ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7107-009X

Date of Award

Spring 2025

Language

English

Embargo Period

5-1-2025

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College/School/Department

Department of English

Program

English

First Advisor

Ineke Murakami

Committee Members

Mary Valentis, Jeffrey Berman

Keywords

Trauma, Psychoanalysis, Nonfiction, Healing, Memoir, Recovery, Self-help, Speak, Memory, Pain

Subject Categories

Literature in English, North America | Nonfiction | Other Arts and Humanities | Pain Management

Abstract

This thesis explores the process of using writing as a coping mechanism to heal from trauma by portraying how personal narratives confront pain and reclaim agency. This thesis also explores how writing serves as a means of survival and sharing testimony. The thesis starts with a critical analysis essay, drawing on literary criticism and trauma theory. I explore how Roxane Gay, Kathryn Harrison, Bessel Van der Kolk, and Maya Angelou have used writing to challenge societal perceptions of trauma, and how through writing, they have resisted erasure.

The heart of this thesis is an original creative work, which involves an exploration of trauma and its impact on the self. This composition ties into themes of fragmentation and memory to show the non-linear path of healing. The critical analysis serves to introduce this creative endeavor by offering a reflection on my personal writing experience concerning trauma, exploring how the art of storytelling has given me a voice to confront, construct, and reclaim my story. By including personal testimony with literary works, this thesis illustrates that writing expands beyond the mere act of witnessing; it represents a healing space in which trauma survivors can reorganize their experiences on their terms, thus paving a way for healing.

License

This work is licensed under the University at Albany Standard Author Agreement.

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