The ´sincerity strategy` in "Feliz ano velho", by Marcelo Rubens Paiva

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the autobiography Feliz Ano Velho, by Marcelo Rubens Paiva. The intention is to discuss, from the work, the "truth" contained in the memorialism and some possibilities for their development, through the intimate writing. Beside that, the unraveling of the process of writing itself, we propose a revisitation of the work of Paiva, fairly representative of the historical period in question (to democracy after the dictatorship period in Brazil), that reaches 30 years in 2012. We understand that in this book, the author adopts the "strategy of openness", comprised, among other elements, by the choice of a simple language and mention of certain facts and nuances of Paiva’s life, involving drugs, sexuality and the accident that left him paraplegic, after jumping into a pond. As a result, there has, after all, the construction of a self-portrait that captivates audiences through the effect of authenticity.