Born illegitimate and impoverished in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Carolina Maria de Jesus had to overcome a series of seemingly insurmountable obstacles throughout her lifetime just to survive. During her childhood, de Jesus had few educational opportunities, taking only two years of formal. Carolina Maria de Jesus was born in 1915 in Minas Gerais, Brazil. She was an illegitimate child and grew up as an impecunious peasant. Carolina was ostracized due to the fact that she was a.
Carolina Maria de Jesus at a book signing in 1960Carolina Maria de Jesus (14 March 1914 – 13 February 1977) was a Brazilian writer who lived most of her life in a (slums) of, Brazil. She is best known for her, which was first published as Quarto de Despejo ( Dumping Room, published in English as Child of the Dark) in August 1960, after coming to the attention of a journalist, and became a bestseller.
This work remains the only document published in English by a Brazilian slum-dweller from that period. Contents.Biography Early life Carolina Maria de Jesus was born in, a rural community where her parents were. She was an, fathered by a man who was already married, so she was treated as an outcast during her entire childhood. When Carolina reached the age of seven, her mother forced her to attend school after a wealthy landowner's wife paid for her, as well as other poor black children in the neighborhood. She stopped attending school by the second grade, though she went long enough to learn how to read and write.
Since her mother had two illegitimate children, her family was excluded from the while she was still young. However, throughout her life Carolina considered herself a devout Catholic. In her diary she often made references, and overtures to God: ' I dreamt I was an angel. My dress was billowing and had long pink sleeves. I went from earth to heaven.
I put stars in my hands and played with them. I talked to the stars. They put on a show in my honor. They danced around me and made a luminous path. When I woke up I thought: I’m so poor. I can't afford to go to a play so God sends me these dreams for my aching soul. To the God who protects me, I send my thanks.'
In 1937, her mother died, and Carolina was forced to migrate to the of. She made her own house out of used, cans, cardboard, and anything else she could find.
She would go out every night to collect paper in order to get money to support the family. She would sell what she had collected and then go to the store and buy what little food that she could with the money.
She would also find journals and old notebooks, in which she began to record her day-to-day activities and about her life in the. It angered her neighbors to see her always writing. They themselves were not literate but they felt uncomfortable with the thought of her writing about them. Her neighbors were jealous of her and tended to treat Carolina and her children very poorly. She was an attractive young woman and had many love affairs, although she refused to marry, having seen too much in the slum, and preferring to remain independent.
Unlike many black women in that time and place, Carolina celebrated her race; she thought her skin and hair were beautiful.Her three children had different fathers, at least one of whom was a wealthy white man. In her diary, she details the daily life of the favelados, and bluntly describes the political and social facts which order their lives. She writes of how poverty and desperation can cause people of high moral character to compromise their principles and dishonor themselves simply to get food for themselves and their families. There is no chance to save money, because any extra earnings must immediately go to pay off outstanding debt.Publication of her diary Carolina Maria De Jesus' diary was published in August 1960. She was discovered by journalist Audalio Dantas in April 1958. He was covering the opening of a small municipal playground and immediately following the ceremonies, a moved in and claimed the area, chasing the children away. Dantas saw Carolina standing at the edge of the playground shouting, 'Leave, or I'll put you in my book!'
The intruders departed. Dantas asked what she meant about her book; she was shy at first, but took him to her shack and showed him everything.
He asked for a small sample and subsequently ran it in the newspaper.Carolina's story 'electrified the town,' and in 1960, Quarto de Despejo ( The Garbage Place), was published. It became the most successful book in history. Although written in the simple, inelegant language of a, her diary was translated into thirteen languages and became a bestseller in North America and Europe. It was published in the United States and the UK as Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus, in 1962.
The book was heavily edited by Dantas, and some critics suspected that the diary was a fraud; but the original was preserved and reprinted whole in 1999, proving that not only did Carolina write it herself, but that she was a much livelier and more poetic writer than Dantas' edition seemed to present.
Carolina Maria de Jesus was born on March 14th, 1914 in Minas Gerais. Most of her life she lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her parents were sharecroppers. Her father was a married man already when her mom got pregnant, so he didn’t really pay mind to her. Carolina was never introduced to school until her mother’s landowner's wife paid for her education and other poor black children in the neighborhood. She stopped going to school by the second grade, which was long enough for her to know how to read and write. Her family was not allowed to attend the neighborhood Catholic Church; because her mother had two children with married men.
This didn't stop Carolina from believing in her religion, she stood a devoted Catholic.In the year 1937, she was forced to move to the metropolis of Sao Paulo after her mom passed away. She was force to create her home out of cardboard, cans and anything that was available around her. Carolina made her self responsible that her family had all the necessary, every night she would collect paper and re-sell it the next day, and with that money she would buy food. Her family consisted of three children, Vera Eunice, Jose Carlos, and Joao Jose. All her children had different fathers, one being a white rich guy.
She began her writing in journals that she would find in the street and in them she would write down her everyday struggle and life in the favela. Her neighbors weren’t a fan of her; they hated seeing her write because they didn't know how to. Carolina was never the type to have a settle relationship, even though she was an attractive female.
She had experienced seeing too much domestic violence in the favelas; therefore, never sought marriage and rather depended on herself.Carolina’s diary was published in August 1960 into thirteen languages. It is known as a best seller in North America and Europe. In New York City it was published as Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus in 1962. In her diary she wrote about how poverty, struggles and other circumstances from living in the favelas can cause desperation for families. Her diary had actual real names, therefore; her neighbors despised her and she became a social victim after the publication. Her family was thrown pots and rocks, especially after she moved in to a brick house with the money she received of her book. In 1960, her book The Garbage place, was published and it became the most successful book in Brazilian publishing history.Carolina was able to accomplish her dreams of becoming a writer without the help of others.
She brought awareness of the living conditions in the favelas that made politicians and the Governor of Sao Paolo to begin projects that would show women how to care for their families, sew and know good hygiene. She was unique, because even categorize as lowest in society it didn't stop her from having aspirations. After her Diary, she had four additional books. Carolina passed away on February 13, 1977.Author profile written by.Are you the author profiled here?
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