I’ve heard someone say that this book is more important as a historical document than as a literary work. And I agree with it.

Child of the Dark is the publication, without edits, of the journals of a woman living in deep misery in a favela (a slum) in the city of São Paulo in the 1950s. Carolina Maria de Jesus was a single mother who lived with her 3 kids in a shack in Favela do Canindé, making barely enough to eat most days. To survive hunger she collected and sold scrap metal. To survive despair, she wrote in her diary.

She lived in a situation we describe in Brazil as “selling the lunch to pay for dinner”. Hunger was a constant for her and her children. She often found herself in a scenario of having to go out to the streets early in the morning, hoping to find something to sell so she can use the money to buy breakfast. Sometimes she couldn’t find anything. On these days, her family ended up eating food from the trash bins, even though she tried to avoid it.

But the problem is not only hunger. Racism and the prejudice of the people of the “city” make a strong appearance in the book as well. On top of that, the constant stress and lack of perspectives that affect all the residents in the favela make everyone’s fuse short. Alcoholism is common and violence breaks out daily, especially domestic violence. In that regard, Carolina considers herself lucky:

“The women point out that I’m not married. But I’m happier than all of them. (…) At night, while the women cry for help, I calmly listen to Viennese waltzes in my shack. While the husbands break down the shack planks, my kids and I sleep soundly. I don’t envy the married women of the favela that live their lives like slaves.”

Child of the Dark, p. 9, loose translation from Portuguese**

As you can see from the quote above, Carolina also had a witty sense of humour, especially when criticizing the people who did her wrong.

Historic side

As a historical document, this is a book that everybody should read. I already had a good idea of what life in the favelas is like, having been to some of them myself. But it’s something really different when you read the day-by-day accounts with their complete lack of perspective jumping from the page.

I saw some non-Brazilians questioning the veracity of the story, and I can assure you that things are exactly like that, up until this day. The difference is that now you add police violence and organized crime to the mix.

This was something that surprised me, by the way. How police violence seems to be absent from her book and the residents of the favela often call the cops to solve disputes. That situation definitely changed after the 80s with the rise of the drug cartels, and the many violent incursions of the police that destroyed the trust in the institution.

Child of the Dark is also unique for being the first ever published first-hand account of misery in Brazil. The book sold more than 100,000 copies in a few months and Carolina became a sensation in the literary circles. With the income from the book sales, she was able to move to a house out of the favela, even though she never fully escaped poverty.

Literary side

As an author, Carolina Maria de Jesus is to this day put on a pedestal as a literary genius and hero. And that’s where the problems start for me. She has indeed a unique voice that often shows up in witty commentary about her neighbors and the politicians. And her persistent efforts to get published – even sending her writings to American magazines – only shows her remarkable grit.

“Every election year the politicians change but they don’t end the hunger, that has its main office in the favelas and its branches in the homes of the construction workers”

“In the past, the pasta was the most expensive meal. Now it’s the rice and beans, that have passed the pasta. They’re the new rich and moved to the side of the barons. Even you, rice and bean, abandons us!”

Child of the Dark, p. 30, 32, lose translation**

But… There are some serious problems with the format of the book.

(Let me just take note here that Carolina’s text is full of what people would call grammatical errors. As she had very little instruction, words are often misspelled and phrases are constructed in a way that would make grammar nazis shriek. That’s not the problem that I’m pointing out here, and I don’t think that aspect of her writing should be changed or even criticized).

The thing is that, in order to preserve full “authenticity”, the publishers decided not to edit the material and published it in full, as it was. And if you ever had a diary, you understand that not all days are exactly “newsworthy”. Unless you’re living daily plot twists, most days consist of getting up and going about your life.

Carolina did indeed have a remarkable life, from the perspective of many of the readers. While we wake up, feed our kids and go to work, she was fighting for her survival every day. But like most of us, her days are all the same – she wakes up, fetches water, heats up what little food is left, leaves to collect scraps, buys a little food, comes back, witnesses the neighbours fighting, writes, goes to bed. After 70 entries like that it does start to get old and I found myself skipping many days toward the end.

But there’s an even more concerning problem with her writing.

This is a journal with no filters. She spends a good chunk of the book – I’d say 60% – talking ill about her neighbours. These are situations that she encountered in real life, so that wouldn’t necessarily be a problem, if it wasn’t for the alarming doses of xenophobia, discrimination and even racism. And yes, Carolina is Black, which makes the situation even more complicated.

“I started to write. I turned on the radio to listen to the tango. I woke up thinking about that gypsy, who is worse than the Blacks. I don’t advise anyone one to be friends with them (gypsies).“

Child of the Dark, p. 30 and 32, lose translation**

Anyone writing a sentence like that nowadays would be destroyed by the critics. Even literary work from the 19th century that has any allusion to racism is frowned upon today. Even modern authors that include discrimination scenes for authenticity are shamed.

So why should we accept this so easily in her work?

And it’s not only racism. Her book is thick with critiques of what she calls “nortistas”. These are Northeastern Brazilian migrants who moved in large groups to São Paulo and still face a lot of discrimination to this day. Not to mention how she regards the favela residents (the “favelados”) – as the scum of the Earth. These are constant mentions in her work.

“A man passing by asked me what I was writing. I said – All the memories of the favelados, these projects of human beings.
(…)
The favelados learn fast everything dirty and pornographic.
(…)
A favelados’ assembly is made with cudgels, stones and violence”

Child of the Dark, pgs. 15, 35, 40, lose translation**

Some might argue that she was just describing the miserable conditions she was living in and is a product of her time. Ok, but then we can say the same of so many authors who regarded Black people as an inferior race. Aren’t they all just products of their time and circumstances?

Why should we give just her a free pass?

Don’t get me wrong, I still think you should read this book. Carolina Maria de Jesus is undoubtedly an important figure in Brazilian literature.

But can we just stop pretending that the racism and the xenophobia are not there?

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*The original title in Portuguese is “Quarto de Despejo”, and the literal translation would be “junk room” – a room in the house we people often store cleaning products or unwanted materials. Carolina used to say that the favela is the junk room of the city.

** Translating Carolina Maria de Jesus is extremely difficult since her work often deviates from the regular grammar. I did the best I could to preserve both style and meaning, but the official translation might be way better.