Graciliano

Graciliano Ramos, often referred to simply as Graciliano, was a Brazilian novelist and memoirist who is widely regarded as one of the most important Brazilian writers of the 20th century. He is a central figure in Brazilian regionalist literature, with works that illuminate the social realities of the Northeast, especially the drought-stricken sertão.

Born in 1892 in Quebrangulo, Alagoas, Graciliano's writing is known for its economical, precise prose and its focus on ordinary people confronting poverty, oppression, and bureaucratic power. He produced a body of novels and memoirs that blend social critique with intimate, human portraits.

Major works include Caetés (1933), São Bernardo (1934), Angústia (1936), and Vidas Secas (1938). Memórias do Cárcere, a memoir drawn from his own imprisonment during political turmoil, was published posthumously in 1953 and is an important early example of Brazilian prison literature. Vidas Secas, in particular, is celebrated for its stark depiction of a family’s struggle in the drought-ridden sertão.

Graciliano's influence extended beyond his lifetime: his style and themes helped shape Brazilian realism and regional writing, and his works have been widely studied in schools and universities. The novel Vidas Secas was adapted into a 1963 film directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos, helping to bring his work to a broader audience.

Graciliano Ramos died in Rio de Janeiro in 1953, leaving a legacy as a durable voice of social conscience in Brazilian literature.