Urban and rural landscapes

in Portuguese picture story books:

Conference “The semantic of landscapes”

Genoa, Italy, 24-28 July 2010

in Portuguese picture story books:

reification and perceptions

A. M. Ramos* & R. Ramos**

*University of Aveiro (Portugal)

**University of Minho (Portugal)

Centre of Child Studies

Introduction (1)

� Research project "Environment and ecoliteracy in

recent literature for children"” (1/9/2009 – 31/12/2011)

� (Centre for Child Studies, Univ. of Minho, Braga, Portugal)� (Centre for Child Studies, Univ. of Minho, Braga, Portugal)

� www.ecoliteracia.iec.uminho.pt

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Introduction (2)

� Aim of this study:

� to identify the lines of intersection between the to identify the lines of intersection between the

aesthetic and recreational dimensions of children’s

literature and its pedagogical possibilities, specifically

concerning ecoliteracy.

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Theoretical framework (1)

� Linguistic and literary approach� interpretative repertoire

� discourse is understood as a “vehicle through which the self and the

world are articulated” (Tuominen, Talja and Savolainen, 2002: 273).;

� frame

«certain schemata or frameworks of concepts or terms which link � «certain schemata or frameworks of concepts or terms which link

together as a system, which impose structure or coherence on some

aspects of human experience and which may contain elements which

are simultaneously parts of other such frameworks” (Fillmore 1975: 123);

� «Frames include semantic roles, relations between roles, and relations

to other frames. (…) These structures are physically realized in neural

circuits in the brain. All of our knowledge makes use of frames, and

every word is defined through the frames it neurally activates. All

thinking and talking involves ‘‘framing.’’’ (Lakoff 2010: 71-72).

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Theoretical framework (2)

� Linguistic and literary approach

� Postmodern picture book theory (Sipe 1998, Sipe & Pantaleo 2008;

Nikolajeva 2001, Linden, 2007);

Synergy between text and image;� Synergy between text and image;

� Hybrid language;

� Aesthetic, ludic and developmental aspects of children’s

literature.

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Object of study (2)

� A collection of three

picture books, publlished

by Metropolitan Lisbon

Local Authority in 2003 Local Authority in 2003

and 2004, designed to

disseminate the natural

and cultural

surroundings of the

Portuguese capital

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Conceptual unit / diversity of objectives

� Trilogy

� Internal cohesion (the character, landscape, actions � Internal cohesion (the character, landscape, actions

and relationship between the character and the

diegetic spaces are all the same)

� Paratextual elements (collection, introductory

preface, format and graphic aspects)

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Genre hybridism (1)

� Expectations: to find narrative texts

BUT

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BUT

� incomplete and atypical narrative structures

� verbal and visual markers which make them similar to

classification books of the natural sciences

Genre hybridism (2)

Linguistic dimension

� denomination structures� (normally through the use of the verb to be): ‘ these are the fixed dunes,’ ‘I

am the cork oak tree’

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� technical vocabulary � ‘egrets,’ ‘stone pine tree,’ ‘maritime pine tree,’ ‘peregrine falcon,’

‘consolidated dune,’ ‘herbivorous sauropods,’ ‘peregrine falcon’ ‘ferns,’ ‘red

oak tree,’ ‘Portuguese oak’

� exact quantifications � ‘more than 900 plants live here,’ ‘more than 140 different mushrooms,’ ‘an

altitude of 488m’

Genre hybridism (3)

Images similar to scientific illustrations

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Didacticity (1)

� strongly associated with both the hybridism of genre

�comparisons and metaphors �‘the forest is a palace packed with precious objects which demand the eyes

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�‘the forest is a palace packed with precious objects which demand the eyes

of a princess,’ ‘foliage wall,’ ‘it’s a welcoming substitute for the entrance to

the mountain range (…) it can even look like a palace’ and ‘a tapestry made up

of bits of foliage’

�frame of curiosity, surprise and discovery�‘mysterious journey,’ ‘the walks and surprises never end,’ ‘it is worth (…)

discovering them’ ‘promise the freshness of something new’

Didacticity (2)

