SCARS OF SILENCE: TRAUMA, MEMORY, AND IDENTITY IN POSTCOLONIAL INDIAN ENGLISH FICTION

Abstract

In this paper, we interrogate the intertwined nature of trauma, memory, and identity in postcolonial Indian English writing, with particular attention to gendered and sociopolitical contexts. Through close readings of four representative novels — Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy-Man, Shashi Deshpande’s The Dark Holds No Terror, Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day, and Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters — the study reveals how historical ruptures (e.g., Partition), patriarchal structures, and familial silences shape the lives of female protagonists. Trauma is portrayed not merely as a mark of physical or psychological injury but as an ever-present facet of everyday postcolonial existence. Memory is narrated through fragmentation, nonlinearity, and deliberate suppression, highlighting silence as both a coping mechanism and a form of resistance. The protagonists attempt to reconcile their present circumstances with painful pasts while negotiating personal aspirations within social and familial constraints. Indian English fiction thus emerges as a powerful medium for articulating marginalized experiences and challenging hegemonic historical narratives. Employing postcolonial feminist theory, the paper demonstrates how these texts reclaim silenced voices, especially those of women whose identities have been shaped by gender, caste, class, and historical violence. By situating trauma within emotional and cultural dimensions, the paper underscores literature as a space of remembrance, agency, and resistance against cultural amnesia.