THE MOTIFS OF CHILDHOOD AND FRIENDSHIP IN THE NOVEL SWING TIME BY Z. SMITH

Abstract

In the novel Swing Time by Z. Smith, the motifs of childhood and friendship are considered as the basis for the formation of character and the acquisition of life experience of a person. The aim of this article is to analyze the motifs of childhood and friendship as key factors in personality formation, as well as to examine the development of the protagonists’ characters in the novel Swing Time from an individual authorial perspective. The relevance of this study lies in examining Z. Smith’s novel Swing Time as a model for understanding the specific psychological characteristics of mixed-race children and the literary features that define the author’s worldview. The study employs a comprehensive research methodology which combines the comparative-historical method, holistic analysis and elements of hermeneutics.The objective of this study is to examine the role of childhood in the journey from innocence to experience, which enables the narrator and her friend to make their own choices regarding their outlook on life. Results. It is shown that girls’ friendship begins with shared interests, rivalry and comparison, and develops predominantly in a spiral pattern: in childhood, they interact intensively, meet every day and play together; then they attend the same school; later, there are lulls in the friendship, they meet less often, but eventually a new rapprochement takes place. When Tracy and the narrator grow closer again, their relationship becomes more complicated, as the girls grow up and their views, values and experiences change. It turns out that the narrator remains the more loyal friend, genuinely admiring Tracy’s talent, even as she constantly compares her own achievements with Tracy’s. Reflections on childhood and friendship help the protagonist come to terms with adult life and take a bold step – exposing the pop star’s illegal adoption. As they grow up, Tracy becomes a dancer and the narrator becomes the pop star’s right-hand woman. Z. Smith skillfully conveys the complexities of friendship and shows how the characters change over time: Tracy gives up dancing for the sake of her children, whilst the protagonist gives up her job for the sake of the truth. Conclusions. Friendship remains the most enduring aspect of the narrator’s and her friend’s lives. This interpretation offers a fresh perspective on Smith’s work, highlighting how childhood, personal growth and the dynamics of friendship shape identity and life choices.