THE RIGHT TO BE BORN FROM UGLINESS

AN ANALYSIS OF THE CONSTUCTION OF THE PROTAGONIST’S DIMENSIONS IN THE “UGLY BETTY” FRANCHISE

Abstract

This research seeks to understand the implications of the so-called “uniform of ugliness” in the construction of the protagonist of the “Betty, a Feia” franchise. Noting that the elements of glasses, dental braces, bangs and costumes create a visual identity for the character, something replicated in virtually every feature of the original work. In order to reflect on the constructions of the protagonist in three versions – “Yo Soy Betty, la Fea”, “Ugly Betty” and “Betty en NY” James Phelan is summoned on the occasion of his contributions on the mimetic, synthetic and thematic dimensions of the characters and the ideological meanings present in this construction. As a result, it was noted that the use – and later abandonment – of this uniform contributed to thematize the internal and external transformation of the character. However, each version does so in its own possible world, given the respective narrative themes addressed and the temporal distance between versions.