The Passion According to G. H.: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Passion According to G. H." is a novel that centers on G. H., a middle-aged Brazilian woman who embarks on a profound psychological and philosophical introspection during a moment of personal crisis. Living a comfortable life in Rio de Janeiro as an amateur artist, she navigates shallow social relationships and fleeting romantic encounters. The story is triggered by the abrupt departure of her maid, Janair, which leads G. H. to discover significant changes in the maid's living space, prompting deeper reflections on her own life and choices.
As G. H. grapples with her past, including a key relationship with a former lover, the narrative explores themes of love, identity, and the nature of existence. The presence of characters such as the doctor, who performed her abortion, and the crying man, a symbol of her unacknowledged love, further enriches her journey of self-discovery. Ultimately, G. H. resolves to embrace a new understanding of life, leaving readers to ponder the implications of her decisions and the possibilities of her future. This novel offers a rich exploration of personal and philosophical dilemmas, inviting reflections on the complexities of human connections and self-awareness.
The Passion According to G. H.: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Clarice Lispector
First published: A Paixão Segundo G. H., 1964 (English translation, 1988)
Genre: Novel
Locale: An apartment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Plot: Epiphany
Time: The 1960's
G. H., a Brazilian woman identified only by her initials. G. H. narrates the story, which is largely concerned with recording her psychological reactions during a moment of self-reevaluation and turmoil. She is a middle-aged, middle-class amateur artist living in Rio de Janeiro who has enough income from investments to live well and amuse herself by sculpting. She has many friends and loves to go to parties, restaurants, and dance clubs, yet she has never formed any but shallow relationships. Although she has had a number of lovers, it seems that none of them has touched her deeply or established a long-term alliance with her. When she accidentally became pregnant, she hurried to have an abortion so that she would not be tied down. Nothing is told about her parents or early years, but it is hinted that she has had one lover in particular for whom she developed a profound affection; unfortunately, she was blind to her own feelings at the time. The novel focuses on G. H.'s thoughts one morning when she begins reconsidering the philosophical basis of her life. In the end, G. H. resolves to live in accordance with her newly enriched vision of the world, but it is left teasingly unclear whether, and how, she will keep her promise to herself.
Janair, G. H.'s maid, whose abrupt and unexplained departure leads G. H. to clean the servant's room and find that Janair has altered it in unusual ways, stripping it of all decorations except for primitive figures she has drawn in charcoal on the wall. Janair's name perhaps recalls the name of the city, Rio de Janeiro, where the action takes place.
The cockroach, an old insect that scares G. H. by coming out of Janair's wardrobe and is squashed to death; the incident sparks G. H.'s philosophical reflections.
The doctor, who performed G. H.'s abortion. The doctor temporarily becomes an addressee of her written record, but he is not further described.
The crying man, a former lover who also temporarily becomes G. H.'s addressee. In recalling a moment of silent communion between the two of them, she realizes that he was the one man she really loved. He is described only as he appeared in this incident, with none of his past or future relations with the narrator mentioned.