Literary Strategies in Presenting Trauma Experiences in A Little Life Novel

Abstract

This research article aims to study the literary techniques used to portray the traumatic experiences of the main character in Hanya Yanagihara's novel A Little Life, employing the trauma theories of Judith Herman, Bessel van der Kolk, and Ann Cvetkovich. The research findings indicate that: 1) The protagonist's trauma stems from physical abuse, sexual assault, and witnessing violence during childhood. These events become deeply embedded traumas that resurface in adulthood when triggered, and the physical pain remains inseparable from the psychological condition. This causes the intense experiences to evolve into the character’s trauma. 2) The novel plays a crucial role in representing trauma through various literary techniques, such as omniscient narration, non-linear storytelling of traumatic events, and the creation of characters that symbolize the process of healing. These techniques allow readers to grasp the trauma experiences as if they were their own.