Postcolonial Writings - Question and answers

I'm a graduate student working on a thesis about postcolonial narrative techniques. I've read Garcia Marquez and Rushdie, and I understand that magical realism is often tied to postcolonial contexts, but when I compare it to symbolism in works like Kafka's, I get mixed up. I've tried using literary theory guides, but they're too abstract. I need a hands-on approach to identify and analyze these elements in specific passages.

I've read some key texts like 'The Sorrow of War' from Vietnam and 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' from Colombia, but I'm finding it challenging to systematically evaluate how each author employs techniques like magical realism or historical allegory to challenge colonial legacies. I have to present this to a diverse audience, so I need a clear, structured approach that balances theory with textual examples.