The Canon, or The Metaphysics of Style

In "The Canon, or The Metaphysics of Style", Machado de Assis leads the reader into an ironic reflection on the writing process. We follow the efforts of a learned canon as he searches for the perfect word, while the narrator reveals, with subtle humor, the unseen behind-the-scenes of literary creation. Amid ideas that form and fade, the story explores language as a game between intention, chance, and consciousness.