What is this, war?

Abstract

Based on the philosophy of Heraclitus (5th century BC), the story embraces magical realism to present a version of the character Laurêncio’s, who, like the reader, experiences the contradictions of an ordinary man within his particular circumstances. Working substantially with the idea that things can be both one thing and another simultaneously — without this implying an insurmountable contradiction — the text explores the fictional story of a character who cannot deal with the ebb and flow of emotions that traverse him and the dilemmas arising from his experiences. Confused by things that are many at once, the character moves through life without understanding pain, metaphorically interpreted as if it were a secret dwelling within him. By revisiting the concept of enantiodromia as thought by Carl Jung, in reference to Heraclitus’ ideas, opposites are addressed as a constitutive part of our existence, the true thread that guides human existence.