Monstrosity and resignification in Serial Fiction
Horror as a pedagogical vector in Desalma
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22475/rebeca.v15n2.1461Keywords:
Serial fiction, Horror, Globoplay, DesalmaAbstract
The aim of this work is to investigate the insertion of horror into the context of contemporary Brazilian serial fiction, using the series Desalma (Globoplay, 2020-2022) as a starting point. By articulating the concepts of Wood (1979) and Hart (2020) with Borges & Sigiliano’s (2021) approach to studying the quality of fictional series, this study analyzes the narrative arc of the character Haia, a witch who occupies a leading role in the plot. Her categorical monstrosity is relativized through narrative interweavings that demand reflection from the viewer regarding stereotypes consolidated by the genre. Through the supernatural, the series creates a fictional microcosm that highlights symptoms of sexism in contemporary Brazilian society, using the monster device to denounce oppressions and injustices in the current order (Creed, 2022). In addition to highlighting the relevance of serialized fiction in audiovisual horror studies, this work discusses how the genre can serve as a vector that introduces aesthetic and narrative resources into popular production and consumption, thereby broadening the audience's horizons and fostering the development and exercise of fundamental sensibilities in contemporary era permeated by mediatization.
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