Solidarity and appearance of solidarity: the irony in the story The secret cause

Abstract

This paper analyses the short story “The secret cause” by Machado de Assis, whose plot revolves around the character Fortunato, that shows himself as a very solidary figure in the presence of others, but in fact, this abnegation manifests itself as a great irony throughout the text. Firstly, the solidarity subject is approached under the prism of different visions, from the Christian concept to some approaches of current society for this subject, observing the presence of this feeling in the actions of the character Fortunato. Next, the irony subject and its presence in literature is developed, as well as its implications in Machado’s work and, specially, in the studied story. Later, a brief approach is presented on sadism, its concepts and its relation to the “secret cause” in the story. From then on, it is studied the relation of being the issue of solidarity only an appearance, used to hide sadism, that would be the central element of psychological constitution of the character Fortunato. To conclude, it’s shown possible reflections in relation to human being condition that can be proportionate from the reading of “the secret cause”, evidencing the incompletude of human being that, being recognized and accepted for the reader, will be able to lead to a self-knowledge work.