Melodrama Voice and the Narration of Traumatic Experiences
Abstract
This paper interrogates the critical role melodrama voice played in the narration of traumatic experiences in the Gacaca Trilogy: Living Together Again in Rwanda (Aghion, 2003), In Rwanda We Say: The Family that Does Not Speak Dies (Aghion, 2005), and The Notebooks of Memory (Aghion, 2009). Borrowing from structural approaches to literary trauma and narrative theories, the paper examined modes of and melodramatic voice that are depicted through dialogue, voice-over narrations, emotive language and repetition of specific phrases that reinforce echoes of traumatic suffering. An exploratory research design was adopted to examine how melodrama played a role in the narration, while a multi-modal transcription style was used to collect primary data from the selected texts. Primarily, the paper analysed expressions of self-pity and helplessness that denote narrators' vulnerability and pain. The paper noted that through melodrama modes, characters are in a position to express and externalise their suffering, and identify themselves primarily as trauma victims. In addition, the paper affirmed that melodramatic voice empowers characters to express their pain, granting them a platform to communicate their suffering. As they narrate their experiences, their voices lay bare instances of trauma, seeking acknowledgement and validation for what they have endured. This act of speaking facilitates individual exploration and cultivates a deeper comprehension of traumatic experiences.
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References
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Copyright (c) 2025 Duke Nyakoria Abuga, Bwocha Nyagemi Bwocha, PhD, Christopher Okemwa, PhD
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