A representação do negro no conto o Saci de Monteiro Lobato

Abstract

This paper analyzes the representation of Black people in Monteiro Lobato's work "O Saci." It was noted how the character's creation negatively impacts the perception of Black people in society. The problem guiding this work highlighted some expressions within the work that may be prejudiced and thus contribute to the continuation of stereotypes and prejudices against Black people. The analysis of the work shows that the figure of Saci is directly linked to racial stereotypes and prejudices; this connection can maintain the exclusion and marginalization of the Black community. This article sought to understand the representation of Black people in Monteiro Lobato's work "O Saci." It aimed to identify whether stereotypes and prejudices are present in the representation of Black people in the work, determine whether the narrative may contribute to the continuation of the negative image of Black people in Brazilian culture, and examine the impact of the representation of Black people through Saci on the formation of Black identity and their participation in society. The theorists used to support the analysis were Almeida (2019), Cascudo (1954), Cuti (2010), Malaquias (2022), and Bonifácio (2017). The methodology adopted was bibliographic with a qualitative approach, starting from a review of Brazilian children's and young adult literature. The research results showed that some of the author's statements carry meanings that convey a sense of prejudice against Black people. Thus, we hope to deconstruct and combat the construction of prejudices and stereotypes in society. We conclude that this work contributed to discussions about the representation of Black people in children's and young adult literature, thus aiming to improve the construction of the image of Black people in society. We hope that the work's approaches will also inspire other researchers to develop research on the topic