Oceánide 6 2014 Fecha de recepción: 4 agosto 2013 Fecha de aceptación: 11 octubre 2013 Fecha de publicación: 10 febrero 2014 URL:http://oceanide.netne.net/articulos/art6-10.php Oceánide número 6, ISSN 1989-6328 Humour in Pinocchio’s Liberating Discursive Practice Alcina SOUSA (University of Madeira, Portugal) RESUMEN: Aunque Pinocho pueda representar de algún modo a la figura del héroe romántico, varios pasajes de este cuento infantil exploran en realidad los diversos usos retóricos del humor. Localizaciones hilarantes, personajes y situaciones contribuyen a crear una figura picaresca hasta el momento en el que éste (Collodi, 1883, Chap. 36) “finalmente deja de ser una marioneta para convertirse en una chiquillo de carne y hueso”. A pesar de apoyar esta investigación en un enfoque estilístico, el objetivo de este artículo consiste en debatir algunas técnicas lingüísticas frecuentes en la evocación del humor en este relato, fuente de comicidad manifiesta. En resumen, este relato retrata la emergencia de diversos significados que se difuminan entre sí, nuevos y antiguos, así percibidos a través de la interacción entre educación y poder, a la vez que narra un cuento que personifica temas tan relevantes como la identidad, la comicidad y la imaginación, la autenticidad o lo maravilloso. Para finalizar, la enriquecedora narración de Las Aventuras de Pinocho, a pesar de ser un texto muy popular entre los lectores más jóvenes, puede permitirse agradar a una audiencia más amplia, cruzando así los límites del tiempo, el espacio o la cultura. Palabras clave: humor, estilo, literatura infantil, dimensión intercultural ABSTRACT: Although Pinocchio might be said to stand for a sort of romantic hero, there are several passages exploring the various rhetorical uses of humour in his adventures. Humorous settings, characters and situations contribute to his becoming a picaresque hero up to the moment he (Collodi, 1883, Chap. 36) “finally ceases to be a marionette and becomes a real boy”. While drawing on a stylistic approach, this paper aims at discussing some of the frequent linguistic and stylistic techniques for evoking humour in the tale often used as the source of comic relief. Briefly put, the tale might be said to embody rising overlapping meanings as far as new and old ones are meaningfully perceived in the interaction of education and empowerment, portrayal with identity, laughter and imagination, authenticity with fancy. All in all, the enriching and empowering narratives in The Adventures of Pinocchio, despite having turned into a popular text and written for children, allow for startlingly stirring pleasures in wider contexts, crossing the boundaries of time, place and culture. Keywords: humour, style, children’s literature, crosscultural dimension URL:http://oceanide.netne.net/articulos/art6-10.php Oceánide 6 2014 In an interview with Rosa Lobato de cross-linguistic, discursive and stylistic Faria (in Nunes, 2008: 30), a Portuguese perspective (Sousa, 2008, 2009, 2011) as actress, fictional writer and poet, referred well as the writer’s strategies to address to the aspects to abide in her rewriting of children of different age ranges (2009) in canonical texts for children, particularly several versions, from a psycholinguistic the famous Portuguese satirical texts by approach, it is my purpose, now, to Gil Vicente, which date back to the 16th discuss some of the frequent linguistic and century, namely Auto da Índia (1509) and stylistic techniques to evoke humour in Auto da Barca do Inferno (1516), among Pinocchio’s liberating discursive practice. other. Among the features, focused on in The narrator’s resource to puns and verbal her interview, stand out humour, rhyming play in otherwise serious scenes is often scheme and storyline, which make used as the source of comic relief to be children both, and I translate, “laugh and perceived as learning in a positive way think” about customs, ways of life, values within the symbolic dimension. as well as characters’ descriptions and personalities at a certain period within the The transformation of a wooden puppet symbolic realm. At the same time these into a young boy who, from its conception texts have a pedagogic aim. Yet, reiterates by a wood carver, has been perceived with the novelist, archaic language and license human traits, with virtues and vices, seems have to be altered. Faria’s words have to warn children against giving in to the offered a brief synopsis of common, as evil ways of avoiding a formal education well as distinctive features, concerning and disobeying parents. Young readers the humour tradition perceived in a cross- may find some of the wooden puppet’s linguistic and cross-cultural perspective, in patterns of behaviour familiar to their own, texts read by, and by no means exclusive ranging from verbal to non-verbal modes to, children whatever their linguistic code: of communication, like “staring eyes” as images, aspects and languages. if challenging Geppetto, who could not follow the reason for the puppet “beg[in] to Unlike very many constructions of childhood laugh and