Caroline Rieger Mrs.Arnone 11/4/14 English 9H Research Paper: Jose Saramago José Saramago was a Portuguese writer who wrote many famous stories during his lifetime, which led him to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. One of his works was the short story, “Embargo”. Embargo is a story about a man who is experiencing unusual happenings. At times, his car refuses to let him drive or even get out of the car. Saramago personifies the car to communicate his central idea.Through this story, he is trying to explain how demanding technology and consumerism is. José Saramago supports this theme in “Embargo” and through other works of his and in his past life. Through the use of magical realism and personification, José Saramago proves …show more content…
Most specifically, the theme present in “Embargo” is verified by Saramago’s history. His history supports his thinking in this story. His parents worked as poor peasant laborers for a living while they lived in a town in Portugal with their children, including José. Most likely, living in a poor family, Saramago did not get to experience the plethora of advanced technology. Because he was born in 1922, he also did not witness the level of consumerism present today. Saramago was the surname entered in the registrar for José which was the nickname for the de Sousa family, the original surname on his father’s side. The de Sousa family eventually, “... moved to Lisbon which gave Saramago an unusual opportunity to receive and education, however brief." (Ratiner 374-376). When he began to receive a legitimate education, he probably became more aware of technology. Not only this, but he grew to live a more wealthy life when he became a writer, which led to this same effect. He was able to juxtapose life with and without technology. Growing up poor, Saramago started to see the world from a different view as he became