The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas

Examine the portrayal of class dynamics in Machado de Assis’s The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas, exploring how social status influences the characters’ lives, aspirations, and relationships. Discuss how these elements impact Brás Cubas’s perception of himself, his interactions with others, and his overall worldview.

Explore the metafictional elements of the novel, examining how Machado de Assis’s narrative choices and the very structure of the novel shape the story. What would be different if the novel had a different narrator or a different timeline? In what way can the author’s unconventional choices be considered “Realism”?

Analyze the role of memory in Brás’s interpretations of events. How does his subjective view of the past influence his understanding of himself and his life’s trajectory?