In today’s blog, I have decided to focus on a very specific theme: trauma, with respect to Zeitoun, and our daily lives. I have chosen this theme because while reading the book, it struct me very deeply that the characters almost seemed to be made up, and that there is no way that this novel serves its purpose as a documentary and memoir to a family that actually exists. The story seemed almost surreal, not because it was strange, or misleading, but because just like Obasan, and the poems of Guantanamo, and Persepolis, and Safe area Gorazde, it was something almost unbelievable, and far away from what our generation is familiar with.
In the novel Zeitoun, we see clear outlines of the dates and times, pictures of the family and letters and emails that were written to the military. It reminded me of a journal, a personal notebook that someone keeps which contains the highlights of their life. Through each line, I was able to feel the characters’ frustration, sadness, disbelief, desperation, and the love between family members. Through each page, I was able to witness what happened, and how it happened. Through further research, I was able to acknowledge the consequences this tragedy has brought upon the Zeitouns, and many other families. This takes us back to my point: the whole of the book serves to illustrate a happening in real life and the suffering of real people. The fact that it is based upon a true story is truly frightening in a sense that we, as privileged as we are, will never be able to understand the pain that these people endured.
Trauma is relevant. It is relevant because to a lot of people, it is something engraved in their life in such a way that they will never be able to wipe it out completely. Whether it comes from a collective incident, or individual situation that led to a series of unfortunate events and feelings, it is there. It is there and we need to acknowledge it. The reason that literature which focuses on trauma is so important is because it paints a picture of reality for us to understand, to see and read about how extremely close to us these incidents really are. The people that have suffered might be your neighbor, your friend, or even someone from your family. Furthermore, different types and variations of trauma exist outside of these pieces too. No matter how big or how small, trauma is integrated in our lives so deeply that there is no way around it. Looking at all the global consequences that we are suffering, and all the individuals that write about their traumatic experiences, It is up to us as a global community, to reduce trauma, and help the globe heal.