| Pub. Date | : Dec, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Product Name | : The IUP Journal of English Studies |
| Product Type | : Article |
| Product Code | : IJES031223 |
| Author Name | : Suganya V* and B Padmanabhan** |
| Availability | : YES |
| Subject/Domain | : Arts & Humanities |
| Download Format | : PDF Format |
| No. of Pages | : 7 |
This paper explores the centrality of autobiographical memory in the construction of self and the experience of cultural trauma through the narrative of Thomas McNulty in the novel Days Without End. The character recalls the gruesome wars and cruel famine, which caused much agony and suffering throughout his life. The study attempts to make a textual analysis by employing the framework of autobiographical memory to interpret the complex relationship between the personal and collective selves. The novel adopts a unique form of autobiographical narrative to represent a personal and social history, thus functioning as a cultural narrative. The memory of the famine trauma is embodied in the personal story of Thomas McNulty, who recalls the national crisis that occurred during the 1840s. Trauma occupies a substantially large portion of the autobiographical narrative. He relays his experiences of painful existence in his native land and struggles to establish his cultural identity in a foreign land. Hence, the paper aims to analyze the characteristics of personal memory and trauma manifested in the narrative for the representations of Irish collective memory and cultural trauma of the Great Famine.