Lispector is considered one of the leading Latin American writers of the twentieth century. The literary heritage of her fiction can be understood in the historical context of Latin-American literature, and more specifically Brazilian literature. Before conquest and colonization by European forces, particularly Spain, the native Indian cultures of Latin America had a well-developed tradition of written and oral literature. After colonization Latin- American literature emerged from the narratives of the conquered native Indian peoples as well as the European conquerors themselves, and later from the struggles of native peoples against colonial domination, a "literature of oppression." Brazil produced the first Latin-American novel in 1844, with A moreninha ("The Little Brunette") by Joaquim Manuel de Macedo. Latin-American fiction in the latter half of the twentieth century developed a concern with experimental narrative and linguistic style as a means of expressing social concerns. Lispector herself served as a...