Differentiate the literary text of non-literary it is not an easy task, so we will use examples and, based on them, we will differentiate between the texts. Next, read the song “Meu guri”, by Chico Buarque, and a news item, which was written based on the facts presented in the song. After reading, follow the explanation.
my boy
Chico Buarque/1981
When, you boy, was my offspring born
Wasn't the time for him to burst
It was born with a face of hunger
And I didn't even have a name to give you
How I took it, I can't explain it to you
I was like this taking him to take me
And in his childhood he once told me
that got there
Look
Look
Look there, my boy, look there
Look there, it's my boy
And he arrives
Arrive sweaty and fast from the stop
And always bring a gift to embarrass me
So much gold chain, young man
May there be a neck to stick
Brought me a bag with everything inside
Key, passbook, rosary and patuá
A handkerchief and a bunch of documents
To finally identify myself, look there
Look there, my boy, look there
Look there, it's my boy
And he arrives
Arrives on the hill with the shipment
Bracelet, cement, watch, tire, recorder
I pray until he gets here at the top
This wave of robberies is horrible
I comfort him, he comforts me
I put him on my lap for him to rock me
Suddenly I wake up, look to the side
And the damned one has already gone to work, look there
Look there, my boy, look there
Look there, it's my boy
And he arrives
Enough print, headline, portrait
Blindfolded, captioned and initials
I don't understand these people, you boy
making too much fuss
The kid in the bush, I think he's laughing
I think it's beautiful on the air
From the beginning I didn't say, you lad
He said he got there
look there, look there
Look there, my boy, look there
Look there, it's my boy
Settlement of accounts between criminals makes a new victim.
Yesterday, the smallest V.S was found dead, around 7 am in the Morro da Providência. He was wanted for theft, robbery, reception and trafficking.
The child's mother, known as Joaquina, said she did not have personal documents, which makes it difficult to release the body. He also claimed not to be aware of his son's criminal practices. “My son was a good boy, I raised him alone, with great difficulty. He promised me a better life and I was fulfilling it, but he wasn't doing anything wrong.”
Until the end of this article, the mother was still fighting for the release of the child's body.
(Journal Escola, 23/08/1981, by Mayra Pavan)
The texts read exemplify the difference between the literary text and the non-literary, however, we will not start by differentiating them, but by defining what they have in common. It is possible that there is something in common between a textliterary and non-literary? In order to answer this question, let us go back to the texts to find out what they are talking about. Did he manage to find out? Very well, both portray the death of a minor. Therefore, they are similar on the subject. From this, it is possible to understand that the theme is not a factor that differentiates a literary text from a non-literary one. So what sets them apart? Follow the explanation below:
The function, that is, for which the text was written, is the first feature used to differentiate literary textof the non-literary. Returning to the texts, the news has no other purpose than to inform, therefore, its language is objective, clear, the words were used in the sense in which they appear in the dictionary, that is, the real sense, with no need to interpretations. That is why, in non-literary text, the predominant function is the Referential (focuses on information and direct language).
In the song “My boy”, it is clear that the language is artistic, that is, well elaborated, and the words take on new meanings, follow the first stanza:
“When your boy was born mine shoot/ It wasn't his time burst/ was born with Face ofhunger...”
According to Houaiss dictionary, shootis bud; While burst is bursting, exploding, etc. Looking at it that way, the message wouldn't make any sense, would it? So here, words must be understood connotatively, that is, figuratively. Soon, shoot should be understood as a son, already burst it must be understood as being born suddenly, without planning. Another detail is the presence of a figure of speech to represent that the boy was born in difficulty, he had “a hungry face”. That is why, in the literary text, the presence of the Poetic function of language (Words are carefully chosen and the message is in evidence).
In literary text, it is not possible to synthesize it without loss of meaning, that is, of its essence, in the non-literary it is perfectly possible to summarize it, removing what is essential.
It is also noticed that the literary text may have the presence of the Emotive Function (emotions and feelings being highlighted). The text in which this function is present appears in the first person, as it emphasizes who produces the message (sender). In music, for example, the lyrical self says: “my offspring”, “my kid”, “I don't understand”, etc.
Follow below some examples of literary text and non-literary.
Literary Text:
Poems, literary novels, short stories, legends, etc.
Non-literary text:
Reports, recipes, textbooks etc.
Below is a table summarizing all the features that differentiate the literary text of non-literary. However, this does not mean that, in the same text, there are all characteristics present, or that a non-literary text cannot have any literary characteristics. Therefore, understand that what characterizes the text as literary or not is the predominance of characteristics.
TExto Literary:
- Connotative language (figurative sense);
- Presence of the Poetic Function (focuses on the message and is concerned with the arrangement of words);
- Presence of the Emotive Function (expresses feelings);
- Presence of figures of languages;
- Musicality.
Non-Literary Text:
- Denotative language (real sense);
- Predominance of the Referential Function (direct information centered on information);
- Impersonal language (no particular features, written in 3rd person);
- Real facts