often expects a question mark where there is none: "Comoestar ao alcance dessa profunda medita?godo silencio? Desse silincio sem lembrangade palavras[?]. Se es morte, como te abengoar?"(UA, p. 34). And her repeated use of dashes and colons, among other punctuation, within the same paragraph, causes her narrative to be fragmentaryat times:
enfeitar-se era um ritual que a tornavagrave: a fazenda jdinao era um mero tecido, transformava-seem materia de coisa e era esse estofo que como o seu corpo ela dava corpo- como podia um simples pano ganhartanto movimento? seus cabelos de manha lavados e secos ao sol do pequeno terrago estavam de seda castanha mais antiga-bonita? nao, mulher: L6ri entao pintou cuidadosamente os hibios... (UA, p. 13)

saia-se devagar, com um suspiro de quem

Naturalexpression, "escrever sem estilo"as Ulysses says (UA, p. 171), is what modern writers normallystrive for, but Clarice'slack of concern for style can at times be a problem. Within the stream-of-consciousness narra-

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Escuro and A Paixao Segundo G.H.'

* NOTES 'Joseph H. McMahon, Human Beings: The Worldof Jean-Paul Sartre (Chicago, 1971), pp. 47, 75; hereafter cited as HB. See also Benedito Nunes, O Mundo de Clarice Lispector(Manaus, 1966), p. 94; hereafter cited as MCL. 2A MaCano Escuro (Rio, 1970), pp. 104-05; hereafter cited as ME. See also Benedito Nunes, Leiturade Clarice Lispector (Sao Paulo, 1973), p. 25; hereafter cited as LCL. 'A Paixdo Segundo G.H. (Rio, 1964), p. 57, hereafter

cited as PSGH. 4Uma Aprendizagemou 0 Livro dos Prazeres (Rio, 1969), pp. 9-10; hereafter cited as UA. See also MCL, p. 104. 'Robert S. Ellwood, Mysticism and Religion (Englewood Cliffs, 1980), p. 169); hereafter cited as MR. (London, 1911), pp. 203-07. "Mysticism 'Olga de S5, A Escriturade ClariceLispector(Petr6polis, 1978), pp. 103, 113; hereafter cited as ECL. "EdgarV. Roberts, WritingThemes about Literature (Englewood Cliffs, 1969), p. 99. See also ECL, pp. 133, 155. "TheUniversity of Texas Press will publish a translation of UA by the present authors in Spring 1986.