Meaning without words: analyzing the picture book Bárbaro through a social semiotic perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5902/2176148525325Keywords:
Multimodality, Children’s literature, Visual narrativesAbstract
Investigating multimodal meaning-making resources in children’s literature may contribute to develop readers’ critical interpretative possibilities. In the present study, we provide an analysis of the award-winning Brazilian wordless picture book Bárbaro (MORICONI, 2013) under a social semiotic perspective. Initially, based on Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), we present the three metafunctions that are co-present in any text, specifically related to the Grammar of Visual Design (KRESS; van LEEUWEN, 2006) and to visual narratives (PAINTER; MARTIN; UNSWORTH, 2013). Subsequently, we analyze these metafunctions (representational, interactive and compositional meanings) in Bárbaro. Results suggest that the analysis undertaken allows for the description of detailed information about the unfolding narrative, the sequence of events, characters’ actions, attributes and emotions, as well as distribution of visual elements, among other features. We hope our study may contribute to the development of critical multimodal literacies.
Downloads
References
BEZERRA, F. A. S.; NASCIMENTO, R. G.; HEBERLE, V. M. . Análise multimodal de anúncios do programa “Na Mão Certa”. Letras (UFSM) online, v. 20(40), p. 9-26, 2010.
CABRAL, S.; BARBARA, L. (Orgs.). Estudos sistêmico-funcionais: desdobramentos e interfaces. Revista Letras, n. 50, jun. 2015.
FUZER, C.; CABRAL, S. R. S. Introdução à gramática sistêmico-funcional em língua portuguesa. Campinas: Mercado de Letras, 2014.
EGGINS, S. An introduction to systemic functional linguistics. 2nd. ed. New York/London: Continuum, 2004.
GUIJARRO, A. J. M. A multimodal analysis of picture books for children. Sheffield/Bristol: Equinox, 2014.
HALLIDAY, M. A. K. Language as a Social Semiotic. London: Edward Arnold, 1978.
HALLIDAY, M.A.K.; MATTHIESSEN, C.M.I.M. An introduction to functional grammar. 3rd edition. London: Arnold, 2004.
KRESS, G.; van LEEUWEN, T. Reading images: The grammar of visual design. 1. ed. London: Routledge, 1996.
KRESS, G.; van LEEUWEN, T. Reading images: The grammar of visual design. 2. ed. London: Routledge, 2006.
KRESS, G. Meaning as work: Individuals, society and the production of representational resources. In: SANCHEZ-MACARO, A; CARTER, R. (eds.). Linguistic Choice across Genres: Variation in spoken and written English. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1998, p. 3-26.
KRESS, G. Literacy in the New Media Age. London : Routledge. 2003.
KRESS, G. Multimodality: A social semiotic approach to contemporary communication. London and New York : Routledge. 2010.
LEWIS, D. Reading contemporary picture books: Picturing text. London. Routledge, 2001.
MORICONI, R. Bárbaro. Companhia das Letrinhas, 2013.
NASCIMENTO, R. G.; BEZERRA, F. A. S.; HEBERLE, V. M.. Multiletramentos: iniciação à análise de imagens. Linguagem & Ensino (UCPel. Impresso), v. 14, p. 529-552, 2011.
NEW LONDON GROUP. A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Cazden, Courtney; Cope, Bill; Fairclough, Norman; Gee, Jim; et al. Harvard Educational Review ProQuest Psychology Journals. 1996. Retrieved from:
http://vassarliteracy.pbworks.com/f/Pedagogy+of+Multiliteracies_New+London+Group.pdf.
NODELAMN, P. Words about Pictures: The Narrative Art of Children’s Picture Books. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press. 1988.
PAINTER, C.; MARTIN, J. R.; UNSWORTH, L. Reading Visual Narratives. London: Equinox, 2013.
SALISBURY, M; STYLES, M. Children’s picturebooks: the art of visual storytelling. London: Laurence King, 2012.
TOOLAN, M. Narrative: A critical linguistic introduction. London and New York: Routledge, 1988.
UNSWORTH, L. Teaching multiliteracies across the curriculum: changing contexts of text and image in classroom practice. Buckingham, UK: Open University, 2001.
UNSWORTH, L. Multimodal semiotics: functional analyses in contexts of education. London;New York: Continuum, 2008.
UNSWORTH, L. Reconfiguring image-language relations and interpretive possibilities in picture books as animated movies: A site for developing multimodal literacy pedagogy. Ilha do Desterro, Florianópolis, v. 64, p. 15-47, 2013.
UNSWORTH, L.; THOMAS, A. English Teaching and New Literacies Pedagogy: Interpreting and Authoring Digital Multimedia Narratives. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2014.
