Double Marginality, Historical Memory, and Trauma in Uzma Aslam Khan's the Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali: A Trauma Studies Perspective

Abstract

The study analyses Uzma Aslam Khan’s novel, The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali, using the intersections between post colonial feminism and Cathy Caruth's trauma theory to engage with the issues of trauma, historical memory and double marginality to explore the colonial enterprise. It engages Nomi Ali’s experiences and battles as she lives in postcolonial Pakistan, struggling to come to grips with her identity and past traumas. The intergenerational transmission of trauma among women from different ethnic and religious backgrounds is also the focus of this research paper. This research, therefore, investigates how past traumas, oppression, and patriarchy are represented in this novel concerning their distinctive identities and colonial history. It further tries to explore the notion of double marginality through Nomi Ali’s story, where gender, culture, and historical violence meet. The study aims at exploring the historical memory inscribed on an individual and collective identity, besides describing trauma that makes up the part of women who always form a margin in every sphere. It would deepen the understanding of Pakistani literature in English as contributing to the global debate of trauma, memory, and identity.