Eros, destructions, transformations: on erotic renunciation in a fable by Caio Fernando Abreu

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyze the relationship between Eros, the death drive, and culture, exploring the influence of these elements on the formation of subjectivity and social dynamics through the reinterpretation of these psychoanalytic concepts by the philosophers of Frankfurt. The text addresses the tension between erotic drives and the tendency towards destruction, highlighting how culture shapes this interaction and its effects on individual and collective life. The research is based on a theoretical approach, also seeking to understand how the theme is represented in the short story Transformations by Caio Fernando Abreu. It is concluded that overcoming oppressive social conditions and promoting a society guided by love and freedom are fundamental for human development and the construction of healthier and more equitable relationships. Literature and art, by witnessing human struggles and aspirations, denounce the elements upon which the search for integrity and happiness amid the adversities of contemporary life persists.