Tereza Batista, Cansada de Guerra (Tereza Batista: Home From the Wars, in English) is a 1972 book written by Jorge Amado, which, unlike other books by the author, is actually set mostly in Sergipe.
It chronicles the life of protagonist Tereza Batista, born in the divide between Bahia and Sergipe, through ages 12 to 27, dealing with her hardships, abilities and relationships.
The book recounts key events in Tereza's life, including being sold to a landowner by her relatives, becoming the long-lasting lover of a doctor, eradicating smallpox in her town at the time and eventually finding true love with seaman Januário Gereba.
Tereza Batista presents these tropes:
- Abhorrent Admirer: Capitão Justiniano for Tereza.
- The Ace: Tereza Batista, evidently. She's a great teacher, nurse, fighter, dancer (eventually) and beauty.
- Action Girl: Tereza Batista, who'll actually fight anyone who's hurting a woman.
- Action Prologue: The book doesn't hesitate to show the readers a hell of a fight between Tereza, "the rising star of samba" and local conman Libório das Neves, which soon becomes a brawl involving the whole bar.
- Amoral Attorney: Averted by Lulu Santos, who actually defends the poor and downtrodden, often for free.
- Anachronic Order: As usual for Jorge Amado.
- Beastly Bloodsports: Capitão Justiniano has prize-winning fighting cocks.
- Berserk Button: Men hitting women, for Tereza.
- Anything a certain Libório das Neves does, for Lulu Santos.
- Birth-Death Juxtaposition: Dóris and Justiniano's daughter is born just before her daughter dies.
- Courtroom Antics: Lulu is a master of this, once defending a former cangaceiro by attributing his kills to societal neglect.
- Creepy Uncle: Rosalvo towards Tereza, as he wants to be the first to bed her himself, instead of giving her to Justiniano.
- Domestic Abuse: Justiniano Duarte with any girl he buys out.
- The Dreaded: Capitão Justiniano Duarte da Rosa, who will hunt and kill you due to any perceived slight, will cheat on cockfights and will rape any girl he's fond of. His fame precedes him wherever he goes.
- Escalating Brawl: Happens in the first chapter and at first involved Tereza, Libório (who hits a lady because he suspected she was cheating on him) and his guards. Soon, the whole brothel is fighting, with Januário arriving suddenly and falling in love with Tereza and the police showing up to arrest everyone.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Rosalvo, despite wanting to sleep with Tereza himself, finds it awful that Felipa wants to sell her to Justiniano, as his house is hellish for any girl (and because Tereza hasn't even started her periods yet, thus being seen as a child by him).
- Fat, Sweaty Southerner in a White Suit: Justiniano Duarte (although he's actually Northeasterner).
- Gold Tooth of Wealth: Tereza gets one of these, to replace the one broken during the fight.
- Groin Attack: Tereza does this to Libório while fighting him.
- Happily Ever After: Tereza and Januário, eventually.
- Happily Married: Joana das Folhas and Manuel França, with them owning a farm together until his death.
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Tereza herself, who eradicated smallpox and fought for sex workers rights.
- Ironic Name: Justiniano "Justo"note Duarte, is a rapist who comes after teen girls.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Libório gets by scamming people, specially poorer ones and hits women.
- Love at First Sight: Januário for Tereza.... As he first saw her while she was fighting Libório.
- The Muse: Tereza for the painter (and also the poet).
- Nephewism: Tereza was raised by her aunt Felipa and uncle Rosalvo until age 12, as her parents died in a bus accident.
- Never Learned to Read: Joana das Folhas, due to being a farmworker. This almost allows Libório to take advantage of her through a contract forgery. Tereza eventually teaches her how to read and write (in one week), however, foiling his plan.
- One of the Boys: Tereza is noted to be always running and going up trees with the boys as a child, to the point where they don't think twice in appointing her as their leader. She doesn't have any problems being friends with girls later, though.
- Purple Prose: In spades, with long descriptions and backstories for every single character.
- Unwanted Harem: Tereza is the apple of the eyes of Doctor Emiliano, Lulu Santos, the poet José Saraiva, boatman Januário and many others. She only loves one of these men, however.
- Wife-Basher Basher: Tereza Batista.
- World's Most Beautiful Woman: Tereza is one of the greatest beauties of Sergipe (and of Brazil entirely).
