“GHOST CHILDREN” BY S. TOWNSEND THROUGH THE PRISM OF THEME “CHILDHOOD” REPRESENTATION: LEXICAL-STYLISTIC ASPECT

Dzyubenko Anna Igorevna; Stremouhova Polina Aleksandrovna

у А14 °1 |(сс) tjJCSj This is an open access article under fie CC BY-NC 4.0 license

DOJ. |() 57 145/27129780 2023 12 04 11 lfcde^K^ehttps://cieativecoimnons.oig/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

"GHOST CHILDREN" BY S. TOWNSEND THROUGH THE PRISM OF THEME "CHILDHOOD" REPRESENTATION: LEXICAL-STYLISTIC ASPECT

DZYUBENKO Anna Igorevna, Ph.D in Linguistics, Associate Professor of the Department of Intercultural Communication and Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages

Southern Federal University 344006, Russia, Rostov-on-Don, [email protected]

SPIN: 3474-3640 AuthorID: 401914 ResearcherID: V-4350-2017 ORCID: 0000-0002-3228-4277 ScopusID: 57193909061

STREMOUHOVA Polina Aleksandrovna, fifth-year student at the Institute of Philology, Journalism and

Intercultural Communication Southern Federal University 344006, Russia, Rostov-on-Don, [email protected] Abstract. This article is devoted to the investigation of the 'childhood' theme in the original novel by Sue Townsend, analyzed from the standpoint of identifying linguistic-stylistic mechanisms of influence on the reader's perception of a literary text by means of the lexical language level, involved in the objectification of the theme of childhood. The study involves studying the evolution of theories of "childhood" and methods of its interpretation in foreign fiction, identifying patterns of conventional representation of the topic "childhood" in modern English, as well as analyzing the idiostyle of S. Townsend in the aspect of the originality of the formation of syntagmatic and paradigmatic connections between the means of lexical level, objectifying the theme "childhood" in the author's artistic discourse, analyzed through the example of the novel "Ghost Children". This topic, as the study has shown, in S. Townsend's interpretation is presented ambivalently due to the presence in the narrative of the characters' polar views on this issue. However, Townsend's childhood is a time of insecurity and weakness. The implementation of this theme in most of the described contexts occurs through the use of lexical units with a marked negative connotation. The author pays special attention to the issues of physical and psychological violence against children, neglect, loneliness and uselessness, which affected the choice of means of expression. Humanism towards children is revealed only in the speech of a few protagonists; the rest of the characters are dominated by the use of obscene and derogatory language, which indicates a lack of respect for the institution of childhood. Among the means of expressiveness, metaphors, comparisons and epithets prevail.

Keywords: childhood, narrative, idiostyle, ambivalence, connotation, protagonist.

РОМАН С. ТАУНСЕНД "GHOST CHILDREN" ЧЕРЕЗ ПРИЗМУ ОТРАЖЕНИЯ ТЕМЫ ДЕТСТВА:

ЛЕКСИКО-СТИЛИСТИЧЕСКИЙ АСПЕКТ

ДЗЮБЕНКО Анна Игоревна, кандидат филологических наук, доцент, доцент кафедры межкультурной коммуникации и методики преподавания иностранных языков Южный федеральный университет 344006, Россия, Ростов-на-Дону, [email protected] СТРЕМОУХОВА Полина Александровна, студент пятого курса Института филологии, журналистики и

