O jovem Törless (1906) de Robert Musil: a repressão social na narrativa como representação da realidade social

Abstract

This study has focused on analyzing the theme of social repression in Robert Musil's literary work The Confusions of Young Törless (1906) as a representation of social reality. The main objective is to analyze how the social repression addressed in the narrative represents social reality, using an approach based on the Sociology of Literature. To achieve this goal, we used a qualitative approach, a methodology based on a bibliographical survey and discourse analysis, based on the theories of authors such as Foucault, Goffman, Candido, Bauman, among others. The survey was strengthened by reading articles, books, academic studies, which correlate with the literary work, thus seeking to understand social repression and its representation in the book as an analysis of social reality. The results indicate that social repression is presented in different ways in the narrative, covering aspects such as repressed sexuality, control, violence, and fear in the relationships between the students. The boarding school is presented as a social microcosm, mainly of a totalitarian system in which individuality is repressed, but where cruelty is neglected. The analysis, “based on the Sociology of Literature”, reflects that literature, in representing these aspects, has a representative function of social reality. The literary work is considered to play an important role in understanding social repression. The work emphasizes the relevance of a sociological analysis of literature, as fictional narratives can bring to light aspects that are often overlooked.