Central Do Brazil Characters

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The subversion of the stereotypical passive role of women on the road is also seen in the Brazilian 1998 road movie ‘’Central Do Brasil’’, directed by Walter Salles. The road movie displays the leading female character as an active player in shaping and forming the story line. The opening scene of the movie shows us people pouring in and out of trains and bustling around the train station of Rio de Janeiro from every segment of society (Brandellero 2013, 152). On the faces of these people one reads fear, uncertainty, haste and hopelessness and in this setting, Dora, a retired school teacher, supplements her income by writing letters to be posted for illiterate people to their loved ones. We are introduced to various characters who are desperate to share their …show more content…

She dictates a new letter and in doing so, the viewer becomes aware that she is still deeply in love with Josue’s father. The shock is great when Ana dies in an accident next to the train station. Dora witnesses the tragedy and sees young Josue forced to fend for himself. She convinces Josue to come with her and passes him onto an adoption agency for a fee. Dora is an opportunist and has no intention of helping Josue. She is led by greed and leaves him behind. It is not until her friend makes her feel guilty by pointing out the danger she has put Josue in that something inside her stirs; a sense of compassion that forces her to kidnap him back and embark on a road trip in search of his father (Thunder 2001, 3). The journey on the road enlightens the viewer about the toxic relationship that Dora had with her father, and how this has affected her view on men and overall faith in humanity. Furthermore, the journey on the road paves a way for the development of a true friendship between Dora and Josue, who despite their differences, long for the same love and affection that they were deprived of in their

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