Abstract
This study focuses on the British English version of Hergé’s The Adventures of Tintin, a series of adventure comics created from 1929 to 1976. The series became increasingly popular throughout the mid-twentieth century and remains so even to the present day. However, it is still a subject of intrigue and controversy for many scholars due to the alleged racist/ethnic stereotypes in this series in terms of the visual representations and narratives. This paper explores the construction of the most frequently occurring non-European ethnic groups in the Tintin series, the East Asians, focusing on selected character roles regarding their functions, ethnicity, and dispersion throughout different narrative plots in three volumes where they were depicted. To that end, this research integrates Vladimir Propp’s narrative analysis and Martin Reisigl and Ruth Wodak’s discourse historical approach to critical discourse studies, while drawing on parts of Theo van Leeuwen’s social semiotic model in the analysis of images as well as Teun A. van Dijk’s strategies of positive-Self and negative Others presentation. The findings show some idiosyncrasies in terms of East Asians’ distinctive national identities and the dynamicity between the macro-strategies of positive Self versus negative Other representations in the series while touching on the concept of “internal Others.”
About the author
Arezoo Adibeik (b. 1979) is currently an independent academic and a freelance proofreader and editor. Her research interests lie in critical discourse studies and especially multimodal discourse analysis, pragmatics, intercultural communication and history. Her publications include “The ‘sun’ shining upon the ‘ever-lasting’ country: A metamorphosis of Iranian national anthems during the 20th century” (2021) and “Representation of Burka banning in France as represented in British and Persian Newspapers” (2012).
Acknowledgements
I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to all those who directly or indirectly assisted me in producing this paper. Also, I am thankful to the anonymous reviewers of this paper for their time in reading this manuscript and for their comments.
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Article note: Parts of this article are taken from the author’s 2017 unpublished PhD thesis at Lancaster University.
Summary of Propp’s (1928/1968: 26–63) classification on 31 functions in Russian folktales and abbreviation list.
Initial situation (α)
Absentation (ß) = someone goes missing
Interdiction (γ) = Hero is warned
Violation of interdiction (δ)
Reconnaissance (ε) = Villain seeks something
Delivery (ζ) = The villain gains information
Trickery (η) = Villain attempts to deceive victim
Complicity (θ) = Unwitting helping of the enemy
Villainy and lack (A) = The need is identified
Mediation (B) = Hero discovers the lack
Counteraction (C) = Hero chooses positive action
Departure (↑) = Hero leaves on mission
Testing (D) = Hero is challenged to prove heroic qualities
Reaction (E) = Hero responds to test
Acquisition (F) = Hero gains magical item
Guidance (G) = Hero reaches destination
Struggle (H) = Hero and villain do battle
Branding (J) = Hero is branded
Resolution (K) = Initial misfortune or lack is resolved/initial villainy or lack liquidated (a pair with A)
Return (↓) = Hero sets out for home
Pursuit (Pr) = Hero is chased
Rescue (Rs) = Pursuit ends
Arrival (O) = Hero arrives unrecognized
Claim (L) = False hero makes unfounded claims
Task (M) = Difficult task proposed to the hero
Solution (N) = Task is resolved
Recognition (Q) = Hero is recognized
Exposure (Ex) = False hero is exposed
Transfiguration (T) = Hero is given a new appearance
Punishment (U) = Villain is punished
Wedding (W) = Hero marries and ascends the throne
Appendix (B)
The Blue Lotus (BL)
While staying at the Maharaja’s palace from the previous story and being entertained by another fakir called Fakir Ramacharma, Tintin is interrupted by a mysterious visitor from Shanghai. But at the moment the messenger is about to deliver some seemingly crucial information, he is struck by a dart in the neck that drives him insane afterwards giving just one name ‘Mitsuhirato’. Tintin travels to China and meets Mitsuhirato who warns him about life-threatening dangers he is facing. Tintin trusts this -so called- honourable businessman and begins a series of adventures, including: gun shots, kidnappings, poisonings, and stabbings. He survives each time by chance. Towards the end he discovers that Rastapopoulos is the one who is responsible for all that happened. And it is him who is the head of an international drug-smuggling cartel. Tintin establishes the link and exposes them to the police, earning the gratitude of the Chinese government. In the end Mitsuhirato commits suicide and is out of picture. Tintin is internationally praised for his efforts in exposing the villains. The volume ends with Tintin departing from Shanghai and returning home.
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