Pettson och Findus Mucklor : En narratologisk studie av text och bild i Sven Nordqvists Pettsonböcker

In my paper I have analyzed what function the small characters have in Sven Nordqvists picture books with Pettson and Findus. By examining, amongst other things, their motion patterns, facial expressions and looks I have drawn the conclusion that their task is to strengthen both the readers feelings and the feelings that the characters in the books carry. My analysis is rooted in a narrathological model and I have mainly used the concept syllepsis, which means a perusal of a story which is told on an anachronical level, existing beside the main story. Further I have brought up the similarities between the books and both comics and the theatre genre and I have drawn the conclusion that the small characters also have a function as guides for the illustrations and help children develop their visual reading ability. This is important for the childrens ability to better handle the increasing amount of pictures that are presented to them through for example Internet or TV. It can also trigger an independent interest in literature in cases where the text and the authority of the adult reader have been undermined