Precarização do trabalho e sofrimento psíquico na obra “Quarto de despejo : diário de uma favelada” uma análise a partir da psicodinâmica do trabalho

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the precarization of work and the psychological suffering experienced by Carolina Maria de Jesus in the book Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus (Quarto de Despejo: Diário de uma Favelada). Carolina's diary was selected because its accounts of precarious work, psychological suffering, and social humiliation illustrate how the structural forms of violence experienced by this working woman, together with the intersections of gender, race, and class, contribute to the dehumanization of individuals. The theoretical framework combines the perspective of the Psychodynamics of Work developed by Dejours (2010, 2012, 2006) with Antunes' (2018) reflections on the precarization of work. It also draws on the contributions of Sawaia (2001) and Gonçalves Filho (1998) regarding ethical-political suffering and social humiliation, as well as Crenshaw's (1989) theory of intersectionality. This is a qualitative, documentary, and analytical study. The analysis focused on excerpts from Carolina's diary describing waste picking activities, physical pain, social humiliation, and issues related to race, class, and gender. The findings indicate that waste picking is marked by complete informality, physical exhaustion, and a lack of social recognition. Within this context, structural and collective suffering emerges. Despite the hardships experienced by the author, writing becomes a form of resistance and an affirmation of identity. It is concluded that, despite legal advances such as the National Solid Waste Policy and the inclusion of waste pickers in the Brazilian Classification of Occupations, Carolina's accounts demonstrate that significant progress is still needed to ensure workers' rights and dignity.