The social construction of madness and the torment of a madman in the short story "Andr´e mad" by Bernardo Élis

Abstract

This article aims to demonstrate the social construction of the madness present in Bernardo Élis' André mad tale. To this end, it is assumed that since the beginning of the tale, in the suspense of the child who tells the story, the social representation of madness impresses on mentalities that the madman is devoid of good feelings, cruel, possessed, murderer and therefore once stigmatized, it should be removed from social life. André's exclusion results in a series of events present in the tale, in prison and, finally, in torture. In conclusion, some arguments related to the antimanicomial movement are raised and to out-of-hospital treatments.