Zapisać świat, by odnaleźć siebie…, czyli o roli słowa w Gestach Ignacego Karpowicza oraz Kraju bez kapelusza Dany’ego Laferrière’a

The main goal of this article is to reveal the position of the word in the structures and plots of two contemporary novels: Gestures by Ignacy Karpowicz and Dany Lafferrières’ Down Among the Dead Men. The author seeks to understand a phenomenon of words in those novels both as elements of construction (or instruments of expression) and as artefacts with their own integrating power. The comparative analysis shows specific features of homecoming and its impact on rediscovering oneself. For Karpowicz’s hero a return creates an opportunity to reflect on himself and to write a story about his emotions. For Lafferrière’s hero, a similar experience is also a chance to rebuild his personal myth through a specific kind of narration based on a primitive art style. Despite the differences, which are also analyzed, the return to their homes becomes an opportunity to rebuild their own identity and personality for both heroes.