Poverty
The main theme of the novel is poverty, because is the theme that leads to all of the other themes in the book. The protagonist, Macabea, is a normal girl who hails from the poorest part of Brazil, the north east. Fifty eight per cent of the region live in poverty there, and live on less than two dollars a day. Like many north eastern young people, because she sees nothing but poverty all around her, Macabea does not understand just how impoverished she actually is. She does know, however, that she is tired of the rural existence she has been living and wants to find something more, and so she moves to the Southeast, which is more urban and where there are more opportunities. However, because Macabea begins by being poor, she does not manage to change this even after changing where it is that she lives.
Being impoverished in a region where the majority are living comfortably, and sixty per cent living in wealth, actually emphasizes Macabea's poverty. She has fewer life choices than other people in the city and this is why she meets men like Olimpico who know that she has no better options and therefore treats her in any way that he wants - which is badly.
Domestic Abuse
Olimpico is a terrible boyfriend and this is the nicest thing that can be said about him. He is abusive, both physically and verbally. He is a cheater and a liar, and knowing that he has the greater power in the relationship, he does not even pretend to treat Macabea with any respect at all. For her part, Macabea accepts his abuse and does not leave him, although she should. The relationship only ends when Olimpico leaves her, and starts to date her co-worker Gloria instead.
Part of this theme shows that as an uneducated woman, Macabea has few options when it comes to leaving Olimpico, even though he is abusive, because it is a very sexist society and men are seen as having the right to treat "their" woman as they see fit. An educated woman may be able to escape this cycle of abuse, but someone like Macabea, with little help or resources, is not able to do that. The author in some ways is also showing the link between education and a degree of freedom for women in Brazil.
Regional Differences
The author uses the novel to highlight the differences between the northeast and southeast regions of Brazil. These are far more than topographical differences; the key difference is in the poverty levels of the area. The northeast is rural, lacking in opportunity, the poorest region in the country. The southeast is the richest region in the country, and the majority of Brazil's trade is done from the southeast. The northeast has a richer cultural history, and far more indigenous culture, but this is the only arena in which it can be said to offer its citizens more than the southeast can. Because of the enormous difference in the standard of living between the two regions there is also a kind of cultural divide in Brazil that is very difficult to cross.
