Nos becos da memória: a relação entre memória, identidade e escrita na obra de Conceição Evaristo

Conceição Evaristo is an exemplary author of Afro-Brazilian literature and can be considered one of the greatest representatives of this genre within the country. His books deal with excluded and marginalized minorities, bringing to focus life experiences of discriminated individuals, who face prejudice, inequalities and extreme situations every day. Taking into account the importance of this theme and the works of the author as a whole, this article aims to recognize how the concepts of identity and memory are related in Memory Alleys (2006), contributing in the construction of characters and plot. As concerns the theoretical apparatus, we selected critical perspectives by Candau, Hall, Todorov, Pêcheux and Le Goff. As a result, we came to the conclusion that memory and identity are key concepts for the formulation and understanding not only of Memory Alleys’s narrative but also of its characters, the choices they make and the directions they take.