National Code and the Theme of National Character in Genealogical Prose Works of Post-colonial Literature

Abstract

This study conducts a comparative analysis of genealogical tradition in postcolonial literature, focusing on prose works by A. Kemelbayeva, a Kazakh story-teller and Marquez, a Latin American prose writer. This study aimed at examining how a literary text denotes the efforts of postcolonial nations to narrate their own histories; and how such narratives highlight national values and preserve cultural identity in the portrayal of a genealogical tradition. The literary texts of Kemelbayeva and Marquez were sampled to evaluate the postcolonial identity and the national character symbolically and culturally. The sample corpus consisted of 519 pages, with texts selected for their thematic relevance to genealogy and national identity. The study uses three analytical approaches: associative analysis, to link ethnographic elements with national character; analytical comparison of representation strategies; and narrative analysis to examine the interplay between family history and national identity. Tables were used to systematize key findings. The research reveals distinct cultural portrayals in Kazakh and Latin American narratives, highlighting the role of genealogical prose in preserving and transmitting national values. While the study demonstrates the potential of literary texts in postcolonial identity discourse, its scope was limited to only two authors. Future research could expand the comparative framework to include broader geographic and cultural contexts.