Leaving home, women who defy tradition in Amanhecer

The women’s struggles to acquire independence and autonomy over their bodies and their lives have been a historical constant. Since colonial times, women's body and the control of their sexuality were attributed to male power. Amanhecer (1938) is a novel of formation with a feminine protagonist, written by Lúcia Miguel Pereira. The novel narrates the transition to adulthood of Maria Aparecida, an idealistic and romantic woman who goes through an existential anguish and crisis related to the paradigm shift on the feminine generated in the first half of the 20th century in Brazil. In this transformation, a lot of women found different ways to develop themselves outside of their homes. However, they suffered the weight of a cultural heritage, adverse to changes, and the stagnation of social practices and imaginaries.

Key words:
Amanhecer; Lúcia Miguel Pereira; Novels of female development; Bildungsroman; Female sexuality