"From the Children's Friend to the Hero of Brazil"

An Analysis of the Documentary Representation of Getúlio Vargas image in the Estado Novo Instructional Booklets

Abstract

When considering the image of Getúlio Vargas in the instructional publications issued by the Department of Press and Propaganda (DIP), through a qualitative investigation based on bibliographic and documentary research, one observes the use of discursive strategies in constructing a specific representation of the political leader. In this context, emphasis is placed on the application of the documentary and image analysis approach to the study of the educational booklets entitled 'Getúlio Vargas, the Children's Friend' and 'Youth in the Estado Novo.' These publications, aimed at children and adolescents, were used as instruments to promote civic values during the Estado Novo regime. The documentary analysis highlights the iconographic representation of Getúlio Vargas in these booklets, with special emphasis on the construction of his political figure in the context of youth and childhood during the 1940s. The pressing need for historical contextualization is underscored for a deeper understanding of the representational trajectories present in the documentary analysis. Finally, this study underlines the intrinsic relevance of the documentary analysis of images and the use of propaganda as foundational tools for understanding the political and social dynamics during the Vargas government period. It became evident how images played a significant role in constructing the collective imagination and guiding society towards the ideals propagated during the Estado Novo, thus consolidating the pertinence of historical research in this temporal context and the imperative of documentary image analysis in contemporary academic investigation.