межкультурной коммуникации Южный федеральный университет 344006, Россия, Ростов-на-Дону, [email protected] Аннотация. Предлагаемая статья посвящена отражению темы детства в самобытном романе Сью Таунсенд, проанализированном с позиций выявления лингвостилистических механизмов влияния на восприятие читателем художественного текста средствами лексического языкового уровня, участвующих в объективации темы детства. Исследование предполагает изучение эволюции теорий «детства» и способов его интерпретации в зарубежной художественной литературе, в выявлении закономерностей узуальной репрезентации темы «детство» в современном английском языке, а также в анализе идиостиля С. Таунсенд в аспекте своеобразия образования синтагматических и парадигматических связей между средствами лексического уровня, объективирующих тему «детство» в авторском художественном дискурсе, описываемом на примере романа "Ghost Children". Данная тема, как показало исследование, в трактовке С. Таунсенд представлена амбивалентно в связи с наличием в нарративе полярных взглядов героев на данную тему. Тем не менее, у Таунсенд детство - время незащищённости и слабости. Реализация данной темы в большинстве контекстов происходит с помощью использования лексических единиц с отрицательной коннотацией. Особое внимание автор уделяет вопросам физического и психологического насилия над детьми, неглекта, одиночества и отчужденнности, что сказалось на выборе средств выразительности. Гуманизм в отношении детей выявлен лишь в речи нескольких персонажей, у остальных героев доминирует использование обсценной и оскорбительной лексики, что свидетельствует об отсутствии уважения к институту детства. Среди средств выразительности превалируют метафоры, сравнения и эпитеты.

Ключевые слова: детство, нарратив, идиостиль, амбивалентность, коннотация, протагонист.

INTRODUCTION

The last decade has become a period of active interest among researchers in the issues of childhood within an interdisciplinary paradigm [1-4], which has led to a significant expansion and deepening of ideas about childhood in various fields of humanities, making the object of study the specific influence of childhood experience on the formation of an adult's personality as a whole and the features of discursive and linguistic representation of this issue in idiostylistically marked artistic discourse in particular [5;

6]. It is these processes, traced in the interdisciplinary plane, that predetermine the relevance of the proposed article.

A diachronic excursion into the history of the formation of approaches to describing childhood reveals its earlier appearance in literary theory and artistic discourse than, for example, in the psychological and pedagogical field of humanities. At the same time, since the theme of childhood in different literary periods had a certain "genre valence", for the first time it appears in a rather unusual form for the modern reader, namely in religious genres (hymn, emblem, poetic

meditation) [7-9]. It is assumed that the theme of childhood was addressed through the image of the infant Christ. The image of a child can also be noted in the works of the 17th century English poet Robert Herrick, who wrote prayers for children. Since the genre of prayer involves first-person narration, an attempt was made to imitate children's speech, taking on a sublime poetic form. Starting from the second half of the 17th century, the image of the child gradually began to penetrate secular literature, but such a close connection with the religious past was neutralized only centuries later. In classicism, this topic was not widely actualized, since this direction was characterized by the desire for the ideal and the sublime, and childhood was thought of as a kind of deviation from the norm, where maturity was meant by the norm. The triumph of reason in the period of romanticism is replaced by the triumph of imagination, therefore in this era the cult of childhood is established. Gradually, the concept of childhood penetrates into prose. In realism, there is an interest in the "dark" side of childhood, increasing attention is paid to the problems of childhood deprivation, orphanhood, poverty, and child abuse, this is especially noticeable in the works of Charles Dickens. Since the 19th century The image of the child becomes more complex, it begins to be studied at a deeper level, as a result of which it loses its former unambiguity and intelligibility. For example, in the works of L. N. Tolstoy's child already has a tendency to reflect. Moreover, Tolstoy's famous trilogy is a path of correction: a teenager spoiled by childhood atones for his vices before entering the phase of adolescence. The image of a child becomes more multifaceted in the literary world due to a rethinking of the child's place in the general cultural context.

