That it's possible not to see a lie even when it's in front of us

That it's possible not to see a lie even when it's in front of us

Jose Saramago, the renowned Portuguese author and Nobel laureate, was known for his unique writing style and thought-provoking themes. One of the recurring themes in his works is the idea that it is possible not to see a lie even when it is right in front of us. Saramago's novels often explore the complexities of human perception and the ways in which our beliefs and biases can cloud our judgment.

In Saramago's novel "Blindness," the characters in the story are struck by a sudden epidemic of blindness that spreads rapidly throughout the city. As the epidemic worsens, the government quarantines the blind individuals in an abandoned mental asylum, where they must fend for themselves in a chaotic and dangerous environment. The novel explores the ways in which the characters' perceptions are altered by their blindness, and how their inability to see the truth leads to deception and manipulation.

Saramago's writing style, characterized by long, winding sentences and unconventional punctuation, reflects the confusion and disorientation experienced by the characters in his novels. In "Blindness," the lack of quotation marks and dialogue tags blurs the lines between characters and adds to the sense of chaos and uncertainty. This stylistic choice reinforces the idea that the characters are unable to see the truth, even when it is right in front of them.