Justice and freedom values ​​in the children's literature works of Yaşar Kemal and Ö. Zülfü Livaneli: A comparison

This study aims to examine comparatively how the values of justice and freedom are represented in the children's works "The Sultan of Elephants and the Red-Bearded Lame Ant" by Yaşar Kemal and "The Children of the Last Island" by Zülfü Livaneli. Based on the premise that children's literature plays a role in instilling values in children and shaping social consciousness, this study reveals how these values are presented in two dystopian novels with different narrative styles through narrative techniques, character behaviors, plot structures, and symbolic elements. This study was conducted using a qualitative research approach; document analysis was used for data collection, and descriptive analysis was used for analysis. The works were read from beginning to end, and sections related to justice and freedom were highlighted and classified under themes. Rokeach, Nelson, Spranger, and Schwartz's value classifications were used as a theoretical framework to determine the layers of meaning of values; furthermore, the findings were evaluated by comparing them with fundamental values such as justice, freedom, benevolence, compassion, responsibility, honesty, and patriotism, which are included in the 2024 Turkish Century Education Model. The findings show that the two works have both common and complementary aspects in terms of values education. In Yaşar Kemal's work, the values of justice and freedom are addressed at the societal level within an allegorical structure where the strong-weak relationship is prominent; the character of the "Elephant King" strikingly reveals how authority can instrumentalize justice. In contrast, the collective struggle of the ants shows that injustice and oppression can only be overcome through solidarity, conscience, and a sense of shared responsibility; thus, it emphasizes that the values of justice and freedom are made possible through social consciousness, unity, and collective will. In Zülfü Livaneli's work, it has been observed that values are explored through individual awareness, conscience, and the defense of rights; the child characters internalize the concepts of justice and freedom through their courage to defend what is right in the face of authority. Livaneli defines freedom as "conscience in action" and emphasizes that remaining silent in the face of evil is also a moral responsibility. Therefore, the works instill the values of justice and freedom in children through different educational approaches; while Yaşar Kemal's narrative highlights social solidarity and a shared sense of justice, Zülfü Livaneli's work supports individual freedom, empathy, intellectual maturity, and democratic awareness. The research reveals that the transmission of values in children's literature has a powerful function both aesthetically and pedagogically; the works of the two authors present the values of justice and freedom to children in different but complementary ways. Keywords: Yaşar Kemal, Zülfü Livaneli, children's literature, values, justice, freedom, comparison.