Abstract

This paper addresses the research question: How are marginalisation and identity constructed in All Smith's Spring, and what role does the past Brexit political context play in this construction? The aim is to explore how Smith's novel reflects on questions of belonging exclusion, and transformation in contemporary Britain. The analysis adopts a qualitative methodology, combining close textual reading with cultural and linguistic approaches, in order to examine the interactions and experiences of Richard, Brittany, and Florence as central figures negotiating marginalisation and identity.

Findings indicate that Spring portrays marginalisation not only as a condition of refugees, migrants, and outsiders, but also as a broader symptom of fractured national identity in post-Brexit England. Through linguistic experimentation, cultural references, and shifting narrative perspectives, the novel highlights how language, social norms, and cultural boundaries intersect to shape individuals’ sense of self and belonging. While the narrative exposes the realities of exclusion and displacement, it also suggests the potential for renewal through openness to change. Ultimately, Smith’s text encourages readers to recognise that, even in fractured cultural landscapes, individuals can become protagonists of their own transformative narratives.