One of the most famous accounts of childhood in English literature of the 20th century is "Peter Pan" by J. M. Barrie. This classic story explores the concept of eternal youth and the desire to preserve innocence and imagination. Barry's work has inspired a body of research that looks at the psychological consequences of maintaining childhood mindsets into adulthood and how this relates to emotional and mental well-being. Another notable literary work that deals with the theme of childhood is "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C. S. Lewis. This novel is a rich exploration of children's cognitive and social development and how these aspects of childhood interact with imagination and creativity. Through the adventures of four siblings in the magical world of Narnia, Lewis demonstrates how childhood experiences can influence the development of critical thinking skills and moral reasoning. Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited" is another influential novel that explores the theme of childhood, exploring the importance of childhood memories and relationships in shaping adult identity. Through the character of Charles Ryder and his relationship with the Marchmain family, Waugh illustrates the psychological complexities of nostalgia and memories, and how childhood experiences can shape one's perception of the world. Finally, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is a thought-provoking novel that explores the lasting impact of childhood trauma on adult relationships and identity. By exploring the protagonist's obsession with the deceased Rebecca and her struggle to fit into Manderley society, Du Maurier provides insight into how childhood experiences can manifest into adulthood and how they can influence the formation of self-identity.

The theme of childhood is a recurring motif that was developed by many English writers throughout the 20th century. This topic is rooted in the complexity of childhood experiences, which have been the subject of extensive research in developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. In literature, the portrayal of childhood and adolescence offers a unique perspective on the human experience and provides a platform for authors to explore themes such as identity formation, the loss of innocence, and the difficulties of the transition to adulthood. The complex of these themes, complicated by a number of other aspects of the description of the hero's psychotype and the "man" who

served as his prototype as a bearer of cultural and historical values, constitutes the uniqueness of the artistic and linguistic manner and idiostyle as a whole of the outstanding author of our time - Sue Townsend.

METHODOLOGY

The purpose of the study involves studying the author's idiostyle and identifying the range of means belonging to the lexical language level and objectifying the theme of "childhood" in artistic discourse, analyzed in this article using the example of S. Townsend's novels "Ghost Children". The subject of this article is the reflection of the theme of childhood in the original, idiostylistically marked discourse of Sue Townsend, analyzed from the standpoint of identifying linguistic-stylistic mechanisms of influence on the reader's perception of a literary text by means of the lexical language level, involved in the objectification of the theme of childhood. The research methods represent a single complex; among the methods used, the main ones are observation and comparison methods, the method of philological interpretation, as well as linguocognitive and semantic analysis. The theoretical basis of the research is the work of Russian prominent linguists (V. I. Karasik [6], A. A. Kibrik [10], E. S. Kubryakova [11], D. S. Likhachev [12], etc.) and the representatives of the psychological and pedagogical paradigm of modern humanitarian knowledge (D. I. Feldshtein [13], S. I. Pozdeeva, I. A. Drozdetskaya [4]).

RESULTS

Idiostyle as a subject of study was developed thanks to the theory of linguistic personality by V. V. Vinogradov, which contributed to the emergence of interest in this phenomenon on the part of such domestic linguists as Yu. N. Karaulov, M. M. Bakhtin, Yu. N. Tynyanov and others. According to the definition of N. N. Gribova, idiostyle is "a system of linguistic means subordinated to the aesthetic and communicative objectives of a work of art, through which the author's individual picture of the world is created" [14, p. 7]. Idiostyle is a key concept in stylistics. Speaking about style-forming categories, A. F. Ashimova mentions the linguistic level of the author's comparativeness and aesthetically determined conceptuality, which are fundamental in creating the artistic field of images [15]. In our research, by idiostyle we understand the author's selection of a number of linguistic means, the nuances of composition and themes of works. It is also important to note that the concept of "idiostyle" includes features that appear at all levels of the language system.

