Swallowed Memories: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Identity and Chaos in Yasmin Zahers "The Coin"

Abstract

This research examines and delves into Yasmin Zaher's novel," The Coin "(2024) through a psychoanalytic perspective to uncover the impact of buried memories on one's sense of self and mental well-being. Modern storytelling often delves into fractured identities and inner turmoil, making psychoanalysis a crucial tool for understanding how memories, trauma, and identity intertwine. Despite this, there has been little focus on how The Coin (2024) portrays suppressed memories as a disruptive force that unsettles the protagonist's self-perception. Our research seeks to unravel how unconscious repression, unresolved trauma, and fragmented memories contribute to conflicts within one's identity and inner chaos in The Coin (2024). By drawing on Sigmund Freud's theories of repression, the unconscious mind, and delayed memories, we examine how buried experiences resurface through anxiety, compulsive actions, and narrative disruptions. Additionally, we incorporate Lacan's concept of fragmented subjectivity and Cathy Caruth's idea of trauma's delayed impact to further enrich our Freudian analysis. Methodologically, our study employs a meticulous examination of the text, focusing on character development, narrative gaps, symbolic elements, and instances of psychological breakdown. Our discoveries unveil that the protagonist's identity in The Coin (2024) is in a constant state of flux, shaped by memories that resist conscious acknowledgment. These "swallowed memories" perpetuate a state of psychological imbalance, where past events intrude upon the present, leading to confusion, guilt, and emotional turmoil. By offering a concentrated Freudian interpretation of The Coin(2024), our study contributes to the field of psychoanalytic literary criticism, showcasing how memory repression serves as both a narrative device and a psychological phenomenon. Ultimately, our research underscores the novel's significance in illustrating the enduring influence of the unconscious mind on identity and chaos in contemporary literature.