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A play of signifiers : absence and presence in the picturebooks of Shaun Tan
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2013
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| _version_ | 1867613994465886208 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Lebedeva, Maria |
| author2 | Van Robbroeck, Lize |
| author_browse | Lebedeva, Maria Van Robbroeck, Lize |
| author_facet | Van Robbroeck, Lize Lebedeva, Maria |
| author_sort | Lebedeva, Maria |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/79950 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:59.428Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/79950 A play of signifiers : absence and presence in the picturebooks of Shaun Tan Lebedeva, Maria Van Robbroeck, Lize Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts. Picture books for children -- History and criticism Illustrated children's books Illustrated children's books Dissertations -- Visual arts Theses -- Visual arts Tan, Shaun Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is an exploratory study into the signification potential of contemporary, postmodern picturebooks, specifically focusing on the way in which a seemingly 'simplistic' medium has the potential to initiate a vastly complex play of meanings. Picturebooks are traditionally considered to be a medium which implies a child reader, and conveys a simple linear narrative for educational and entertainment purposes. Traditional picturebooks thus assume a clear division between an author and reader, whereby the author is a 'knowing' adult, who conveys a moral or message to a passive child reader. These assumptions are arguably unsettled by the appearance of postmodern picturebooks, broadly defined as a medium which, while retaining the traditional picturebook format, opens itself up to multiple interpretations, instead of presenting the reader with an encoded message or 'meaning'. A number of postmodern picturebook authors, such as Shaun Tan, intentionally subvert the traditional dynamic between the author and reader of picturebooks by creating complex texts which display a general absence of clear accessible 'meaning', thereby allowing the reader to actively participate in the meaning-making process. With aid of the theories of signification set out by poststructuralist Jacques Derrida, this study aims to illustrate how a purposeful absence of apparent 'meaning' in picturebooks has the potential to allow for unlimited interpretations of a single text, thus by extension widening the 'implied' audience of such picturebooks. The objective is to set postmodern picturebooks apart from other texts (in particular more traditional picturebooks), and to provide a new outlook on the ways picturebooks are created, and the way they are read. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is 'n ondersoekende studie na die betekenispotensiaal van kontemporêre, post-moderne prenteboeke, met spesiale verwysing na die manier waarop 'n sogenaamde “simplistiese” medium die potensiaal openbaar om 'n hoogs-komplekse verskeidenheid betekenisse te ontlok. Prenteboeke word tradisioneel gesien as 'n medium van eenvoudige, liniêre vertellings gerig op die jong leser met die doel om op te voed of te vermaak. Tradisionele prenteboeke handhaaf dus 'n duidelike afbakening tussen die leser en die outeur, die sogenaamde “alwetende” volwassene, wat 'n morele les/ boodskap aan 'n passiewe, jong leser oordra. Hierdie veronderstelling word egter omvergewerp deur die verskyning van die post-moderne prenteboek wat, alhoewel in die tradisionele formaat van die prenteboek gegiet, die leser die geleentheid bied om veelvoudige interpretasies te maak in plaas van om net die beoogde geënkodeerde betekenis of boodskap van die boek te aanvaar. 'n Aantal post-moderne prenteboekskrywers soos Shaun Tan het die tradisionele dinamiek tussen prenteboekskrywer en -leser bewustelik omver kom werp deur komplekse teks te skep wat gekenmerk word aan die afwesigheid van 'n duidelik waarneembare betekenis en wat die leser dus toelaat om aktief deel te neem aan die interpretasieproses. Die doel van hierdie studie is om met behulp van die betekenispotensiaal-teorie, soos uiteengesit deur post-strukturalis Jacques Derrida, te illustreer hoe die doelbewuste weglating van 'n duidelik waarneembare betekenis of boodskap dit moontlik maak om die teks op veelvoudige maniere te interpreteer en daarmee saam ook die lesersprofiel van prenteboeke te verbreed. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie is dus om die post-moderne prenteboek te onderskei van die tradisionele prenteboek en ander tekste en om nuwe waarnemings en insigte te verskaf in die wyse waarop prenteboeke geskep en gelees word. Masters 2013-02-08T07:38:29Z 2013-03-15T07:27:45Z 2013-02-08T07:38:29Z 2013-03-15T07:27:45Z 2013-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/79950 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 74 p. : col. ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Picture books for children -- History and criticism Illustrated children's books Illustrated children's books Dissertations -- Visual arts Theses -- Visual arts Tan, Shaun Lebedeva, Maria A play of signifiers : absence and presence in the picturebooks of Shaun Tan |
| title | A play of signifiers : absence and presence in the picturebooks of Shaun Tan |
| title_full | A play of signifiers : absence and presence in the picturebooks of Shaun Tan |
| title_fullStr | A play of signifiers : absence and presence in the picturebooks of Shaun Tan |
| title_full_unstemmed | A play of signifiers : absence and presence in the picturebooks of Shaun Tan |
| title_short | A play of signifiers : absence and presence in the picturebooks of Shaun Tan |
| title_sort | play of signifiers absence and presence in the picturebooks of shaun tan |
| topic | Picture books for children -- History and criticism Illustrated children's books Illustrated children's books Dissertations -- Visual arts Theses -- Visual arts Tan, Shaun |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/79950 |
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