Gender Trauma in Kazuo Ishiguro’s A Pale View of Hills

Abstract

The central goal of this research is to throw light on the harsh realities regarding how much a woman can be traumatized by patriarchal ideology in Kazuo Ishiguro’s A Pale View of Hills. By applying the concept of gender trauma, this research explores gender discrimination, betrayal, effects of war, national humiliation of Japan following the Second World War as some of the important causes of women’s trauma. To prove this research, the researcher has used the idea of Urvasi Bhutalia, Kamala Bhasin, Ritu Menon, Judith Herman, Kali Tal, Helen Moglen, Cathy Caurth and Dominick LaCapra who are known as the theorist of Gender Trauma. Keiko is unable to keep control over her life after the separation of her father and mother. Her mother picks up a British citizen and goes to live with him in London. Etsuko calls Keiko to come with her. But Keiko is so fascinated and trapped in her solitary cast of mind that she ultimately commits suicide. Etsuko’s inability to understand Keiko is responsible for Keiko’s suicidal end. Sachiko’s daughter, Mariko, also commits suicide due to the similar problem faced by Keiko. In her narrative mode of dialogic interaction with Niki, the defeat of Japan and the loss of thousands of lives in atomic explosion create traumatic shocks and gaps. While living with Jiro, she witnesses constant threat of self-annihilation and unfamiliar violence. In a fierce encounter, Jiro dies. The horrible death of Jiro paralyzes Niki’s mother completely. The trauma of Sachiko and Keiko is told and retold by Etsuko so that she could get rid of the agony and effect of traumatic experience. Over time she is surrounded by uncontrolled pain, agony and abnormality. Etsuko regards Japanese culture as the sole cause of increasing phenomenon of youth’s suicide. Keywords: trauma, antisocial, patriarchal, psychic, psychological