REPRESENTATIONS OF SPACE IN WORDLESS PICTUREBOOKS: «A SUBTLE WAY OF CARE»
Dulce Melão | 49-61
The aim of this paper is to look into the representations of space in wordless picturebooks, focusing attention on Sidewalk Flowers, by JonArno Lawson (2015) and Machine, by Jaime Ferraz (2017). The theoretical framework of this study draws on: i) the versatility of wordless picturebooks (ARIZPE, 2013; BOSCH, 2017); ii) Borges Filho's proposal for topoanalysis (BORGES FILHO, 2007); iii) the peritextual apparatus of picturebooks (GENETTE 1982, 1987, RAMOS, 2011). Thus, the purpose of this paper is to shed some light on: i) the functions of space in the above mentioned picturebooks; ii) the role of peritextual features to reconfigure space, promoting reading engagement and comprehension. We conclude that it is important to focus attention on the representations of space in wordless picturebooks: i) for the importance of its multiple functions to the comprehension and fruition of the visual narrative; ii) for its silent contribution to the safeguard of «a subtle way of care» (COSTA, 2017) that nurtures generous dialogues with the readers – welcoming and inviting them to actively engage in thought-provoking shared reading experiences.
Keywords: spaces; picturebook; peritexts; reading.
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