Representations of Memory as Mediator of Postcolonial Trauma in Aminatta Forna’s The Memory of Love

Abstract

Existing studies have shown memory to be inseparable from the discourse of trauma. Memory has been treated mainly as a repository on which trauma thrives. However, its role as an interpretive and negotiating tool through which traumatic experiences within the postcolonial context are judged is often overlooked. Therefore, this paper examines how individual and collective memories are used to interpret characters’ traumatic experiences in Aminatta Forna’s The Memory of Love, using Pederson’s theory of literary trauma as a framework. The novel is analysed through close reading. The study contributes to the argument that trauma is representable by showing ways in which memory is used to augment the narration of trauma within the postcolonial context.