A Turma do Pererê: Visualizations of gender in a Brazilian children’s comic

Abstract

This chapter examines visual representations of gender as portrayed through the children’s comic book A Turma do Pererê (Pererê‘s Gang) by Ziraldo Alves Pinto, originally published in Brazil between 1960 and 1964. A Turma do Pererê follows the adventures of Saci Pererê, a black one-legged mischievous character from Brazilian folklore, and his group of human and animal friends. Female characters are the minority in the comic and play small roles as romantic interests or maternal figures, yet their occasional appearances portray much about gender roles during the period in which the comic was produced. A Turma do Pererê functioned as an informal manual of socialization, training, and educating children in the ambiguity of gender that marked Brazilian culture in the early 1960s. The comic’s few female characters reflect the comparatively small role that Brazilian women played in political life during this period. The stories promote contradictory messages, portraying female characters as both submissive and independent, reflecting the questions that were emerging about traditional gender roles at the time.