A Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Topic Structure of Chinese and Indonesian Literature: A Case Study of The True Story of Ah Q and This Earth of Mankind

Literary works are closely interwoven with the social fabric of their era, mirroring the lived experiences and social issues the general population faces. This study employs a qualitative research method to analyze the content of two works, The True Story of Ah Q and This Earth of Mankind regarding topic marking and connection, continuity, transformation, and deepening. It then elucidates the similarities and differences in social reality and cultural mentality by investigating the differences in topic selection and expression. The findings indicate that The True Story of Ah Q emphasizes the individual's fate, whereas This Earth of Mankind prioritizes ethnic group consciousness. The cross-cultural analysis of this study enhances the comprehension of the interconnections between Chinese and Indonesian literature and offers a novel lens for cross-cultural research.