ESCREVIVÊNCIAS OF RESISTANCE: INTERSECTIONALITY AND NECROPOLITICS IN THE SHORT STORY 'MARIA' FROM THE COLLECTION OLHOS D'ÁGUA BY CONCEIÇÃO EVARISTO

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the short story Maria, from the collection Olhos D’água (2014) by Conceição Evaristo, based on the monographic research project A Interseccionalidade e a Docência Literária em Três Contos de Olhos D’Água, de Conceição Evaristo.The study combines theoretical reflections with personal interpretations from the authors and participants of the online reading club Escrevivências Ciberfeministas. It examines how Maria portrays the dynamics of resistance and marginalization of Black women in Brazil through the intersectional markers of gender, race, and class. The concepts of intersectionality (Crenshaw, Akotirene) and necropolitics (Mbembe) are central to understanding how different forms of oppression intersect, making certain lives more vulnerable to violence and neglect. This logic is reflected in the protagonist’s journey, highlighting the criminalization of Black bodies, systemic exploitation, and the naturalized exclusion in society. In addition to emphasizing the power of Conceição Evaristo’s writing in exposing social inequalities and valuing Black identity and resistance, the research underscores the reading club as a vital space for critical debate and belonging. The collective exchange among readers broadens the possibilities for interpretation and engagement with the text, reaffirming literature as an instrument of struggle and social awareness.