METAPHORICAL CONCEPTS OF «HERO» AND «FRIEND» IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Abstract

The article examines features of the representation and cognitive functioning of the metaphorical concepts of «hero» and «friend» in children’s literature. The research material includes «The Wizard of the Emerald City» A.M. Volkov, «The Little Prince» A. de Saint-Exupéry, «Winnie-the-Pooh» A.A. Milne, and «The Adventures of Tom Sawyer» M. Twain. The study is conducted within the framework of cognitive linguistics and linguoculturology, employing methods of conceptual and contextual analysis of literary texts, as well as cognitive interpretation techniques. It is established that the concept of «hero» in children’s literature is primarily realized as a dynamic model of personal development based on metaphorical structures of journey, trial, and overcoming obstacles. The concept of «friend» functions as a key mechanism of socialization and emotional-moral development of characters, actualized through metaphors of shared experience, responsibility, and emotional support. The study demonstrates that these concepts are closely interconnected within a unified cognitive system. It is revealed that friendship serves not as a secondary element but as a structuring factor in the formation of the hero within the children’s literary worldview. The obtained results contribute to a more precise understanding of the role of metaphorical models in shaping the conceptual sphere of children’s literature and expand the cognitive interpretation of mechanisms involved in constructing social experience in literary discourse.