Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: LENI RODRIGUES MACHADO DOS REIS

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
DISCENTE : LENI RODRIGUES MACHADO DOS REIS
DATA : 15/04/2026
HORA: 16:00
LOCAL: meet.google.com/vrq-oyjs-fgt
TÍTULO:

TOM, A SPECIAL BOY: THE REPRESENTATION OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE

PALAVRAS-CHAVES:

Children’s Literature; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Inclusion; Representation; Literary Education.

PÁGINAS: 72
GRANDE ÁREA: Linguística, Letras e Artes
ÁREA: Letras
SUBÁREA: Literatura Brasileira
RESUMO:

This research stems from the perception of the scarcity of representations of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children's and young adult literature, which motivates the need for a new school collection focused on diversity. The book Tom (2012), written and illustrated by André Neves and winner of the Jabuti Award in 2013, serves as the central object of analysis, as it presents the story of an autistic boy narrated through the voice of his brother. Based on this work, the study seeks to understand how literature can contribute to the humanization of differences, the development of reading skills, and the inclusion of atypical individuals. The methodology adopted combines bibliographic and comparative analysis, connecting Tom to other literary works that address the world of autism. The investigation considers not only narrative and textual elements, but also the visual aspects and aesthetic choices of the author, observing the construction of meaning that arises from the interplay between text and image. The analysis of Tom's subjectivity highlights his relationship with his family and social environment, exploring the symbolism of nonverbal communication, isolation, and the quest for understanding. The theoretical framework includes studies on policies of inclusion and exclusion, as well as critical approaches to the representation of autism throughout history. Notably, Edith Sheffer's contribution in Asperger's Children: Crianças de Asperger: As origens do Autismo na Viena nazista (2019) offers a historical perspective that helps explain the stigmatization and marginalization of autistic individuals since the twentieth century. The study also incorporates the reflections of Antonio Candido (1999), who advocates for literature as a right for all due to its humanizing nature; Walter Benjamin (1933), who emphasizes the subjectivity of short narratives; and reading scholars such as Cecilia Bajour (2009), Annie Rouxel (2007), and Michèle Petit, who stress the importance of subjectivity, autonomy, and the formative role of literary experience. This study seeks to identify how these works help confront social stigmas that label behaviors and limit human potential, while fostering spaces for empathy and recognition of diversity. It concludes that children's and young adult literature, by addressing autism through symbolic and inclusive narratives, becomes a significant pedagogical tool capable of sensitizing readers, expanding interpretive horizons, and promoting more humanizing educational practices. This perspective contributes not only to the development of critical and empathetic readers but also to the construction of a more inclusive society, where different ways of being are acknowledged and valued.

MEMBROS DA BANCA:
Presidente - 131982001 - ROSANA RODRIGUES DA SILVA
Interna - 257877001 - TATIANE SILVA SANTOS
Externo à Instituição - DANIELA MARIA SEGABINAZI - UFPB