Matheus Moori mixes philosophy, poetry and human feelings through new book

Luca Moreira
8 Min Read
Matheus Moori
Matheus Moori

The writer and philosopher Matheus Moori presents a moving narrative that combines philosophy, poetry and human feelings, guided by the Animal Fiction style . Set in the Ice Age, the book explores profound themes such as the finitude of life, the pain of mourning and the strength of family traditions through the journeys of animals that personify existential dilemmas. The work highlights the story of Erin, a young mammoth who, unable to say goodbye to her grandmother, embarks on an adventure with lessons about acceptance and legacy.

The book The Snow and the Flower begins with a dense and inevitable atmosphere: “Today someone was going to die.” How did you try to translate the concept of the finiteness of life into a narrative starring animals, and why did you choose this style to approach such a profound theme?

My inspiration came at a time when my grandmother seemed close to death and I thought I would have to say goodbye. I reflected on what it would be like to be waiting for the end. At the same time, I watched Genndy ‘s series Primal . Tartakovsky , in which a herd of mammoths performs a kind of ritual to say goodbye to a deceased member. It was from the combination of these events that I decided that the way I wanted to approach death, old age and mourning would be to imagine the experience of the animals as if they had human personalities. This way, I would have the freedom to create fictional beliefs for the story and weave my own reflections.

Erin, the young mammoth, faces an emotional dilemma when she is unable to say goodbye to her grandmother. How do you think her journey resonates with readers who are also struggling to cope with grief or say goodbye?

From my own experience, I have noticed that in an attempt to protect ourselves from the pain of loss, we end up distancing ourselves from memories and perhaps even from our loved one in their final days. When facing grief of various kinds, not only about death, but also the end of relationships, financial losses and other phases of life, the sadness can be so great that we prefer to deny the joy that gave rise to the grief. Erin’s initial stance reflects this denial in the face of the impermanence of life, with all the good and bad feelings that it brings.

Throughout the story, Erin crosses paths with different animals, each with their own beliefs about the end of life. How do these interactions contribute to the construction of a freer and more inclusive spirituality in the plot?

The essence of religions is to offer peace in the face of fear of finitude. It is Erin’s doubt about her grandmother’s fate that leads her to discover other customs. In this context of diversity, it is the grandmother herself who comforts her granddaughter, warning her that there is no need to seek absolute certainty about what comes after death, because the certainty that one will die one day is enough. It is through the simplicity of this perspective that belief in itself becomes not the most important thing, but rather what adds to the lives of its followers. From there, the plot opens space for choices and the personal search for spirituality.

The Snow and the Flower is described as an ode to pure love and fond memories. What message do you hope to convey to readers about the courage it takes to face loss and the importance of cherishing the memories left behind by those who have passed on?

Life is not something we are meant to control. We do not know what it will offer, nor can we decide what course it will take. Faced with this impermanence, all we can do is accept the alternation between good and bad. When it is good, we enjoy it, and when it is bad, we are grateful for the good that came before. In the case of mourning, we are grateful for the life of someone who was so important to us that we miss him.

Matheus Moori
Matheus Moori

The narrative highlights the importance of family customs and traditions. How do you connect this idea to the sense of belonging that Erin seeks as she journeys to find her grandmother?

Grief is a terrible thing to face alone, but the customs of our ancestors remind us that this burden has been borne before and that, just like them, we can get through life’s difficult times. Family traditions are based on the experiences our ancestors have shared over generations to guide us as best they could.

The crows deny an afterlife , while the predators live by determination until their last breath. How did these contrasting views on death enrich the philosophical depth of the book?

The reason why crows deny an afterlife is because they believe that finitude is a divine blessing, since their creator experienced the emptiness of eternity. This non-belief of the crows results in a paradox, in which the end of everything is what adds comfort and beauty to existence. Predators introduces one of the main characters, Roar , whose drama begins in a toxic society, which treats him cruelly. However, it is based on the customs of this same society that Roar teaches Erin’s grandmother a courageous posture in the face of death, revealing that all lifestyles can bring valuable experiences.

Despite the focus on mortality, you bring a tone of hope and celebration of life. How did you balance the melancholy of the theme with the beauty and poetry that permeate the narrative?

Although the duality of life is nothing more than its natural flow, it is exciting to understand this flow, and even more exciting to describe it. Joy turning into sadness, snow melting to make way for flowers, someone dying and someone being born. All of this seems sublime when we stop to think about it, and it really touches our feelings. Highlighting this duality was what delivered the main message of the story, which is to continue living even after difficult times.

Follow Matheus Moori on Instagram

TAGGED:
Share this Article