�Visual perception - an interpretative repertoire related to the

sense of sight: the protagonist sees, nature is seen, the landscape

reveals itself�‘Ana can’t stop looking around her,’ ‘I didn’t know there were so many things

to see in this place,’ ‘you have to let your eyes mature to understand the

differences,’ ‘look at how I build these dunes,’ ‘look at these details,’ ‘the

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differences,’ ‘look at how I build these dunes,’ ‘look at these details,’ ‘the

forest is a palace which is filled to the brim with gems which demand the eye

of a princess. Ana is an extremely attentive princess’

� holistic / ecological perspective of reality - the multiplicity

of forms of understanding the world, involving all the senses�‘she heard a sound, felt a vibration and smelt the earth after the rain,’ ‘feel

these smells, this green, breathe in the humidity and watch out where you

put your feet,’ ‘the ground is both soft and hard, says Ana, touching the

blanket of leaves with pleasure’’

Natural elements and agency

� natural elements as agents of action

�‘the estuary is the place where the river runs to rest and the sea takes advantage

of that fact to mix its saltiness with the sweetness of the river water,’ ‘the Atlantic

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of that fact to mix its saltiness with the sweetness of the river water,’ ‘the Atlantic

Ocean thrives on the coastline (…) moistens the cliffs (…) creates good waves for

surfing (…) slowly comes to wipe footprints in the sand clean’ ‘I [the ocean] do

lots of things, such as drawing this coastline,’ ‘I am an artist and I make every

place a masterpiece’

Visual dimension (1)

� high quality design

� inclusion of maps

� illustrations that combine ludic dimension with scientific

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� illustrations that combine ludic dimension with scientific

models

� realistic concerns combined with fantastic features

� exploration of perspectives, points of view

� textual narrator / visual narrator

� suggestion of movement, dynamism and landscape

mutability through variations in colour and shape

Visual dimension (2)

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Conclusions (1)

� Nature is not presented as an immutable and idyllic

backdrop within which human activity takes place. It is

portrayed as a live force, constantly moving and acting,

with changing landscapes which develop and transform

through action, combining and interacting with other

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through action, combining and interacting with other

elements such as the sea and the wind.

� these picture books give special attention to the small

things which are familiar to us, but which as a result of our

daily routines we tend to ignore or devalue.

Conclusions (2)

� «provide a structured understanding of what you are

saying. Don’t give laundry lists. Tell stories that exemplify

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saying. Don’t give laundry lists. Tell stories that exemplify

your values and rouse emotions. Don’t just give numbers

and material facts without framing them so their overall

significance can be understood. Instead find general

themes or narratives that incorporate the points you need

to make» (Lakoff 2010: 79-80).

References (1)

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Capra, F. (2002). A teia da vida. Uma nova compreensão científica dos sistemas vivos. São Paulo: Cultrix

Correia, C. P. (1998). O Sapo Francisquinho. Lisboa: Relógio d'Água (illustations by Susana Oliveira)

Cotrim, J. P. & Corbel, A. (2003). A minha terra. Lisboa: Área Metropolitana de Lisboa (prefaceby Maria da Luz Rosinha)

Cotrim, J. P. & Corbel, A. (2004a). Um oceano de histórias. Lisboa: Área Metropolitana de

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Cotrim, J. P. & Corbel, A. (2004a). Um oceano de histórias. Lisboa: Área Metropolitana de Lisboa (preface by Maria da Luz Rosinha)

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Lakoff, G. (2010). ‘Why it Matters How We Frame the Environment.’ Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture, 4:1, pp. 70-81

Lewis, D. (2001). Picturing text: the contemporary children's picturebook. New York: RoutledgeFalmer

Magalhães, A. (2003). Contos da Mata dos Medos. Lisboa / Almada: Assírio & Alvim / Câmara Municipal de Almada (illustrations by Cristina Valadas)

McKenzie, P. (2005). ‘Interpretative repertoires.’ In Fisher, K., Erdelez, S. & McKechnie, L. (Eds.). Theories of information behavior: A researcher's guide. Medford, NJ: Information Today, pp. 221-224

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Contemporary Picture Storybooks.’ Journal of Literacy Research, 41. pp. 68-103

Urban and rural landscapes

in Portuguese picture story books:

Conference “The semantic of landscapes”

Genoa, Italy, 24-28 July 2010

in Portuguese picture story books:

reification and perceptions

A. M. Ramos* & R. Ramos**

*University of Aveiro (Portugal)

**University of Minho (Portugal)

Centre of Child Studies