Idiostyle, which determines the uniqueness of S. Townsend's artistic discourse and the originality of her actualization of the theme of childhood, reveals obvious genetic correlations with different eras in the development of the ideas of childhood and its interpretation. The most striking work of the era of classicism is "Thoughts on Education" by John Locke (1693), which postulates the idea of the need for complete control of children by adults due to the immaturity of the rational principle and the inability to resist one's desires and hear the voice of one's own reason. During this period, the child is thought of as a "clean slate", and only the adult determines his future degree of "stain". The romantics did not agree with this attitude towards the child. So, N. Ya. Berkovsky believed that "children's children begin with romantics," they are valued in themselves, and not as candidates for future adults. If we speak in the language of Friedrich Schlegel, then in children we are given, as it were, an etymologization of life itself, in them its first word. In children there is a maximum of possibilities that are scattered and lost later. The attention of romantics is directed to that in children and in children's consciousness that will be lost by adults" [16, p. 42]. However, in romanticism, what is important is not the child itself, but the image of the child, i.e. the embodiment of innocence, openness to the world, sensitivity and other qualities that N. Ya. Berkovsky wrote about. Childhood, in the minds of romantics, is a time of boundless happiness and freedom. However, this image was highly idealized: "An objective study of childhood would even seem blasphemous to a romantic, and growing up in this belief

system looked more like a loss than a gain... Having postulated the existence and intrinsic value of the world of childhood, romanticism idealized it, turning the child into a myth that subsequent generations would investigate and thereby debunk" [1 p. 9]. However, along with the romanticized image of childhood, a number of attitudes change. Now the child is not just an object of edification, but a prism through which an adult can look at the surrounding reality. Its implementation is rooted in such a "marginal" genre as the magazine ballad (William Wordsworth "Lyrical Ballads"). The base children's theme was greeted aggressively; the very epithet "childish" seemed extremely offensive. However, Wordsworth took this reaction calmly and even stated that poetry should become "children's." At that time, such statements sounded bold and revolutionary.

Developing the trend of realism in the literary tradition, Charles Dickens highlights not only the difficulties that children from the lower classes have to face ("The Adventures of Oliver Twist"), but also the problems of children from the privileged classes ("Hard Times", "Dombey and Son"). For the former, the issue of survival is especially acute, while the latter are faced with internal conflict, a feeling of loneliness and rejection (although the motive of loneliness and alienation is characteristic of both). Dickens considers adults, namely their open indifference to the inner world of the child, to be the main source of the above problems. The child is opposed to cruel reality. It can also be noted here that the concept of childhood (in particular in Dickens) is ambivalent. It includes both positive, bright associations with innocence, freedom, joy, carelessness, and dark ones associated with powerlessness, insecurity, suffering, dependence, etc.

Overall, the theme of childhood in 20th-century English literature offers a unique perspective on human experience and provides a platform for exploring complex psychological concepts related to identity, memory, and development. Through their works, English writers have contributed to a broader understanding of the impact of childhood experiences on adult life and how people cope with the challenges of growing up and transitioning to adulthood.

Sue Townsend's artistic discourse is abundant with descriptions of the themes of childhood, family, power, politics, love, violence and much more, which testifies to the versatility and breadth of the author's worldview. However, the theme of "childhood" is fundamental to her work. Usually it is implemented either directly (as in the series of books about Adrian Mole or in the novel "Ghost Children") or indirectly (the novel "The Queen and I"). Most of S. Townsend's works are associated with the exposure of such a phenomenon as "Englishness," which makes it possible to describe the national character and identity the British from a linguo-cultural perspective. Sue Townsend's prose is distinguished by a special level of irony and sarcasm when describing everyday situations, which gives the text a humorous modality. One of the key aspects in the formation of such a modality is bringing scenes from domestic framework to the point of absurdity. Exploiting the character of Adrian Mole, S. Townsend often places him in awkward and comical situations based on misunderstandings. However, the instrument of absurdity is introduced not only to provoke laughter, but also as to function as an edifying element, exposing the sins of society and explicating the attitude of the world of adults to the world of childhood.

It is also important to note that the writer's idiostyle is characterized by a systematic appeal to the genre of diary entries. In the famous Adrian Mole series of books, the author narrates in the first person, describing from the inside the process of developing the personality of the protagonist and the periods of his growing up. In addition, first-person narration is found in letters, which the author often turns to for implicit creation of "childish" images of the characters (for example, letters from Harry and William to their father in "The Queen and I"). The epistolary genre allows one to build a special mode of intimacy between the reader and the character, allowing one to create discursively actualized mech-

anisms of influence on the emotional sphere of the reader, who cannot but sympathize with the cumbersome period in the life of the young protagonist, cannot but be imbued with the pain of his loss or despair at the thought of the absence of any - objectively existing prospects for the "little" main character to build a happy, stable future.

