A Study Of Toni Morrison’s Home From The Perspective Of Trauma Theory

Toni Morrison is a brilliant writer in American contemporary literature who received Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993, Her fictions mainly focus on black people struggling under the control of the white’ especially black women characters. Home is her latest novel published in 2012 in which, for the first time, she uses a veteran with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as its protagonist. This thesis attempts to analyze this novel from the perspective of trauma theory. It consists of five parts: introduction, three chapters and conclusion.Introduction consists of four parts. First it briefly talks about Toni Morrison’s life and her works. Then it introduces Home and provides a literature review about it. After the brief introduction of trauma theory’ it presents the layout of the thesis.Chapter I analyzes the sources of trauma which will be presented into two parts: sources of Frank’s and Cee s trauma. Frank’s trauma comes from racism home and war while Cee’s trauma results from family, marriage and work.Chapter II discusses the symptoms and effects of trauma which includes two parts too. Frank’s symptoms are re-experiencing the traumatic events; guilty and heightened physiological arousal; disconnection and numbness. Effects of trauma on Cee arc physical as well as psychological.Chapter III is about Frank’s and Cee’s recovery from trauma. Having been traumatized, Frank is unable to live normally, a letter about his dying sister leads to his journey to save her as well as his own redemption. He successfully rescues her and takes her back to Lotus. Black women there cure Cee. The brother and sister finally identify with the community and live peacefully in Lotus.Conclusion summarizes the whole thesis and points out the writer’s intention. In a country with racism still existing, the black should uphold their traditional culture and value. As well, the fact that Toni Morrison uses the Korean War as the background of the novel reveals her political stand, that is: critique to war and hope for peace.