Wagle’s Palpasa Cafe: A Reflection of Maoists Civil War

Abstract

This thesis study on Narayan Wagle’s novel, Palpasa Caféexplores how people are caught in the crossfire during the civil war (1996-2006) in Nepal. This war brings more than seventeen thousands death, and many more become homeless. Drishya who is the main character of the novel “disappeared” and Palpasa, a Nepali American returnee who has a dream to become a documentary film maker is killed in ambush. Siddhartha, the friend of Drishya, joins the Maoists party. He is killed by the state. It explores the real war during the ten years of time in Nepal. The study attempts how ordinary people are caught in the crossfire in the novel. It argues the human cost, violence, and trauma and presents the people’s plight. This study uses trauma theory as the theoretical tool to analyze how people are killed in the crossfire in the civil war.