Uma Análise Multimodal De Brinquedos Fidget Toys Na Perspectiva Da Semiótica Social

Abstract

In contemporary context of possible impacts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic reality, we present a discussion on childhood and play represented in toys known as fidget toys, following previous studies that defend the issue of toys as texts, as semiotic representations(CALDAS-COULTHARD; VAN LEEUWEN, 2004; ALMEIDA, 2006; 2018; SOARES; ALMEIDA, 2018). The present study is based on Social Semiotics (HODGE; KRESS, 1988), using the modality system of Grammar of Visual Design Grammar (KRESS;VAN LEEUWEN, 2006 [1996]), and the innovative proposal framework to toy’s semiotics as analytical categories (ALMEIDA, 2020; 2021). The overall purpose is to discuss meanings and discourses about childhood and play in and through these toys. Specifically, it aims to identify and compare which and how the modes of communication and recurrent semiotic resources in the toys of this category establish interaction with the observer; as well as to verify which and how meanings and discourses about childhood and play are communicated in these toys. The results reveal a promising discourse to relieve stress and anxiety, materialized and reconfigured in toys existing before the pandemic context, propagating and naturalizing repetitive, prescriptive and little-movement plays, and it also encourages consumption.

Keywords: Fidget toys. Social Semiotics. Multimodality.