Veridiction and passion: interweaving narrative and discursive

Abstract

This paper presents a general overview of the greimasian semiotic approach to the veridiction problem. We aim to discuss it as an effect of meaning produced by the relationship between the narrative and the discursive levels. Illustrated by the analysis of three texts from two books from different periods and different literary styles, this article shows the relationship between veridiction and passion, especially with regards to the narrative and the discursive levels. The first text is a fable by Millôr Fernandes, "A causa da chuva" (the cause of the rain), in which the author brings into play a discussion about the cause the rain from three different points of view: the chicken's, the rabbit's and the frog's. To address the issue of veridiction, we explore the different figurative paths proposed by each character. The second text is the fairy tale "Riquet with the Tuft", by Charles Perrault. It deals with the notion of truth and how it changes as we address essence or appearance of each character. The third text is an excerpt from "The Sleeping Beauty," also by Perrault, in which the actions of the fairies are observed from the point of view of veridiction. We then proceed to a discussion of the fiduciary contract as a basis for relations between subjects in the cognitive dimension of narrative. The discussion of the different parts of the analysis will reveal the interlacing of the discursive and narrative levels that permeates the construction of the effect of passion and veridiction in the text.