A infância negada

Marcas do colonialismo em Negrinha, de Monteiro Lobato

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the representation of Black childhood in the short story Negrinha (2008), by Monteiro Lobato, based on historical studies about childhood in Brazil. Initially, it discusses the historical construction of the concept of childhood, based on the reflections of Philippe Ariès, highlighting that the childhood experience does not constitute a universal or timeless category, but results from specific historical and social processes that have changed over time. Next, it addresses the condition of black childhood within the Brazilian slave system, relying on research organized by Mary Del Priore and studies by José Roberto Góes and Manolo Florentino, which highlight the violence, exploitation, and high mortality rates among enslaved children. Based on this historical and theoretical foundation, the article analyzes how Lobato's story denounces the persistence of colonial structures in the post-abolition period, revealing the processes of physical and symbolic dehumanization experienced by the character Negrinha and highlighting the denial of her childhood.