January 14, 2025
This document is linked to :
info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2107-0806
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess , https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
This article traces a path through 20th-century Argentine children's literature, focusing on works of fiction that, through the presence of insects, have shaped children's imagination and the history of children's books in the country. Different approaches to the portrayal of insects are identified: firstly, in La Hormiguita Viajera, Constancio C. Vigil presents insects as vehicles for values such as perseverance and respect for community norms. Secondly, Horacio Quiroga’s tales depict insects as symbols of nature's capacity to assert itself against human arrogance and overconfidence. The third facet highlights the inclusion of insects in poetry, which moves away from both moralism and realism. The fourth tendency emerges in the aesthetic of nonsense, championed by authors such as María Elena Walsh, who employs humor and absurdity to subvert traditional representations, inviting readers to observe the small world from an irreverent and creative perspective. Finally, Gustavo Roldán uses insects, with their apparent smallness and vulnerability, as symbols of rebellion and resistance, giving voice to the marginalized and challenging power structures.