Tara Rai's Chhapamar Yuwatiko Diary: Narrative & socio-political context of her war trauma in Nepal

In: Narrative inquiry: a forum for theoretical, empirical, and methodological work on narrative, Volume 30, Issue 1, p. 122-141

Abstract

Abstract
This paper examines Tara Rai's Chhapamar Yuwatiko Diary ['A Diary of a Young Guerrilla Girl']
(2010) – a memoir which describes a 15-year-old girl's experience of first armed
encounter, subsequent detainment, and release from the custody towards the end of the Maoist war in Nepal. We analyze the author's
narrative of adversity and distress, using thematic analysis. Three themes, namely, (1) perception of impending death, (2) severe
stress reactions, and (3) gradual recovery are found in temporal succession. In a subsequent analysis, we examine using content
analysis the personal, group, and socio-political factors linked to these dominant themes to understand the dynamics associated
with Rai's understanding of personal experience, and adjustment to violence. Discussion of the findings orient the readers of this
narrative not only to how Rai's perception of her trauma experience changes but also to how this account can inform the way people
negotiate the trauma of war.