"Love" and "Journey to Petropolis" are to some extent very similar. Both the stories seem to be written at a superficial level with an underlying meaning to them. The two stories depict a very different form of alienation. "Journey to Petropolis" suggests alienation of "Missy" to such an extent that she is completely oblivious of her surroundings. "Love", in contrast is about "Anna's" alienation from her emotional self.
Clarice Lispector's stories seem to have a personal touch to them. The author was born in Tchetchelnik, Ukraine and then emigrated to Brazil. At the age of twelve she again moved to Rio. Both of her stories suggest some form of alienation. It almost seems to me that these stories may stem from her experiences and that she too in a way, felt alienated. .
Both the stories are about women and their traits are displayed as weaknesses. The characters in both the stories lead a very mechanical life. Anna, in "Love" has stubbed her emotions to such an extent that it leads us to question the value and purpose of their existence. Analogous to Anna is Missy from the "Journey to Petropolis". Missy also leads a very mechanical life to such an extent that the story almost suggests that she has amnesia. At multiple instances in the story she is seen wondering as to where she really is and what she is doing there. The women in both the stories are driven to the limits of their potential and in their anguish; we see in them their greatness and agony.
The characters of Clarice Lispector are very eclectic. They seem like different states of "her" mind. The character of Missy is that of a vagabond; which, in a way, is similar to her experiences. Clarice had also lived like a vagabond. She had moved from Ukraine, she then went to Rio for her studies and finally moved to Europe with her husband. Through Anna she suggests to the readers that she too may have been torn between absolute freedom and absolute responsibility.