Unresolved Trauma in Seierstad's The Bookseller of Kabul

Abstract

This present thesis, tries to unfold the meaning, effects, symptoms and the resolution of trauma. It studies trauma as a mode of interpretation how it interprets narrative, history, culture and philosophy. Further it studies the alienated, frustrated and the problematic life created due to the traumatic whirlpool. By applying LaCapra's perspective towards trauma it studies what are the circumstances that make life traumatic, how can one surpass trauma, what are the role of transferences and dynamic, what is the process of acting out and working through. In the similar manner the other crucial issues this research depicted are how it examines the effects and experiences of trauma befalling to the human life, what are the common working field of it, how it occurs and how it can be resolved or addressed are the issues that the thesis deals. The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad, tries to unfold the unresolved traumatic shocks and experiences through the means of characters' pathetic, deteriorated traumatic life due to the Taliban regime and unstable Afghan politics. In the similar manner how women are treated and confined within the four wall of the house is another crucial issue that the research deals. It presents characters' rootless, alienated and hunting past life that hinders them to cope with the present. It also reflects torture, suffering, pain and traumatic life through the form of nightmares, flashbacks and the repetitive phenomena. This research even tries to answer can they find the skill of living in the society where there prevails war, strict Islamic code of conduct and prohibition. After the thoroughly analysis this thesis departs the message that there prevails unresolved trauma until there is no peace, security, law, order and stability in the social aspects to bring change in the peoples' life to create equilibrium in life.