"Ghost Children" (1997) is a novel by S. Townsend [17], exploring the theme of childhood and family, childhood and losses that traumatize the individual and intrafamily and interpersonal relationships. The plot centers on the main characters, Christopher Moore and his ex-wife Angela, who cannot reconcile their different views on life, which leads to their separation. Christopher, who always wanted children, is devastated to learn of the loss of his unborn child, who was secretly disposed of by his wife Angela. This decision leads to their total break-up. Years later, Christopher accidentally discovers a newborn baby abandoned on the street, leading him to reunite with Angela in a quest to discover the truth about what had happened to their daughter all those years ago. The novel reveals the psychological aspects of trauma and how it can shape people and their relationships. Christopher's desire to have a child and Angela's decision to terminate the pregnancy without his consent are portrayed as emotionally devastating and ruinous events that leave lasting scars on their lives. The novel emphasizes the importance of communication, forgiveness and acceptance in overcoming trauma and building healthy relationships and provides insight into the complex nature of human emotions.

The representation of the theme "childhood" in the novel is realized through the use of lexical units that differ from each other in connotation, which allows us to draw a conclusion about its diverse actualization. Moreover, it was discovered in the text space of this novel that this theme is realized through the polar attitude of the characters to the phenomenon of childhood.

Love, care, and reverent attitude towards this phenomenon are best revealed by Christopher. The main character grew up parentless, so throughout his conscious adulthood, he wanted to give his child all those tender parental feelings that he was deprived of. Christopher's mother abandoned him when he was six weeks old, and all this time, he hoped that she was living her best version of life: "When Christopher was five he had asked his grandmother where his mother was. "She's gone to see the world," she said. He imagined the world to be where the film stars and the football heroes and the royal family lived. It became fixed in his head that the world and Pathe News were the same thing, and he believed that his mother must be inhabiting a Pathe News type of life" [17, p. 20]. Christopher, as a child, created a metaphorical connection between the world and the news-reels, believing that his mother lived a glamorous, exciting life like the people he sees on the screens. The metaphor "a Pathe News type of life" is built on a hidden comparison of the richness of events and bright colors of cinema and the life of a mother. Likewise, Christopher's young mind is trying to comprehend what is happening outside the walls of the house and close the need for lack of information about the missing parent. He invents aspects of her life to make himself feel more secure. The impossibility of learning the truth frightens the child. However, Christopher sees the surrounding reality in bright colors and tones that are characteristic of a child's worldview: "He was equally curious about the solar system, the earth's core, the migration of birds, everything. The world seemed to him then to be a miraculous place" [17, p. 21]. The metaphor "the world seemed to him then to be a miraculous place" conveys the feeling of amazement, wonder, interest that is typical of children, and the hyperbole "everything" emphasizes that the world for children is an unknown place, full of mysteries.

The child's interest in learning is strongly manifested. Christopher's childhood was characterized by avoidance of reality through immersion in other worlds through books: "He usually read until the early hours, only stopping when he could no longer see the print. Then he would close his book

and switch off his bedside light and think about his mother and father. One of his favorite visions was of them dancing together" [17, p. 22]. An important aspect of Christopher's childhood is relationships with men and women: "He had to force himself to laugh at the crudeness of the men's jokes and conversation." He would have preferred to stay at home in the company of the women..." [17, p. 19]. Christopher's childhood was characterized by uncomfortable social dynamics between himself and the men around him, this conclusion can be drawn from the use of the lexemes "to force", "crudeness", which are used in relation to them. Imposed masculinity frightens a child. This suggests that he may have felt pressure to fit into and live up to traditional gender roles and expectations. On the other hand, the fact that Christopher preferred the company of women implies that he may have felt more comfortable and secure in a caring and empathetic environment. His preference for company with women suggests that he had a strong sense of compassion and empathy. This example results in our coming to conclusions about the leading role of the environment in the development of a child's personality.

