Once upon a time in 1889

This paper analyses the text 'Pequena História da República' (Little History of the Republic), by Graciliano Ramos, which is part of the book Alexandre e outros Heróis (Alexander and Other Heroes), considered to be aimed at children and young adults and little discussed by Brazilian literary critics. In this way, a more in-depth analysis is made, presenting the text as a literary artefact in relation to historiographical discourse. Although it is also commonly treated as a historical chronicle or a satire on Brazilian historiography, it cannot be ignored that the selection and composition of the narrative was carried out by a distinguished writer, capable of transforming varied issues and aspects of Brazilian society into literary material. The text is therefore approached as a literary discourse of critical reflection on the formation of the republic in Brazil, taking into account the relationship between history and literature from the perspective of sociological criticism. In addition, we investigate the structural components of the work and how they contribute to the construction of a re-presentation of the Brazilian republican period through a critical look at historical discourses.