Construção

Chico Buarque's song 'Construção', released in 1971, is a masterpiece that tells the story of a construction worker's day. The song begins with the worker loving his family as if it were the last time, which suggests a premonition of tragedy. He crosses the street with a timid step, indicating his humbleness and perhaps insecurity in the face of life. The repetition of everyday actions with emotional intensity ('as if it were the last', 'as if it were the only one') highlights the fragility and impermanence of the worker's life.

In the second stanza, the worker climbs the building 'as if he were a machine', dehumanizing himself in the work process. He erects solid walls, but his eyes are dulled by cement and tears, a powerful metaphor that mixes the sweat of work with sadness and alienation. The construction is described as a 'magical drawing', which contrasts with the harsh and repetitive reality of manual labor. The cadence of the verses and the use of proparoxytones create a rhythm that imitates the mechanical and repetitive movement of construction work.

The third stanza shows the worker trying to find moments of joy and rest. He eats beans and rice 'as if he were a prince', a metaphor that elevates the simple act of eating to a moment of royalty. However, this joy is short-lived, as he stumbles across the sky 'as if he were drunk' and floats in the air 'as if he were a bird', only to end up on the ground 'like a limp package'. The worker's death is dealt with in an almost banal way, 'obstructing the traffic', which reinforces society's dehumanization and indifference.

The repetition of the stanzas with slight variations in the words and metaphors intensifies the feeling of routine and alienation. In the fourth stanza, the variation in metaphors ('as if it were the next', 'as if it were the most') shows the attempt to find meaning in repetitive and exhausting actions. The fifth stanza brings a more drastic change in the metaphors, with the worker loving 'as if he were a machine' and kissing his wife 'as if it were logical'. Dehumanization reaches its peak, and the construction of the walls becomes 'flaccid', symbolizing the loss of meaning and decay. The worker's death is again treated indifferently, 'obstructing the Saturday', a day that should be for rest and relaxation.

The last part of the song, with the repetition of 'God bless you', is a sarcastic criticism of the workers' living and working conditions. The irony is evident in the words that thank them for things that should be basic rights, such as bread, a floor to sleep on, and a birth certificate. The alcohol, the smoke, and the dripping scaffolding are symbols of the adversity faced by the workers. The ultimate peace, which only comes with death, is seen as the only possible redemption. The song, therefore, is a powerful social critique that uses poetic form to deconstruct routine and expose the dehumanization of workers in society.