Paraguayan literary works in Guaraní and Spanish published by Servilibro in 2020 and 2021 in time of pandemic

Abstract

This research falls under the field of Literary Studies and aimed to describe the characteristics of literary works published in Spanish and Guaraní by Paraguayan authors during 2020 and 2021, in the context of the pandemic. It is a documentary study with a qualitative approach. The sample used was a non-probabilistic, purposive sample, consisting of all books published in Guaraní and Spanish during the pandemic by Paraguayan authors through Editorial Servilibro. A total of 27 books in Spanish and 2 in Guaraní published in 2020 were analyzed, as well as 21 books in Spanish and 4 in Guaraní published in 2021. In terms of literary genres, fiction predominated in the works published in 2020, while in 2021, both in Spanish and Guaraní, fiction and drama stood out. The themes addressed in the Spanish-language works include the War of the Triple Alliance, politics and dictatorship, love stories, children’s literature, fiction and fantasy, ecology, social justice, and Paraguayan culture. As for literature in Guaraní, translations and classic works predominated, along with historical and social justice themes. The works studied are aimed primarily at young adult and adult audiences.