Portrayals of Child Survivors of Sexual Abuse in “Roberto” and “Tierra” by Agustina Bazterrica

Abstract

This thesis aims to compare and contrast the short stories of "Roberto" and "Tierra" from the collection Diecinueve garras y un pájaro oscuro by Agustina Bazterrica. Both of these stories portray the narratives of sexually abused young girls. Through analyzing these works, this thesis seeks to discover how the portrayals of the victims represents the culture related to sexual abuse both in Argentina and around the world. A close literary reading is used to explore the symbolism in the stories. The psychological aspects of these stories are also explored. Through the combination of these critical lenses, I propose potential interpretations for these open-ended stories.