The heroes of Milan Kundera and Paulo Coelho as echoes of each other
The heroes of Milan Kundera and Paulo Coelho as echoes of each other

Summary/Abstract: World literature, with its wealth of written works, allows us to live thousands of lives and emotions that belong to us in their mystery and magic. The art of writing presents various inherent diversities that stimulate imagination and artistic spirit. The modernist period came with diverse literary contributions that challenged previously established boundaries and redefined world literature. The style, narration, character, and what was called literature itself were reformed. In this paper, we will present some connecting threads between two authors of world literature, Milan Kundera and Paulo Coelho, through the lens of analyzing the main characters in the works The Unbearable Lightness of Being and The Zahir. Are there common points in the subjects of these two novels, or is it simply an influence of the era? The portrayal of the inner world of the heroes is characterized by an external catalyst that prompts their reaction or lack thereof. Are Coelho's hero and Kundera's hero guided by the same philosophy and belong to the same typology of characters? Could it be that everything is conditioned by the narrative style, which in one way or another dresses the heroes in a similar "costume"? Two works published 21 years apart, yet presenting a sense of familiarity when read. Are the themes merely reused, or is there a deeper reflection on life? This paper will explore all possible answers to better understand the mysterious reality of the human mind, as presented by two influential names in world literature, who belong to two completely different cultures.

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