59 pages 1 hour read

Zadie Smith

Swing Time

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2016

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Essay Topics

1.

Why does Smith never name her narrator? What impact does the absence of her name have on the development of plot, theme, and characterization?

2.

What role does the history of Black entertainment play in the novel? Why does Smith title her novel Swing Time?

3.

A major theme in this novel is the idea that people seek meaning from life, not freedom. Identify and analyze at least three instances in which characters pursue meaning over freedom.