THE AVATAR IN PANAMA - Theses - Flinders University

3.1 Shoes and Mirrors: Images of Doubling The Avatar in Panamawho provokes fear and respect in the community and footwear inparticular facilitates this image:só de olhar para o sapato deses caras eu seiquem é filho da puta. Os filhos da puta gostamde mocassins, gostam de penduricalhos,gostam de correntinhas douradas no peito dopé, os sapatos deles têm cor de vinho, se vocêvir um cara com o sapato dessa cor, saiacorrendo porque na primeira oportunidade elevai te foder (97). 27As Máiquel’s nature changes his lack of empathy becomesevident:meus sapatos italianos na calçada, em direcçãoà entrada do Clube Recreativo, toc, toc, toc, ummendigo deitado no chão, meus sapatos, ele sóviu meus sapatos, levantar a cabeça era algunacoisa impossível para aquel pobre-diabo, meussapatos italianos novíssimos, reluzentes, orosto no asfalto” (182). 28The embarrassment Maiquél feels at the outset of O Matador isnot confined to his own footwear: “Ele [Marcão] estava usando umasandália Havaiana toda arrebentada, fiquei com dó Marcão” (152). 29 Hisfriend’s pair of old shoes is a symbolic reminder of Máiquel’s formerlifestyle and general comportment which stirs up both shameassociated with his previous lack of standing and nostalgia. In oneinstance his old shoes function as a haven, as a return to the familiar, toan old identity, to oneself: “Toma estes sapatos, eu disse, joguei ossapatos na cara dela, eu quero os meus sapatos velhos [...] cadê os27“Just by looking at these guys’ shoes I know who the assholes are. Assholes lovemoccasins, they love tassels and they love gold chains on their shoes which areusually burgundy coloured, if you see a guy wearing shoes this colour, get out of therefast because at the first opportunity he’ll do you over”.28 “my Italian shoes on the pavement, going toward the Sports Club, clip clop, clip,clop, a beggar lying on the ground, my shoes, he only saw my shoes, the poor devilcouldn’t even lift his head, my brand new, shiny Italian shoes, his face on the cement”.The notion that rank, occupation and wealth were encoded into clothing originatesfrom the decorations, patterns and talismans with which prehistoric people protectedthemselves. These designs are visible today in brogue shoes and moccasins bearingtassels, beads and chains.29 “Marcão was wearing worn out thongs, I felt sorry for him”.151