Literatura e games : potencialidades dos visual novels para letramento literário em tempos de cultura digital

Abstract

This research stems from the premise that visual novels, hybrids of digital games and literature, are fertile materials for providing literary literacy; they are particularly interesting to elementary school students, who have an often frowned upon and misunderstood relationship with games. In our work, we suggest combining this interest in digital games with the commitment to knowledge required by learning, by developing literary literacy activities using visual novels. Thus, we ask: “In what ways can visual novels contribute to literary literacy practices?” To this end, we seek a better understanding of this hybrid genre in what we believe to be the points of interest for this research. We analyzed what digital literature is, its main elements and characteristics, based on the readings of Lévy (2010), Murray (2001), and Santaella (2005); we also observed the relationship between game and literature, based on Iser (2011) and Barthes (2004); we listed the elements that characterize the visual novel genre, based on Azuma (2009), Cavallaro (2010) and Melo (2021). We carried out a bibliographic review on literary literacy and the educational possibilities provided by visual novels, using Cosson (2022) and Camingue; Melcer; and Carstensdottir (2020). Finally, we analyzed the visual novel Higurashi: When They Cry Hou – Ch. 1 Onikakushi; ultimately, we sought alternatives for its use in literary literacy practices.