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    Published: 2025-10-30
    No. 13 (2025)

    The case of the anti-hero in The White Caravan by Azem Shkreli

    Atdhe Hykolli , Vesel Islami
    Papers in Literature
    Section: Interpretations
    https://doi.org/10.31648/pl.11879

    Abstract

    The aim of the work was not only to identify the characteristics of the antihero but also to gain a deep understanding of the moral, social, and psychological aspects that shape his role in literature and society. Special attention was given to the role of Dyl Mehmeti as an antihero who opposes authoritarian structures and traditional society while simultaneously preserving his internal moral integrity. The methodology of the study included textual analysis of the novel to isolate the main characteristics of the antihero. An interpretative approach was applied, examining characters through the social and cultural contexts of the era, as well as postmodern criticism, to analyze the image of the antihero in light of changing paradigms of heroic and antiheroic behavior. The results of the study revealed that Dyl Mehmeti was a key figure who not only represents traditional resistance to change but also embodies a complex moral Dylemma, existing at the intersection of individual resistance and social pressures. He opposed the Soviet regime while simultaneously striving to preserve the traditional identity of the mountain peoples. It was found that the antihero in Shkreli’s novel is a central figure who remains unaffected by external changes and steadfast in his beliefs, distinguishing him from the classical hero. The main characteristics of Dyl Mehmeti, such as isolation, rejection of social norms, and internal conflict, are innovative for Albanian literature of the mid-20th century. The conclusions indicate that the image of the antihero in The White Caravan is critical of the society and historical conditions prevailing at the time of the novel’s writing.

    Keywords:

    literary character, postmodernism, moral Dylemma, social criticism, internal conflict

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    Citation rules

    Hykolli, A. ., & Islami, V. (2025). The case of the anti-hero in The White Caravan by Azem Shkreli. Papers in Literature, (13), 269–288. https://doi.org/10.31648/pl.11879

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