PSYCHOANALYTIC REPRESENTATION OF TRAUMA IN JUMOKE VERISSIMOS A SMALL SILENCE

This research examines the psychoanalytic representation of trauma in Jumoke Verissimo’s novel A Small Silence, focusing on how psychological suffering is explored through the protagonist, Prof. Drawing primarily on Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the study investigates how trauma is portrayed not through overt action but through the subtle expressions of silence, withdrawal, emotional disconnection, and inner fragmentation. Using content analysis, the study closely reads the novel to identify how mechanisms such as repression, avoidance, sublimation, dissociation, and psychic determinism shape Prof’s behavior and perception of reality. The research reveals that trauma in A Small Silence is presented as both a psychological and narrative force. Prof’s silence, refusal to engage with the outside world, and disconnection from memory and identity are interpreted as defense mechanisms that reflect a deeper, unresolved internal conflict. These behaviors are not just symptoms but represent attempts by the psyche to manage unbearable emotional pain. The novel does not offer a linear or dramatic retelling of trauma. Instead, it shows a world in which trauma is hidden in form and structure, using narrative gaps, silence, and repetition to reflect the disruptions that trauma brings to both consciousness and storytelling. Through this psychoanalytic lens, the novel is understood as a space where unspoken memories reside in the unconscious, returning in fragmented thoughts and behaviors. Prof’s identity, once rooted in activism and public life, becomes fractured following his incarceration, leading to a reshaping of self that is characterized by ambiguity and detachment. The study concludes that A Small Silence offers a rich and compelling portrayal of trauma, one that avoids sensationalism and instead draws attention to the silent, internal struggle that often follows profound psychological injury. This research contributes to the growing body of scholarship on trauma in African literature and demonstrates how psychoanalytic theory can be used to uncover the emotional undercurrents embedded in literary texts. Keywords: Psychoanalysis, Trauma, Defense Mechanisms, Repression, Dissociation, African Literature, Jumoke Verissimo, A Small Silence, Unconscious