Colonial Shadows: Navigating Trauma, Displacement and Resistance

• Author(s): Dr. P. Prasantham
• Paper ID: 1710446
• Page: 101-109
• Published Date: 03-09-2025
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 9 Issue 3 September-2025

Abstract

In the aftermath of colonial rule, trauma and displacement have become pervasive themes in postcolonial literature, revealing the profound psychological and cultural scars left by imperialism. This paper, titled "Colonial Shadows: Navigating Trauma, Displacement, and Resistance," examines the complex interplay between these experiences and their literary representations. It explores how narratives of displacement—both physical and psychological—serve as vehicles to convey the collective trauma of communities subjected to the disruptions of colonial dominance. The paper is structured into three key sections. The first focuses on the concept of trauma as it is articulated in postcolonial texts, drawing connections between individual and collective experiences of suffering. Authors such as Frantz Fanon and Homi K. Bhabha provide a theoretical foundation for understanding how trauma manifests in the aftermath of colonization. The second section addresses displacement, analyzing how forced migrations, exile, and the loss of cultural roots are central to narratives of colonial disruption. The works of authors like Chinua Achebe, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Salman Rushdie are examined to illustrate how literature grapples with the challenges of identity reconstruction in displaced societies. The final section investigates the modes of resistance that emerge in these narratives, exploring how storytelling itself becomes an act of defiance against cultural erasure. This section focuses on the writings of Ng?g? wa Thiong'o and Arundhati Roy, among others, who use their texts to reclaim cultural identity and assert the agency of marginalized voices. Ultimately, this paper contends that the literary representation of trauma and displacement provides a space for understanding the lingering shadows of colonialism, revealing how contemporary narratives continue to challenge and resist the power structures established during colonial rule. Through this analysis, it seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the ongoing struggle for cultural autonomy and the enduring legacy of resistance.

Keywords

Trauma, Displacement, Postcolonial Literature, Resistance, Cultural Identity

Citations

IRE Journals:
Dr. P. Prasantham "Colonial Shadows: Navigating Trauma, Displacement and Resistance" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 3 2025 Page 101-109

IEEE:
Dr. P. Prasantham "Colonial Shadows: Navigating Trauma, Displacement and Resistance" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(3)