Volume IV Special Issue VII September 2024

Name of Author : Kavya K S

Title of the paper : Shadows of Home: Unraveling Trauma and the Weight of Memory in Diasporic Voices

Abstract: In contemporary literature, the exploration of trauma and diaspora has emerged as a powerful lens through which writers examine the complexities of identity, memory, and belonging. The paper is an attempt at exploring the intricate relationship between trauma and memory in Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. These novels, set against the backdrop of colonialism, migration, and war, offer profound insights into how trauma affects individual and collective memories across different cultures and histories. In Americanah, Adichie explores the personal struggles of Nigerian immigrants in America, focusing on how the trauma of racial discrimination and cultural dislocation reshapes their identities and perceptions of home. The Sympathizer tells the story of a Vietnamese spy torn between conflicting loyalties during and after the Vietnam War, revealing the deep scars left by war and exile on his psyche and sense of belonging. Homegoing traces the brutal legacy of slavery and colonization across generations, depicting how these historical traumas manifest in the lives of descendants across the African diaspora. The study highlights the enduring impact of trauma on memory, identity, and cultural heritage and aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the psychological and cultural dimensions of trauma on the human experience across time and space.

Keywords : Trauma, Memory, War, Migration, Colonialism

DOI :

Page Number : 126-130