Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon: Analysis of Major Characters
"Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon" is a novel set in the Brazilian province of Bahia, centering on the life of Gabriela, a mulatto girl who migrates to Ilhéus to escape a drought. With her striking beauty and culinary talents, she captivates those around her, particularly Nacib Saad, the owner of a local bar, who becomes her lover and later her husband. However, the constraints of wealth and societal expectations lead to complications in their relationship, culminating in an annulment after Nacib discovers Gabriela with another man. The story also introduces other significant characters, such as Mundinho Falcão, a progressive businessman challenging traditional power dynamics, and Ramiro Bastos, an old cacao planter representing the established patriarchal order. Malvina, another key character, resists traditional marriage expectations, ultimately leaving Ilhéus due to familial pressure. The narrative intricately weaves themes of love, betrayal, and the clash between tradition and modernity, reflecting the evolving social landscape of the time.
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Jorge Amado
First published: Gabriela, cravo e canela, 1958 (English translation, 1962)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
Plot: Social realism
Time: 1925–1926
Gabriela, a mulatto girl from the backlands. She comes to Ilhéus, in the Brazilian province of Bahia, to escape the drought. Her physical charms, including cinnamon-colored skin that always smells of cloves, and her ingenuous personality make her irresistible to everyone she meets. She is hired by Nacib Saad, the owner of a local bar. She lacks formal education, but her ability to prepare delicious Bahian dishes and her beauty soon make the bar popular. Gabriela and Nacib become lovers, a situation that pleases the girl. For her, sex is a natural part of life that should be shared with whomever she chooses. She and Nacib marry, making her a member of an exclusive social circle. The trappings of affluence restrict her physically and emotionally. Their marriage is annulled after Nacib finds Gabriela in bed with another man, but soon the estranged lovers are reunited and resume the same type of relationship they enjoyed before their marriage.
Nacib Saad, the Syrian owner of the Vesuvius Bar. He passionately loves Gabriela and wants to be the only man in her life. He marries her but soon notes that her passion is not as intense as it was before the marriage. When he finds her with Tonico, he wants to kill her, as any betrayed Brazilian husband should. He cannot do so, and in failing, he reflects the modern attitude gradually taking hold in tradition-bound Ilhéus.
Mundinho Falcão, a young businessman from a prominent family in Rio de Janeiro. As the political rival of Ramiro Bastos, Mundinho represents progress in Ilhéus. He hires an engineer to devise a plan to remove a sandbar and obtains accreditation for the local school. Such contributions turn the community toward a more modern way of life.
Ramiro Bastos, a wealthy old cacao planter who has controlled local politics for decades. His influence in government has been valuable in the past, but he finds himself challenged by the young, dynamic Mundinho Falcão. Bastos represents the traditional patriarchal system of Ilhéus.
Tonico Bastos, the son of Ramiro Bastos. He lacks his father's political talents. A regular at the Mount Vesuvius Bar, he works as a notary public. In this capacity, he prepares the documents for Gabriela's marriage to his best friend, Nacib. Known as a ladies' man, Tonico struggles to keep his affairs secret from his wife.
Malvina, the daughter of cacao planter Melk Tavares. She reads “controversial” books and insists that she does not want the kind of traditional marriage that her parents have. Her love affair causes gossip and precipitates a brutal beating by her father. Unable to tolerate such a repressive atmosphere, Malvina leaves Ilhéus.
Colonel Jesuino Mendonca, a planter whose murder of his wife and her lover becomes the talk of Ilhéus. According to tradition, he acted honorably and should not be punished. As progress spreads throughout the area, however, tradition is replaced by justice, and he receives a prison sentence.