Tradição e ruptura: uma análise do discurso feminista nas tirinhas da Mafalda

Abstract

This work aims to analyze the functioning of feminist discourse in the Mafalda cartoons, by cartoonist Quino, amidst humor operation. Mafalda, presented as a child, differs from the others by appearing petulant, questioning, and unconformist with problems that surround her, such as patriarchy and its influence on the ideological conservatism associated with the female figure in society, which reinforces gender inequality and motivates harsh criticisms of the character regarding the theme. In this sense, this research seeks to investigate how feminist discourse determines the positions of the characters Mafalda, Raquel (her mother) and Susanita, in order to construct meaning about being a woman in the 1960s and 1970s. To do so, we work with some discursive sequences (SD) taken from the comic strips that deal with the subject, in order to describe how the discourses are constructed amid the functioning of humor and resistance regarding the social position assumed by the feminine figure. It is also intendedto comprehend how the social imaginary about women is formulated in our corpus. The present work is based on Michel Pêcheux's Materialist Discourse Analysis (AD) (1995 [1975]), mobilizing the concepts of production conditions and interdiscourse; Eni Orlandi (1992, 2021 [1999]) with AD in Brazil, influenced by the French philosopher, starting from a new perspective on the discipline, as well as his studies on silence; Sírio Possenti (2014), which addresses the functioning of humor; Alves and Pitanguy (1991), with yours contributions about the feminist movement; in addition to Beauvoir (1980) and Bourdieu (2002 [1930]) who shed light on social ideological conservatism, among others. The research has a documentary character and is qualitative in nature, in which ten comic strips were selected that symbolize different discursive regularities about the functioning of feminist discourse, such as: Mafalda and her reflections on the conservative role assumed by women, seeking ways to break with the patriarchy; dialogues established between Mafalda and her mother, Raquel, who has rooted conservatism in her positions; there are also conversations between the protagonist and Susanita, whose speeches and behaviors are challenged by the machismo propagated by the patriarchal system; and comic strips only with the presence of Raquel, reflecting on the decisions made in her life. It is concluded that Mafalda's positions differ from the speeches of her friend, Susanita, and her mother, Raquel. Therefore, amid the contacts that occur between the female characters, it is understood that the production of meanings in SD is coherent with the positions that each character assumes in relation to the theme discussed, that is, the protagonist mobilizes speeches that produce the effect of meaning of resistance towards the patriarchal system, based on the feminist movement's challenge; while the other characters use conservative/machist speeches, however, in different ways. In Susanita's case, her positions cause the sense of resignation effect to patriarchy, which reflects in the maintenance of this ideology through the discourses mobilized by her; while, Raquel's positions promote the sense of discovery effect, when the maternal figure understands her social place as a conservative woman, who could have assumed roles dissimilar to her reality, if she had opted for other decisions throughout her life.