A Paranoia Freudiana Em Dom Casmurro de Machado de Assis and the Diglot Reader: Portuguese Speakers Reading in English

Paranoia, one of the manifestations of hysteria, is a psychotic reaction characterized by a lasting insidious delirium, and paradoxical maintenance of clear thought processes, will, and action. The person that suffers from Paranoia mistrusts other people, even though he has no reason to do so. Bento Santiago, the main protagonist of Dom Casmurro, by Machado de Assis, Brazil’s premier novelist, presents all the characteristics of someone who suffers from Paranoia. Because he mistrust his wife, apparently for no reason, he ruins his family and his own life. Bento Santiago as the narrator of the novel intends to give the readers proof of his wife’s betrayal. However, there is not sufficient uncontested evidence to condemn her, but enough to make evident his paranoid behavior. For many years reading was neglected in beginning foreign language courses. Instead, oral skills were believed to be more important in learning a second language or foreign language. Reading usually is postponed until later in those courses simply because the learner needs to know the vocabulary of the foreign language in order to read. Diglot Reader texts provide learners with immediate opportunities for reading in the target language, and also with immediate translation for the unknown words, thus facilitating comprehension. This paper explains what a Diglot Reader text is, shows the studies that have been conducted using such a text, as well as presents a new study carried out in Brazil with Portuguese speakers reading in English.

Thesis Author: Melo, Anita

Year Completed: 2001

Committee Members: Ronald D. Dennis, Gordon K. Jensen

Thesis Chair: Frederick G. Willams