Trauma, memory, and cultural healing: ecofeminist parallels in Toni Morrison’s Beloved and Saratchandra Chattopadhya’s Srikanta

Abstract

This paper delves into the poignant intersection of trauma, memory, and cultural healing through an ecofeminist lens, comparing Toni Morrison's 'Beloved' and Saratchandra Chattopadhyay's 'Srikanta.' Specifically, it is a branch of feminism concerned with critically analyzing and understanding the relationship between gender and the environment. Both the novels depict this particular theory, which is ecofeminism. For example, Morrison in 'Beloved' shows how the natural aspects, when linked with women, indicate true self-sustenance and safety for women. Again, it strives to display the interconnectedness between oppressed women and exploited nature in patriarchal-dominated societies. Again, the female characters which are present in the novel Beloved hold the significance of the land to recall memories from their own experiences. On the other hand, Srikanta is a novel which is from the Bengal colonial period. It had different time frames and themes. Moreover, it was also written when the term Ecofeminism was not coined. But still some themes and elements can be explored though this perspective.The novel portrays a person's individual experience, women's roles in terms of nature and so on. Here, women are portrayed in agricultural and rural activities which is a key theme of ecofeminism. Both novels are about remembering, trauma, and healing cultures, and ecofeminism is a big part of their stories. These books show how terrible events, both large and small, can hurt people and the environment very badly. The way Sethe is enslaved and her babies are killed in "Beloved" is a reflection of how patriarchal and economic systems oppress women and nature. This brings attention to the main theme of the terrible abuse of the land. In the same way, "Srikanta" shows a colonial Bengal that is destroyed by hunger and environmental damage, showing how people's actions can upset nature's delicate balance. This comparative method shows how important it is to take an ecofeminist, all-inclusive view in order to recover. It also shows how important the connection is between human and environmental health. The main idea of both pieces is to look at how memory shapes and keeps pain alive. Sethe is still having a hard time getting over the physical and mental scars that the broken memories of Sweet Home have left her with. The main character in Chattopadhyay's "Srikanta," has trouble connecting with others and finding peace in his relationships because he has tried to hide pain from his childhood. This paper analyzes how both the novels showcase their personal experiences and their past lives make their life horrific in terms of gender, nature and trauma.Furthermore, the thesis analyzes ecofeminism principles to investigate how the novel uses nature as cultural healing, and shapes their life with the aftereffects and past traumatic events.