Words and Stories. Palavras e Histórias.
Nesta passagem do romance O Sobrinho do Mago, de C. S. Lewis, duas crianças foram transportadas por meio de mágica para uma antiga cidade deserta, num outro mundo. Ali, elas sem querer despertam uma rainha adormecida, que lhes conta a história do lugar. Notem como C. S. Lewis usa esta cena para revelar que a … Continue lendo [Trecho literário] Uma personagem tirânica
In this passage from C. S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew, two children are transported by magic to a deserted ancient city in another world. Here, they inadvertently wake up a sleeping queen, who tells them the history the place. Notice how C. S. Lewis uses this scene to reveal that the queen has the defining … Continue lendo [Literary passage] A tyrant in fantasy
"Será que ganharemos força com irresolução e inação? Nossos irmãos já estão no campo de batalha! Por que estamos parados aqui, ociosos?" As forças de Putin invadem a Ucrânia, e países que há três décadas prometeram defendê-la hesitam. Certo, ninguém — além de um tirano enlouquecido — quer aumentar o risco de uma guerra nuclear. … Continue lendo [Discurso histórico] A Guerra Inevitável
These reflections on the principles of art are not at all meant to be exhaustive. They are merely notes to a screenwriter acquaintance — which I thought I'd share with a wider audience — intended to spark interest in a deeper view of storytelling. Dear —, I believe some measure of ugliness is necessary to … Continue lendo [Opinion] Why stories should be beautiful
This folk tale from Bulgaria was — in its Portuguese version, taken from an old encyclopedia of folk tales — the most read of all stories on my blog in 2021. I've translated it now, so that English speakers too can be touched by it. Tuck felt very weary. His poor and penurious existence weighed … Continue lendo [Legend from Bulgaria] The Well
A história de Natal deste ano é este conto de G. Lenôtre. Se quiser baixar a história em .pdf, clique aqui. Eram quatro: todos oriundos do bairro de Santo António, esse vulcão extinto que outrora, com intervalos quase regulares, vomitava sobre Paris torrentes de lava revolucionária. Numa manhã de Agosto de 1792, os quatro tinham … Continue lendo [Conto natalino] Um Natal na Palestina
“I no longer write the articles I love writing”, a screenwriter acquaintance confided to me last week. “There’s no money in them.” But is “no money” a good reason to stop writing what we love? This depends of course on how much time and energy we have left after we complete those jobs that do … Continue lendo [Opinion] Should we write for love — or for money?
Writers must make a constant effort to find the best verbs to convey action. It's what Anthony Buckeridge does in the Jennings books. When reading the passages below, notice how vivid the verbs are, how easy it is to visualize the action. Setup: alone in the boarding school classroom, the boys Jennings and Darbishire decide … Continue lendo [Writing tips] Choosing verbs and creating humour
To many of us, the name of H. C. Andersen evokes world-famous tales like The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Brave Tin Soldier, The Wild Swans, The Little Match-Seller. But Andersen wrote a wealth of lesser-known stories that are just as full of beauty and meaning as his more celebrated tales. This is one … Continue lendo [Andersen’s lesser-known tales] In the Uttermost Parts of the Sea
This is not really a literary analysis. It's just a gush of enthusiasm for one of R. L. Stevenson's jewels — a two-word jewel that has been sitting under my nose for years, but which I only really saw this morning. In the silence of a countryside morning, a woodpecker is pecking away at one … Continue lendo [Literary analysis] A felicitous phrase
Beatriz Becker 