On the Trauma Narrative of Ishmael Chambers in Snow Falling on Cedars
Scientific Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, (2026), Vol.8, No.7, pp.221-227
Published: July 23, 2026
DOI: 10.54691/5knxs127
Abstract
Employing Cathy Caruth's trauma theory as its framework, this paper analyzes how the traumatic narrative of Ishmael Chambers in Snow Falling on Cedars embodies belatedness, unspeakability, and transmission. The study finds that Ishmael's trauma consistently resists integration into linear narrative, externalizing instead through literary forms such as bodily memory, narrative disruption, and repetitive imagery. The paper argues that, through the text’s handling of time, the body, and the ethics of passing on what cannot be spoken, the novel constructs a symbolic space for the transmission of Ishmael’s traumatic memory.
Keywords:
Snow Falling on Cedars; trauma; belatedness; unspeakability; transmission.
APA Citation:
Zhigao Deng, Ruiying Yi (2026). On the Trauma Narrative of Ishmael Chambers in Snow Falling on Cedars. Scientific Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 8(7), 221-227. https://doi.org/10.54691/5knxs127
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