Content Details | NUML Online Research Repository

Title “SEARCH FOR MEANING” AND LOGOTHERAPY: AN ANALYSIS OF DITA KRAUS’ A DELAYED LIFE: THE TRUE STORY OF THE LIBRARIAN OF AUSCHWITZ AND DIANE COOK’S THE NEW WILDERNESS

Author(s) Kulsoom Murad Qureshi

Abstract This thesis studies the depiction of trauma in contemporary dystopian fiction, The New Wilderness (2019) by Diane Cook and memoir, A Delayed Life (2020) by Dita Kraus. Employing the theoretical framework of Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy and Cathy Caruth’s Trauma Theory, the study aims to explore how these narratives portray the impact of traumatic experiences on the characters and how they cope with their circumstances to find meaning in life. Frankl’s Logotherapy offers a unique perspective on trauma by emphasizing the search for meaning as a fundamental human need. The thesis examines how Kraus’ and Cook’s protagonists navigate their traumatic environments, drawing upon inner strengths and a sense of purpose to endure. Caruth’s Trauma Theory delves into the essence of traumatic experiences. This study examines the portrayal of fragmented memories, recurring patterns of trauma, and flashbacks within the narratives. The analysis sheds light on the character’s struggles to integrate their traumatic pasts into their present lives. By analyzing two distinct genres, this research emphasizes the parallels and differences in how characters experience trauma in dystopian fiction and memoir, as well as their subsequent journeys towards discovering meaning. By intertwining the theoretical frameworks of Logotherapy and trauma theory, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of the characters’ psychological journeys, unveiling the complex interplay between trauma, resilience, and the quest for meaning. Ultimately, this analysis contributes to the existing scholarly discourse on trauma literature offering insights into ways in which the characters in the fiction and memoir deal with trauma. The characters in the memoir find solace and a meaning of their suffering in forming deeper connections with other humans while the characters in dystopian fiction resort to their individualistic sense of self.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2024-04-04

Subject

Publisher

Contributor(s)

Format

Identifier

Source

Relation

Coverage

Rights