A Study On Trauma And Recovery In The Island From The Perspective Of Trauma Theory

The novel The Island is a long debut work by Victoria Hislop,who was a famous contemporary British woman writer and created a great sensation when it was first published.And soon,it quickly reached the top of the best-selling books in the UK,receiving great praise from Sunday Telegraph.With elegant words and affecting stories,Victoria Hislop was also known as "a famous writer without any famous work".As it is published shortly,there have not been any article researching on The Island at home and abroad,and there are fewer theses or journal articles that have researched on The Island from the perspective of trauma theory.Applying theoretical research of many theorists like Cathy Caruth and Herman,this novel combines trauma theory with the literary work,analyzing the psychological trauma of the marginal figures in the novel The Island.The thesis consists of an introduction,the main body,and the conclusion.The main body is mainly divided into three parts.The introduction briefly introduces the author and the main idea of The Island as well as the literary critics at home and abroad.In the meantime,it emphasizes the most important theoretical foundation,summarizing the overall structure of this thesis.The second chapter discusses their symptoms separately.Traumatic experiences made Giorgis voiceless and numb.Anna became more rebellious because of the lack of love.Maria couldn't find her self-worth because of traumatic events.After knowing the family history,Sofia became silent and guilty.And islanders,who were lepers that were regarded as the “unclean” group in their cultural and social context,lost their faith gradually.The third chapter analyzes in detail the causes of the trauma of the four protagonists,including Giorgis,Anna,Maria,Sofia and the leprosy patients in the periphery.By analyzing the home environment and social background,it indicates that the alienation of family environment,suppression of the patriarchal view of marriage and conflicts in recognition of collective identity are the main causes of their traumas that have serious impacts on their normal lives and physical and mental health.The fourth chapter elaborates how to deal with the traumatic symptoms of the characters and let them out of the shadow of trauma.The characters in the book dispel their own trauma through different ways.After researches in detail,the thesis draws the conclusion that the traumatized could be cured in the same ways regardless of diverse causes and symptoms.Trauma sufferers need to understand their source of pain.They should reconnect with outside world in the support and care of family members and groups with a tolerant attitude.As long as trauma is transformed into motivation to live on,the traumatized will overcome the thought of considering themselves as a “unique” or “unacceptable” person.Finally,they will find their own positions in society,living in the present as the real ordinary and obtaining the final recovery.Therefore,the trauma group should attach importance to the relationships between themselves,family and society.The process of healing is not only the process of reconciliation between self and others,but also the process of growth and maturity.Trauma is a pervasive phenomenon in modern society.By showing the successful healing process of the characters in The Island,it is feasible to apply trauma theory to analyze this novel.On the one hand,trauma theory can become a new perspective for readers to interpret the text.On the other hand,it also guides and inspires modern people who suffer from mental stress to have a better life.