From Written Text to Sound Performance, from Printed Book to Audiobook

an Intermedial Analysis

Abstract

This study, part of a broader doctoral research project in a multipaper format, centers on audiobooks and their many manifestations through the framework of the Intermedial Studies, as well as related and complementary theoretical perspectives. The objective is to investigate how the same literary text can be transmediated through the integration and combination of readers’ sound performances with music and sound effects, when applicable. The research seeks to underscore the complexity and versality of audiobooks in their multisemiotic nature and intermedial capabilities. To facilitate a deeper analysis, three case studies are explored: Alice no País das Maravilhas by Lewis Carroll, Memórias póstumas de Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis, and O pequeno príncipe by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. These works were selected due to their public domain status and the extensive range of audiobook versions available. The study proposes different hypotheses regarding the variations among audiobook types, concluding with a reflective discussion on the necessity of a classification system that considers sound performance, music, and sound effects. Through this analysis, the research aims to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the nuances and potential of this auditory media.