Hope in the Face of Adversity: Exploring the Resilient Human Spirit in Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Afterlives

Authors

  • Varadha P Nair

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53007/SJGC.2024.V9.I2.224

Keywords:

Afterlives, Abdulrazak Gurnah, identity, postcolonial literature, Hope Theory, postcolonial feminism, displacement

Abstract

Abdulrazak Gurnah's Afterlives offers a poignant exploration of displacement, identity, and resilience. While existing scholarship has delved into the novel’s colonial and postcolonial dimensions, the role of hope as a central thematic force remains understudied. This research aims to fill this gap by exploring the multifaceted nature of ‘hope’ as a driving force in the lives of its characters, revealing how it shapes their identities, relationships, and, ultimately, their destinies in the novel. Employing Hope Theory and drawing on insights from Postcolonial Feminist theory, this study will analyze how hope is experienced and expressed differently by male and female characters in the context of colonial oppression.

Author Biography

Varadha P Nair

Varadha P Nair is currently pursuing her MA in English with Communication Studies at Christ (Deemed to be) University, Central Campus, Bangalore. Her research interest lies in the realms of psychology and trauma literature. Her current research analyses the multifaceted nature of ‘hope’ as a driving force in the lives of the characters, revealing how it shapes their identities, relationships, and, ultimately, their destinies in the novel Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah.

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Published

2025-01-30

How to Cite

Varadha P Nair. “Hope in the Face of Adversity: Exploring the Resilient Human Spirit in Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Afterlives”. Samyukta: A Journal of Gender and Culture, vol. 9, no. 2, Jan. 2025, doi:10.53007/SJGC.2024.V9.I2.224.

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Section

Articles