Trauma and its antisocial effects: A comparative analysis of contemporary African fiction

Abstract

This study explores trauma representation in contemporary African fiction using Lola Shoneyin's The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives and Oyinkan Braithwaite's My Sister, the Serial Killer. Drawing from Freud's pleasure principle, death drive, repetition repulsion and repression, and Caruth's concepts of trauma's delayed return, inaccessibility, and repetitive experience, the paper analyzes how the novels portray characters dealing with trauma's effects. In The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, Bolanle embodies repression, reconciling past trauma as a fourth wife in a polygamous household. My Sister, the Serial Killer explores trauma and psychopathy, with Korede grappling with her sister's actions. Both novels delve into human psychology amid trauma, while Freud and Caruth's concept of trauma resonates as characters confront memories shaping their lives. These narratives offer insights into African fiction's trauma representation and its psychological impact. The study highlights the genre's ability to explore trauma's complexity, from repression to transformative influence.