The trauma and fragmentation narrative in Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife and Toni Morrison’s Beloved

Abstract

Trauma theory, which emerged in the early 1990s, unveiled the deep-rooted violence characterising modern civilisation. As an essential subset of trauma studies, trauma literature acts as a testament to victims’ experiences. A narrative technique pivotal to this literature is the fragmented narrative, mirroring both the inherent nature of trauma and its external portrayal. This technique aptly captures the often-ineffable nature of traumatic experiences. This research scrutinises the application of fragmented narrative in two seminal works: Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife published in 1991 and Toni Morrison’s Beloved published in 1987. Through a lens focused on mother-daughter dynamics and trauma representation, the study illuminates the novels’ shared themes of motherhood and the agonising internal battles of trauma-afflicted mothers. Tan and Morrison, using fragmented narrative, vividly depict their protagonists’ harrowing traumas, and offer invaluable insights into the experiences of marginalised communities. The emphasis on trauma literature is pivotal, both for a comprehensive understanding of traumatic events and the advancement of trauma research. This underscores the paramountcy of acknowledging personal and communal traumas and championing a humane approach to trauma victims.