THE NOVELS TAT ĐEN BY NGO TAT TO AND TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD BY HARPER LEE FROM A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

One of the factors that enable a literary work to endure in the hearts of readers across generations is its capacity to convey humanistic messages through an attitude of empathy and solidarity with those who suffer from injustice and discrimination. The theme of social injustice has always been a subject of interest for writers across all literary eras. “Tat đen” by Ngo Tat To and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee are two renowned novels from the Vietnamese and American literary traditions, respectively. Although these works do not share the same literary context, readers can still recognize multiple points of convergence when engaging with both. In this paper, drawing on the foundation of comparative literature and incorporating methods from sociology, typology, and psychology, we identify and interpret the essential similarities and inevitable differences between “Tat đen” by Ngo Tat To and “To Kill a Mockingbird”, particularly in terms of their treatment of social injustice and narrative technique. The research findings not only illuminate the power of literature in criticizing injustice but also contribute to raising human awareness of fairness and humanitarian values, thereby affirming the significance of comparative literary studies.