Face: Analysis of Major Characters
"Face: Analysis of Major Characters" explores the poignant journey of Helio Cara, a barber in Rio de Janeiro whose life is dramatically altered after he suffers a severe facial injury from falling off a cliff. Initially characterized by a modest sense of stability, Helio's circumstances change as he grapples with societal rejection and the emotional turmoil stemming from his injury. His relationship with Lula, his mistress, deteriorates as she struggles to cope with the changes in his appearance. Helio’s coworkers, Luis and Mario, experience a mix of empathy and helplessness, ultimately leading to his dismissal from the barbershop due to societal prejudices.
The narrative also delves into Helio's complex family dynamics, marked by unresolved feelings towards his deceased mother, Senhora Cara, and resentment towards his stepfather, Julião. The character of Godoy, a doctor, represents the institutional barriers that Helio faces in seeking medical assistance, leading him to take matters into his own hands and attempt to reconstruct his face using an array of resources. Throughout this journey, Helio's process of self-reconstruction is not just physical but also psychological, as he learns to navigate the challenges of reintegration into society. The story presents a profound exploration of identity, resilience, and the impact of societal perceptions on individual lives.
Face: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Cecile Pineda
First published: 1985
Genre: Novel
Locale: Brazil
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: The 1980's
Helio Cara, the protagonist and central character of the novel. Helio starts out in the novel as a barber in the huge Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. By no means a successful or extraordinarily happy man, Helio nevertheless has the rudiments of life: a job, a girlfriend, and basic acceptance by others. All of this is jeopardized when he falls off a cliff and severely damages his face. Forced to wear a white handkerchief over his face to conceal injuries that other people find repulsive, Helio at first tries to go on with his life as if nothing had happened, but his coworkers and his girlfriend repudiate him, unable to adjust to or to cope with his injury. Helio petitions the city's medical establishment for aid, but he is told that although his face can be physically repaired, his medical insurance will not cover the cost of making him look attractive once again. Helio decides to return to the town where he was born. Motivated to a new brilliance, Helio self-reliantly proceeds to reconstruct his own face using a mixture of medical guides, folk medicine, and the ingenuity of his own mind. At the end of the novel, Helio has repaired the damage to himself, both physical and psychological, and is ready to meet the challenge of living in society once again.
Lula, Helio's mistress, who had been living with him at the time of the accident. Lula leaves Helio even though she still has some tenderness for him; the burden of coping with his injury is too much for her.
Luis and Mario, Helio's coworkers at the barbershop. After the accident, they feel empathy for him that is a vestige of their former camaraderie, but they realize that because of the prejudices of their customers, Helio cannot be kept on at the shop.
Cardoso, a barber. Helio's former boss at the shop, Cardoso had taught the younger man to read and had generally acclimated him to the ways of the overwhelming metropolis of Rio de Janeiro.
Senhora Cara, Helio's mother. She dies just before the accident. Helio is bitter toward her for having remarried shortly after his father's death.
Julião, Helio's stepfather. Helio resents Julião for taking the place of his father. Long before Helio's face is injured, he suffers psychically from the trauma of his mother's marriage to Julião.
Godoy, a doctor and hospital administrator. Godoy tells Helio of the insuperable obstacles facing his effort to have his face repaired courtesy of government funding. Later, after Helio has succeeded in convincingly reconstructing his face, Godoy sends Helio a letter at his shack in the hinterlands, presumably offering further help in the treatment.