What am I supposed to do with this "Note"? — Carlos de Oliveira's literary testament

Abstract

This paper describes the nature and implications of "Nota Final" ("The Final Note") by Carlos de Oliveira, part of his novel Finisterra: paisagem e povoamento, published in 1978. The purpose of this analysis is consider that "Note" generates a series of fictions (author as editor, author as reviser, author as testator) which allow us, along with the survival of a great number of documents, to suggest it is possible to establish a lacunar archaeology of creation. Taking this particular text as the starting point, it's possible to "redraw" apparently recognizably stable notions such as "author", "editor", "intention" and "finished work", will thus become apparent.