Mastigando pedras : uma análise dos fradinhos no primeiro ano do jornal O Pasquim

Abstract

This research studies the Brazilian alternative press, specifically the work of the cartoonist Henfil at the first year of O Pasquim, between June 1969 and June 1970. Throughout this period, Henfil actively participated in the newspaper, contributing to its consolidation as one of the most representative underground medias against the military dictatorship. The Fradinhos were Henfil's first authorial characters. With them, the cartoonist worked at the beginning of O Pasquim, achieving national recognition for his work, which was marked by criticism of good customs and conservatism. The grotesque is a central element in Fradinhos’ stories, found especially in the character Baixinho, who acts in opposition to the behavior of his antagonist, Cumprido. We analyze the grotesque in Henfil's comics through the concepts of Victor Hugo (2007), Wolfgang Kayser (1986) and Mikhail Bakhtin (1996). In order to do this research, we used content analysis (BARDIN, 1977), and its categorization methodology. To do so, we divided Henfil’s drawings into groups: religion, eschatology, sadism and criticism of customs and politics. From this segmentation, we produced historical research about Henfil’s work and his way to use the grotesque.