Exploring the Impact of English Literature on Cultural Identity in Multicultural Societies

Scholarly and popular investigations into how English literature shapes cultural identity in multiethnic settings date back to the 1980s. The creation of South Africa as a rainbow nation, popularised and sensationalized by the idea of the new nation's hospitality, is one such tangible or publicly visible occurrence. Despite severe criticism and rejection, this national story has credibility and acknowledgment in the moral imagination of individuals both within and outside of South Africa. Starting with the rainbow nation, this analysis will place the rainbow narrative in the broader educational framework of how literature shapes cultural identities. It will also critically examine both contemporary and esoteric literary and academic practices.