its ironic that Macabea’s death is the most exciting and non-dull moment of her life.

The reasoning as to why her mother constantly accused her of being a “slut” (even thought she is not) because the mother had engaged in an illicit affairs in the past and tried to prevent the same thing from happening to her daughter?

Ultimatley is the purpose of this book to try to explain what the purpose of life is? Also does Macabea finally get to live her dream of being like Marilyn Monroe when she dies at the end?

On the final page, the author exclaims, “Living is luxury.” Is it significant that Macabea’s death was brought on by a luxury sports car? Perhaps because her life was so tragic and dull, death is her luxury rather than life.

On the back of the book, a synopsis was given about the plot of the story.

It said, “The devastating final work by Brazil’s greatest modern writer, The Hour of the Star tells the haunting tale of Macabea, a typist who lives in the slums of Rio – underfed, sickly, and unloved, yet inwardly free.

Was Macabea really “free”?

What was the point in constantly denying that Macabea would die just to have her die in the end?

Why would the author writes: “death does not complete me?”

If death does not complete one, then what completes one?

Did Macabea life determine the end of her life or at least her timeline of her life? She always had a harsh life and she was just a ticking bomb and that her time was near.

At the end of the book I was wondering why did Macabea get killed by such a specific car? Also why did Rodrigo S.M drag out her death so much? Is the pain she’s feeling as she is dying the same that he feels?

What is the meaning of death to the narrator? Why did he drag out Macabea’s death? Is her slow death his fear of dying?