Abstract
Fred D’Aguiar’s Feeding the Ghosts (1997) relies on a historical event, the Zong Massacre, which has remained one of the most disastrous records of the Transatlantic slave trade. This essay intends to look into the way in which this fictional account opens up a confluence of horror and memory in the intertwined fields of history and fiction. The image of the slave ship as a circumscribed space of inhumane confinement will be examined first. The essay will subsequently focus on the sea as the representation of suspended space and time, a “non space” that could be coextensive with an unending Middle Passage. Finally, the novel will be analysed as a sea of (his)story/stories, a “road of bones” which leads to a re-routing of history. By writing about the silenced slaves who drowned in the sea, D’Aguiar makes sure that their stories are remembered and that their past is re-membered.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
