Fuvest 2024: see historical context of mandatory works – 12/16/2023 – Education

The second phase of Fuvest, the USP (University of São Paulo) entrance exam, takes place on Sunday (17) and Monday (18). On the first day, more than 30 thousand candidates must write an essay and answer ten questions in Portuguese.

Such questions must require knowledge of mandatory readings. But it’s not just the literary repertoire that should be charged — the Fuvest panel is known for mixing text interpretation with the historical context of books.

Find out when and where some of the narratives on the 2024 book list are developed.

Inconfidência Mineira

_{“Marília de Dirceu”, by Tomás António Gonzaga, and “Romanceiro da Inconfidência”, by Cecília Meireles}

In the 18th century, the captaincy of Minas Gerais was the jewel of colonial Brazil. From there, kilos of gold and diamonds were extracted. The majority were sent to enrich the Kingdom of Portugal. However, the population of Minas Gerais also benefited.

Knowing this, the Marquis of Pombal, head of the Portuguese government during the reign of Dom José 1º (1970-1977), ordered an increase in taxes in the region. The initiative displeased the captaincy’s elites, who began to inflame a separatist revolt.

The movement would begin in Vila Rica —now Ouro Preto—, the richest city in Minas Gerais at the time. Afterwards, the rebels aspired to conquer the state and declare their divorce from the empire. Did not work. The colony’s administration discovered the plan, arrested members of the revolt and killed its exponent, Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes.

Heyday and decline of the Kingdom of Portugal

^{“Message”, by Fernando Pessoa}

Lisbon became the capital of the world after Portugal’s overseas conquests began in 1415. There, an empire was born, eager for land and wealth. The exploration of territories, especially in Africa and America, resulted in prosperity for more than 100 years.

Everything changed in 1580. King Dom Sebastião disappeared during the battle of Alcácer-Quibir, before the Kingdom of Morocco, and a succession crisis began. Without heirs, the throne passed to his great-uncle, a priest. He died within a few years, and the crown passed to his closest and most powerful relative: Philip of Habsburg, Majesty of Spain.

It was the beginning of the Iberian Union, a traumatic period for the Portuguese people, who prayed for Sebastião’s return to save the Portuguese spirit. Hope became a term: Sebastianism — the belief in a messiah.

The so-called Philippine dynasty ended in 1640, with the arrival of the House of Bragança to the Portuguese throne after a civil war. Two more centuries of conquests and growing nationalism.

A new crisis arose with the Independence of Brazil, in 1822. Upon losing their main source of income, the Portuguese sought to expand their influence in Africa, but were blocked by the United Kingdom. This led to the collapse of the monarchy and the establishment of the Portuguese Republic in 1910.

The context inspired the epic narrative of “Mensagem”, a work in poems by Fernando Pessoa.

War for Mozambique’s independence

^{“We Killed the Trespassing Dog”, by Luís Bernardo Honwana}

Mozambique had been a Portuguese colony since 1498, and racial segregation had always been a hallmark of the regime. This, however, worsened when dictator António Salazar took over the European country, starting in 1933. Black people were prevented from ascending socially.

Mozambican dissatisfaction grew. Strikes were organized. Writers and artists conveyed the population’s expectation of freedom. In 1960, Portugal tried to further repress Africans. It was the trigger for the creation of the Mozambique Liberation Front.

The armed group began advancing across the country in 1964. The plan was to conquer provinces, transforming them into independent regions. Then, reach one of the seats of power. This occurred in September of that year, when a conflict began that would last a decade.

In September 1974, the Lusaka Accords were signed, ending the armed conflict between colonizers and colonized people. On June 25, 1975, Mozambique’s independence was officially declared, and a Marxist state was started there by the separatist leader Samora Machel.

The African country’s independence process is portrayed in the work “We Kill the Tiny Dog”, by Luís Bernardo Honwana.

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What are the books of 2024

• Marília de Dirceu – Tomás Antônio Gonzaga
• Quincas Borba – Machado de Assis
• Anguish – Graciliano Ramos
• Some Poetry – Carlos Drummond de Andrade
• Message – Fernando Pessoa
• We killed the vicious dog! – Luís Bernardo Honwana
• Campo Geral – Guimarães Rosa
• Romance of Inconfidência – Cecília Meireles
• Two brothers – Milton Hatoum