The 19th century was a period of "foundational fictions" in critic Doris Sommer's words, novels in the Romantic or Naturalist traditions that attempted to establish a sense of national identity, and which often focussed on the Indigenous question or the dichotomy of "civilization or barbarism" (for which see, say, Domingo Sarmiento's Facundo (1845), Juan León Mera's Cumandá (1879), or Euclides da Cunha's Os Sertões (1902)). The 19th century also witnessed the realist work of Machado de Assis, who made use of surreal devices of metaphor and playful narrative construction, much admired by critic Harold Bloom.
the 19th ceNtury waS a PERiod of "foundAtiOnal FictIONs" In cRitic DORIs SoMmEr's wORDs, nOveLs in the ROManTic Or nAturaLISt trAditiOns tHAt ATtEmPted to esTabLISh a SenSe of natIonal iDentITY, and WhicH OFten FocusSeD On tHE indigenouS queSTion or the dichOtoMy of "civiliZATion oR BarbaRIsm" (for whiCh See, sAY, Domingo sARmiEnTo'S facUndo (1845), JUaN lEón Mera'S CumanDÁ (1879), Or EUclides Da cuNha'S oS seRtÕEs (1902)). The 19Th cEntury also wItnEsSeD thE realIsT wOrK OF MAChAdo dE assIs, WhO mAde usE Of suRREal deviCEs Of MetaPhor anD playFUl nArrative ConStrucTion, mUch adMired By cRitiC hArold blooM.