Monstrousity and the (re)creation of Argentine history: an analysis of La asombrosa excursión de Zamba

Abstract

In this article, we are interested in inquiring which is the historical memory that is legitimized in an audiovisual narrative discourse for children that recreates the Argentine history. For this purpose, we have chosen the animated television series La Asombrosa Excursión de Zamba [Zamba?s amazing trip] broadcasted in PAKAPAKA, a public and educational TV channel belonged to by the Ministry of Education in Argentina. From the series, we will specifically analyze the episode called La Asombrosa Excursión de Zamba en la Casa Rosada [Zamba´s amazing trip to Casa Rosada (Argentina´s house of government)], where the traumatic event of the last military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983) thematizes.The interest in unveiling strategies that are part of a "legitimate social memory", from a semiotic perspective, is to analyze how meanings are imposed, valuations are configured and narrative identities are constructed to relate the Argentine past.