Abstract:
This study explores how Art Spiegelman‘s Maus and Dennis Lehane‘s Shutter Island
challenge the traditional, unified humanist concept of the self, proposing instead that
post-war self is inherently fragmented.This fragmentation is particularly examined
through the lens of Holocaust survivor in Maus and a similarly traumatized character
in Shutter Island, exploring how extreme experiences of the war disrupt and fracture
individual.The study also examines how storytelling and narration serve as crucial
tools for the trauma survivors in their efforts to navigate and reconcile the fractured
aspects of their selves.Through storytelling, the protagonists find a means of
survival, by articulating their experiences and memories.This study highlights the
fragmentation of the human psyche as a direct consequence of Holocaust trauma and
similar profound experiences, examining how narrative acts as a medium for the
protagonists to deal with their trauma. Through the stories of these protagonists, the
novels offer insights into the complexities of post-war self, the enduring scars of
trauma, and the potential of narrative to aid in coping with trauma, providing a
deeper understanding of the fragmented self in the context of Holocaust trauma.
