Explotación Infantil en la Literatura Colombiana: Un Análisis Comparativo de '1904 Vacas' y 'la Increíble y Triste Historia de la Cándida Eréndira y su Abuela Desalmada'

Abstract

A study was carried out with the objective of comparing the representations of childhood from a literary perspective in the works “1904 cows” by María Cristina Aparicio and the story “the incredible and sad story of Candida Eréndira and her heartless grandmother” by Gabriel García Márquez in relation to the problems of child exploitation in the Colombian context. For this purpose, a qualitative methodological approach was carried out, implementing a hermeneutic interpretation and an inductive analysis, in order to link literary representations with the social problems they reflect, contributing both to the field of literary studies and to the discussion on children's rights in Colombia. The results show that María Cristina Aparicio's Mil novecientas cuatro vacas and Gabriel García Márquez's La increíble y triste historia de la Cándida Eréndira y su abuela desalmada portray childhood from vulnerability and exploitation, although with different approaches: while Toti faces emotional exploitation derived from abandonment and guilt imposed by her mother, Eréndira is subjected to economic and sexual exploitation under the dominion of her grandmother. Both protagonists live in a hostile environment that deprives them of their childhood and condemns them to loneliness and suffering, demonstrating how child neglect manifests itself in different forms within contexts of inequality. In conclusion, the two works offer complementary perspectives on child exploitation, addressing various forms of abuse and neglect in the Colombian context.