Representação metafórica do homem em textos amazônicos de Euclides da Cunha

Sumario: This dissertation is the result of the research which had as general objective to analyze the metaphorical representation of three human types, the rubber tappers, the caucheiro, and the native, in Euclides da Cunha‟s Amazonian texts. Readings about metaphors created by the writer were carried out and glimpsed from the concepts of Conceptual Metaphor, by Lakoff and Johnson (2002). Previously, I commented on the steps of development from the classical (initiated by Aristotle) and interactionist approaches (I. A. Richards and Max Black). I also substantiated the research on Ricouer (2000) and Guedelha (2013). The methodological journey was based on bibliographical research, whose object was only the texts which may be found in the collection Amazon – a paradise lost, edited by Editora Valer, in 2003. From this point, I was able to constitute a theoretical framework which would allow to verify the representation metaphor of Amazonian man based on the theory of Conceptual Metaphor; to compare the writings of different analysts of Euclides da Cunha‟s work in his Amazonian texts; and to analyze the Euclidean texts, with respect to the representation of the human types linked to the rubber plantations. The metaphors presented counterpoints among the Brazilian rubber tappers (sertanejos), caucheiros (Peruvian), and the natives (indigenous and caboclos). The sertanejos are represented with characteristics of heroism, fighter and with acts of nobility. The caucheiros appear like destroyers, conquerors by the force of the arms, as well as assassins. The natives are described as lazy and unruly. Euclides also put himself as a character within the Amazonian space. He not only narrated the facts and actions lived by rubber tappers, caucheiros and natives, but he was present within the environment and also made use of his subject position to represent his characters according to how he perceived and lived the situations. In this regard, he did not deprive himself of using metaphors.