Capitães da Areia: uma proposta de leitura do romance de Jorge Amado em sala de aula

Abstract

This study proposes the formation of literary readers in basic education. Based on the classroom reading of Jorge Amado's novel Capitães da Areia (Captains of the Sands), the research involves two 9th-grade classes from the Center for Teaching and Research Applied to Education at the Federal University of Goiás. In this way, it addresses central issues related to the formation of literary readers in Brazil, the role of the Pró-Livro Institute, the emergence of the novel as a literary genre, and the historical context of the 1930s novel in the country, in addition to discussing Jorge Amado's proletarian novel. This study seeks to answer some questions about the reading experience: Does literature shape humanist citizens? Does it serve as a form of social identification? How is Capitães da Areia received in the school context? In what ways can the novel contribute to the teaching of literature in schools? Does literature promote social change? To answer these questions, the study is grounded in the works of Sônia Kramer (2000), Maria Teresa Andruetto (2012), and Vera Teixeira Aguiar (2011). Furthermore, it analyzes the formation of the 1930s novel from the perspectives of Lafetá (2000) and Antônio Candido (1989, 1995, 2010). It also investigates the impact of neoliberalism on education, as outlined by sociologist Christian Laval (2004), and reflects on emancipatory education based on the contributions of Paulo Freire (1996). The data analysis follows an interpretive approach, considering the applied didactic sequence, the classroom reading experience, the screening of the film and music, as well as the notes and questionnaires used throughout the research. This action research, conducted between late 2023 and early 2024, resulted in the creation of an educational product in the form of a blog titled Capitães da Areia: From Oppression to Freedom. The study is part of the Professional Master's Program in Teaching in Basic Education at the Center for Teaching and Research Applied to Education (CEPAE) of the Federal University of Goiás (UFG).