Christopher grew up to be a sensitive adult; he treats children with care, including strangers, and cannot tolerate neglectful attitudes towards them: "No responsible person would bring a baby out wearing such flimsy clothes. Not without a blanket tucked around it. Not with snow on the ground" [17, p. 41]. With the help of an anaphoric construction with elements of parceling, the highest degree of indignation of the character is emphasized. Christopher is responsible, caring and exhibits qualities that indicate his emotional maturity and readiness to be a father. In the novel, Christopher more than once pays attention to what the children are wearing, and if the clothes do not match the weather, he feels injustice and anger, a similar conclusion can be drawn from the epithets used by Christopher "tiny skirt", "skimpy sweater", "inadequate winter" clothing": "A teenage girl, dressed in a tiny skirt and a skimpy sweater which showed her midriff, was disentangling it. Christopher was shocked that her parents had allowed her to dress in such inadequate winter clothing" [17, p. 10].

Christopher is very affectionate towards children, which is manifested in the vocabulary he uses when addressing them: "baby daughter", "my miracle baby" - recalling his unborn daughter, "chick / my chick" - in relation to Stormy, to the found kid.

Otherwise, the concept of childhood is revealed when analyzing the speech and behavior of Christopher's ex-wife, Angela. The heroine was not ready for a child; maternal sacrifice and unconditional love were alien to her. Moreover, deep down Angela despised the social institution of motherhood: "She didn't tell him that she almost despised the young mothers she passed at the school gate, with their pushchairs and their air of dependency, and their neglected appearance" [17, p. 62]. The epithet "neglected appearance", the verb "to despise" and the metaphor "their air of dependency" allow us to conclude that Angela is most afraid of losing herself and her independence; there is no place for children in her life. During pregnancy, Angela showed particular creativity in choosing ways to get rid of the child: "Unknown to him, she had tried many times to get rid of herself of the child. She had sat in baths of water so hot that her legs and thighs had turned scarlet. She had once drunk half a bottle of gin ... but it clung to her like a limpet" [17, p. 63]. The last comparison with a leech serves to expose the heroine's internal state of hopelessness. Moreover, the idea that the fetus is clinging to the body and desperately struggling to live, like a leech clinging tightly to a stone, indicates a neglectful attitude towards the unborn child, who is likened to a parasite. Continuing to develop the motif of foreignness, the heroine metaphorically compares the fetus with an alien entity: "I don't think you can properly understand how much I want to get rid of this baby. It is an alien inside me" [17, p. 69]. Through the "alien" metaphor, Angela emphasizes her feeling of detachment from the fetus and the feeling that

something unknown and frightening is growing inside her. A similar comparison with an alien entity is repeatedly realized in the female protagonist's speech: "She felt as though she was being consumed by an alien force. One that was swallowing her up and making her invisible" [17, p. 83]. The use of lexemes such as "swallowing her up", "an alien force" and "consumed" conveys a feeling of discomfort and loss of control. The phrase "making her invisible" implies that a woman may feel as if her own identity or sense of self is being lost due to pregnancy. This indicates a conflictual attitude towards the child, since she perceives him as a destructive component. Perhaps this also indicates the internal conflict of the heroine herself and a number of unresolved psychological problems. This thesis is due to the reasons for such a negative reaction from Angela, which the reader will learn about later. For a woman, a child is a competitor with whom she will have to wage an endless struggle for her husband's attention. Such an unhealthy attitude towards oneself and one's children is an example of psychological trauma or the heroine's emotional immaturity. In addition, Angela uses similar paraphrases in relation to the child: "a loathsome parasite", "an invadef', "a tapeworm", etc.

