Kisses, guava paste, and oppression in Uma maré de desejos, by Georgina Martins

Abstract

This article analyzes the book Uma Maré de Desejos, by Georgina Martins, focusing on the experiences of Sergiana, a girl raised by her aunt in the Complexo da Maré, and on the relationships she establishes with adult figures. In contrast to Luciano, a male character who also lives in a situation of vulnerability, significant differences are observed in the treatment they each receive. Although gender is not explicitly addressed in the narrative, it emerges as a subtextual element that permeates the characters' experiences. Sergiana’s desires are systematically suppressed by the adult figures around her, while Luciano benefits from a more supportive network. Thus, the narrative reveals how gender implicitly operates as a limiting factor in the protagonist’s development. The analysis is grounded in the works of authors such as Beauvoir (1970), Adichie (2014), hooks (2018), and Evaristo (2005), as well as in studies on childhood by Hunt (1991) and Winnicott (1979), reflecting on gender asymmetries in the process of youth maturation.