Wounds and Words: The Traumatic Memory in Omar El Akkad’s Dystopian Novel

Hasanul Rizqa

doi:10.29037/digitalpress.42257

Abstract

This paper discusses the literary portraying of personal trauma in Omar El Akkad’s dystopian novel American War. The purpose of this research is twofold:&nbsp; (1) identify the way in which the traumatic memory of war victims is transmitted from the first generation to next generation and (2) understand how the narrator constructs his discourse about the future of America and the world. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The researcher uses Christa Schönfelder’s theory on postmodern trauma texts. This research shows that the main narrator’s choice to positioning Sarat as a war victim, not a perpetrator of biological genocide, makes the narrative of Sarat’s traumatic memory political. It exposes that the first generation’s desire for personal narration becomes unnaratable, and that there is second/third generation’s urge for a future beyond trauma. The conclusion proves that American War contains the quest for stability out of disruptive experiences, constituting a crucial aspect of the need for narrative in the face of a dystopian future.

Highlights

IntroductionUntil recently, American War reaps appreciation from critics in various international mass media
The research question in this study is "How are the traumatic narratives constructed in American War?” The hypothesis of this study is that the main narrator plays a significant role in shaping the trauma narratives of Sara T Chestnut (Sarat), as a war victim—not a genocide perpetrator—and, makes the narrative of Sarat’s traumatic memory political
The primary cause of the Second American Civil War was Southern resistance to the Sustainable Future Act, a bill prohibiting the use of fossil fuels anywhere in the United States

Summary

Introduction

Until recently, American War reaps appreciation from critics in various international mass media They are, among others, are Lucy Scholes at The Independent (August 30, 2017), Michiko Kakutani at The New York Times (March 27, 2017), and Laura Miller at The Guardian (October 4, 2017). The inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the 45th United States It triggered an increase in sales of dystopia novels, both classical and contemporary The American War's release year coincided with the start of the Trump Era. Akkad rejected the assumptions that his novel somehow has something to do with it. In relation to the context of the emergence of American War, Akkad got the impression of the war victim’s trauma through media He remembered watching a talk show on television. The research question in this study is "How are the traumatic narratives constructed in American War?” The hypothesis of this study is that the main narrator plays a significant role in shaping the trauma narratives of Sarat, as a war victim—not a genocide perpetrator—and, makes the narrative of Sarat’s traumatic memory political

Theoretical Framework

Results and Discussion

Conclusions