NFÂNCIAS NEGRAS EM AFROPERSPECTIVA: NOVOS MODOS DE (RE)EXISTÊNCIAS EM “MENINA DE FOGO”, DE TAYLANE CRUZ

Abstract

The main objective of this work is to develop, from the Afroperspective, a concept proposed by the philosopher Renato Noguera (2010, 2012, 2014 and 2019), a literary analysis of the novel "Menina de Fogo" (2023), by Taylane Cruz, a writer from Sergipe. Throughout the analysis, we will discuss how black childhoods are transcreated in Cruz's poetic narrative, based on Noguera's (2019) reflections. From this viewpoint, childhood will not be seen solely as a biopsychosocial notion or generational category, but also as a way of life. By employing the Afro-Brazilian and African cosmoperception (Oyěwùmí, 2021), we will think about how Cruz's literary production becomes a counter-voice to the discourse of Brazilian canonical literature produced by white writers, as the pain does not define the existence of her characters. By understanding Cruz's novel as a territory of affections, a place where it is possible to dream and be happy, we will take a closer look at the characters that allow us to feel and experience their childhood states (Noguera, 2019), focusing on three child characters: Maria (protagonist), Tomás and Adelina. This close look, in addition to revealing to us the beauties and joys of childhoods, will also lead us to perceive the hardships that permeate the character’s lives, alerting us to how racism, sexism and other forms of oppression are latent in the experiences of these children. To expand our study, the concept of Poetic Ferocity, developed by Prof. Dr. Franciane Conceição da Silva, in her doctoral thesis (2018), will serve as one of the bases for the aesthetic analysis of the work. This concept will allow us to delve deeper into the discussion of the stylistics present in the work, highlighting the value, strength, and dimension of Cruz's poetic language (2023). In this way, the developed analysis aims to capture in a broader and deeper way the aesthetic nuances present in the work, enriching our understanding and reading experience.