The theme of childhood in the novel "Ghost Children" is described mainly in dark tones. Townsend's childhood is a time of insecurity and weakness. The novel pays special attention to the problem of violence against children, which is most fully reflected in the treatment of Stormy. The culmination of cruelty in the novel is a detailed episode of physical violence against a one-year-old child: "...he threw the little child onto the bed face down and punched her in the small of her back" [17, p. 87]. The girl's father displays a particular degree of sadism and inadequacy: "He held her level to his face and shook her, using her body as punctuation for his words" [17, p. 86]. The author describes the consequences of such disgusting actions on the part of the parent, the child ends up falling into a coma. This image serves as a didactic element to highlight the devastating effects of parental violence. Before this critical event, the mother notices external changes in her daughter, as her eyes become empty and dolllike: "...her eyes looked strange; as if they'd been replaced in the night by those of an alien baby" [17, p. 88]. Moreover, there are traces of violence on Stormy's body, namely a huge bruise that cannot be ignored: "... the bruise on her back. It was the same color as the spring cabbage her mother used to cook in the happy days" [17, p. 89]. This comparison is based on the juxtaposition of the warm and cuddly image of Stormy's mother's childhood cabbage, which gives the scene a poignant intensity and echoes the harsh reality that the characters are currently immersed in. The irony here is particularly striking as Tamara, the child's mother, becomes nostalgic for fond memories of her own childhood as she watches her child being abused. This technique serves to highlight the stark contrast between the innocence and joy of childhood memories and the cruelty of reality. The use of such contrasting images adds depth to the portrayal of the characters' experiences and complex emotions associated with the representation of childhood in the novel.

CONCLUSIONS

In this article, we described the characteristic features of S. Townsend's idiostyle, which are found in the artistic discourse generated by her. Sue Townsend's original style can be characterized by an abundance of irony in the narrative, a special attitude to the problems of childhood, violence and growing up, an interest in English identity, and an appeal to such forms as the epistolary genre and the genre of diary entries. Such style features distinguish the writer from other writers and give her prose a unique charm. Moreover, the theme of childhood is presented mainly in gloomy mode. The main thematic dominants are weakness, fear, vulnerability. However, speaking about the representation of childhood from the point of view of the children themselves, one can note the opposite trend. Children, even in the most severe and difficult situations, retain the characteristics characteristic of children - carefree, friendliness, love of freedom and adven-

ture, etc. Thus, we can talk about the ambivalent implementation of this theme in S. Townsend's novel "Ghost Children". The actualization of this theme is carried out through the dominant metaphors, epithets and comparisons in the narrative. As for the part-of-speech belonging of the representatives of the theme "childhood", nouns and adjectives are especially often used, and less often - verbs and adverbs. As the study has shown, the theme of "childhood" in Sue Townsend's novel "Ghost Children" is implemented, in most of the described cases, with the help of lexical units with negative connotations. The author pays special attention to the issues of physical and psychological violence against children, neglect, loneliness and uselessness, which affected the choice of lexical means of expression. Humanism towards children is revealed only in the speech of several characters, namely Christopher and Bilko. The speech of the rest is dominated by obscene and derogative language, which indicates a lack of respect for the institution of childhood.

In conclusion, we would like to note that the question of studying the idiostylistic originality of Sue Townsend's artistic discourse cannot be considered completed, since the author's talent for generating meaning and its linguistic embodiment by means of various linguistic levels is too mul-tifaceted for researchers of her work to focus solely on its lexico-stylistic description.

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Авторы заявляют об отсутствии конфликта интересов

The authors declare no conflicts of interest

Received date: 25.11.2023 Approved date: 30.11.2023 Accepted date: 27.12.2023

“GHOST CHILDREN” BY S. TOWNSEND THROUGH THE PRISM OF THEME “CHILDHOOD” REPRESENTATION: LEXICAL-STYLISTIC ASPECT Текст научной статьи по специальности «Языкознание и литературоведение»

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