João Guimarães Rosa – who on earth is this guy and how do you even pronounce his name?

Well, this is the author you cannot miss if you want to discover Brazilian literature. Novelist, poet, diplomat and polyglot, Rosa’s work is one of the best literary achievements in the world. His story The Devil to Pay in the Backlands was named among the best 100 novels of all time by the Bokklubben World Library, and he was nominated for the Nobel Prize of Literature for the same novel. 

Born in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, Rosa is known for his use of regionalism and colloquial phrases, as well as his creation of neologisms.
Even though this 500 pages novel may look intimidating at the beginning, Rosa’s original style and refined language won’t disappoint you.

One of the most important details of the story is its faustian motif that critics usually associate with Goethe’s most famous play Faust, or Thomas Mann’s Doctor Faustus. Intertextuality is certainly an element you’ll most appreciate in this novel – Riobaldo, the main character, is the Brazilian modern version of Faust. The author absolutely loves playing with words. Born and raised in sertão, Riobaldo’s name ironically contains the word rio (river). Throughout the story, Rosa uses typical expressions from his region, creating a real, authentic story set in the Brazilian wild backlands. 

How did a Brazilian author get inspired by two German classic writers? 

No wonder João Guimarães Rosa had a strong connection with German literature. He began his diplomatic career in Hamburg, Germany and spoke fluent German (among more than 5 other languages!). Just like in Goethe’s and Mann’s works, Rosa’s character is torn between love and power that lead him towards a pack with the devil. The whole story is told in the first person by Riobaldo himself.
After witnessing lies and betrayal, Riobaldo comes to a philosophical conclusion:

“Doesn’t everyone sell his soul? I tell you, sir: the devil does not exist, there is no devil, yet I sold him my soul. That is what I am afraid of. To whom did I sell it? That is what I am afraid of, my dear sir: we sell our souls, only there is no buyer”.

Since the very beginning of the story, Riobaldo keeps repeating the phrase “Living is dangerous…”, with the idea that nothing can be ever known, “because learning-to-live is what living truly is”. 

Finally, why is The Devil to Pay in the Backlands a masterpiece and what makes João Guimarães Rosa a genius? Imagine a novel that can make you think about life and death, where the author masters his language to the point of creating new words? A novel whose narration is inspired by classic literature and yet preserves its originality? This is one of those novels that are worth discovering and rediscovering.