poke fun at him” (Collodi, 2004: in literature in the 19th century, Collodi’s 7) or even “st[ick] out a long tongue”. Pinocchio is a selfish and rebellious boy, Non-verbal language lays the ground to frequently enticing an informal but boldly Pinocchio’s liberating discursive practices direct dialogue with other characters. and unexpected turnings in his course of This might constitute a subversive way action with other characters in the diegetic then when most literary depictions of world, till he finally learns to abide to the adult and children conversations were ethical dimension. The puppet becomes featured by an authoritarian and formal more and more reliable as it is given the tone. Hence, the sort of topics addressed chance to vindicate his own voice. at children, including ethic and aesthetic values, revolve around (Stroup, 2005) the All these figure as ways in to young most debated and important concepts in readers’ meaning-making, while also Romantic studies: nature, innocence, and enhancing imaginative and creative skills. individuality. At this point it is worth referring that children’s ability to process verbal humour, Children’s involvement with the texts might for instance conveyed by lexical puns, be explained by their ability to experience can only occur “once the capacity for the humour, or their natural sense of humour, recognition of ambiguity in language has to be promoted from birth. Indeed, been achieved”, notably not until the age Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio of six years, so contends Simpson (2003: (1883), though written in the 19th century, 21), borrowing from several studies (Fry, and being rewritten, adapted and abridged 1963: 13; Keith–Speigel, 1972; Raskin, in several languages goes on igniting 1985; McGhee, 1983: 111; Norrick, 1993: particular cognitive experiences in young 15). readers and, simultaneously, causing laughter, as well as fun, while passing on Having briefly presented some of the values to children in a meaningful way. striking features leading to the selection When children read, are read or watch of Collodi’s text, I shall proceed with the Pinocchio’s adventures, they are invited to discussion of some of the frequent linguistic imagine the unusual, accept as true the and stylistic techniques for evoking impossible and experience situations and humour in the tale, and sometimes extend characters’ doings or wrongdoings as if it to, and citing Simpson, (2003: 15) “how their own. research in “linguistic humorology”, can be used to model the broad mechanics of Drawing on previous studies on Collodi’s humour production and delivery” [author’s The Adventures of Pinocchio within a emphasis]. URL:http://oceanide.netne.net/articulos/art6-10.php Oceánide 6 2014 readers’ schemata and result in schema- Collodi seems to know readers’ refreshment. According to Cook (1994: idiosyncrasies and his narrative has been 9), “a new experience is understood in and still is an appeal to the readers’ senses: comparison with a stereotypical version sight, taste, hearing, feeling and smell. of similar experience held in memory. The He also resorts to dynamic narratives new experience is then processed in terms punctuated by enumeration, repetition, of its deviation from the stereotypical synaesthesia, and comic aspects, thus version, or conformity to it”. Again, and in contributing to schema refreshment/ the light of the concept of “carnivalization” reinforcement (Bartlett, 1932; Semino, by Bakhtin, children’s genuine laughter or 1997). smile owes to the inversion of facts, rather than on language complexity. This entails The following passage taken from the some of the ways devised by Collodi to online English version of The Adventures disrupt pre-established patterns so that of Pinocchio, from the first translation readers might perceive the real meaning into English, published in 1892, by Carol of learning, of formal education, and grasp Della Chiesa (1931), highlights the way the the ethic dimension of the human being, narrator meaningfully activates children’s from the outset all through the narrative, background knowledge, while resorting to to be inferred from the following dialogue familiar language and everyday situations. (chapter 29: 102): In the process, Collodi shows (McRae, 1991: 31) “how words need not remain “Is the Fairy home?” asked the on the merely referential level”, to borrow Marionette. from McRae’s contentions, “but can take “The Fairy is asleep and does not on new identities for a multiplicity of wish to be disturbed. Who are you?” purposes - and, in their new guises, help “It is I.” [the readers] see familiar things in a new “Who’s I?” light” [adapted Mine]. “Pinocchio.” “Fine fish, these bass!” In Pinocchio’s discursive practice, stand out “Very tasty, these whitefish!” short answers, play on words, sometimes “Delicious flounders, these!” incomplete sentences which are close “What splendid crabs!” to children’s language output and make “And these dear little anchovies, “the Marionette” a reliable character with with their heads still on!” whom readers may identify.