Intersecting Fiction and Reality: the Representation of the Ideology of Discoveries in Lília Momplé’s Neighbours: the Story of a Murder (1995)

Abstract

Abstract: This article examines the intricate interplay of fiction and reality in Lília Momplé’s Neighbours: The Story of a Murder (1995), with a particular stress on the ideology of the Discoveries. Through the analysis of narrative intricacies and contextual layers in Momplé’s novella, the research work aims to uncover the author's adept navigation between the realms of fiction and historical reality. The article unravels how Momplé’s work contributes to the broader discourse on the dynamic relationship between fiction and reality in literature, specifically within the context of historical depiction. Leaning on postcolonialism and personality psychology as theories and historicity and dialogism as conceptual frameworks, the article focuses on three methodological approaches, namely thematic analysis, character analysis and symbolism analysis. Keywords: Christianity, Colonization, Historicity, Postcolonialism, Settlement.