Exploring traumatic memory and emotional recovery in preeti shenoy's the one you cannot have

R. Sivaranjani; V. Bhuvaneswari

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2026512

Keywords:

Abstract

Preeti Shenoy is a prominent contemporary Indian author known for her emotionally nuanced and relatable narratives, which have significantly contributed to the development of Indian literature in English. Her novel The One You Cannot Have (2013) delves into complex interpersonal relationships while focusing on themes of love, loss, and psychological growth. The story intricately intertwines the lives of four central characters—Shruti, Rishabh, Anjali, and Aman—each of whom grapples with unresolved emotional experiences that prevent them from fully engaging with the present. Among them, Shruti and Aman stand out as psychologically complex characters who struggle with inner turmoil, depression, anxiety, and emotional instability, all of which are rooted in unprocessed traumatic memories. This paper explores Shenoy's portrayal of psychological trauma through the theoretical frameworks of Cathy Caruth's Trauma Theory and Judith Herman's Trauma and Recovery. While Caruth conceptualizes trauma as an incomprehensible and delayed experience, Herman's model of recovery, which emphasizes safety, remembrance, and reconnection, offers a complementary perspective for evaluating the psychological dimensions of the novel's protagonists. The study illustrates how Shenoy depicts trauma not as a mere past event but as an ongoing process that shapes identity, relationships, and emotional well-being. Through accessible prose and compassionate character development, Shenoy renders psychological suffering both visible and resonant, inviting readers to engage profoundly with the intricate emotional realities of her protagonists. This analysis argues that The One You Cannot Have serves as a pivotal text in the discourse of trauma within Indian English fiction, offering valuable insights into the enduring impacts of emotional turmoil and the potential for psychological recovery. The novel thus cements Shenoy's reputation as a writer adept at portraying modern relational dynamics while significantly enhancing literary depictions of trauma and recovery.
References
1. Aili Aarelaid (2006). Cultural Trauma and Life Stories. Kikimora Publications.
2. Balaev, M. (2018). Trauma studies. A Companion to Literary Theory, 360–371.
3. Caruth, C. (1995). Trauma: Explorations in Memory. Johns Hopkins UP.
4. Drąg, W. (2014). Revisiting loss: Memory, trauma and nostalgia in the Novels of Kazuo Ishiguro. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
5. Herman, J. L. (2015). Trauma and recovery: Aftermath of Violence from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Basic Books.
6. Hollingsworth, A. (2024). Breaking the curse: retelling a folk fairy tale to explore trauma and healing in novels for young people (Doctoral dissertation, Bath Spa University).
7. Kabir, A. J. (2005). Gender, Memory, Trauma: women's novels on the Partition of India. Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 25(1), 177–190.
8. Linden, M., & Rutkowski, K. (Eds.). (2013). Hurting memories and beneficial forgetting: Posttraumatic stress disorders, biographical developments, and social conflicts. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-398393-0.00001-8.
9. Molino, M. R. (2012). Traumatic memory and narrative isolation in Ishiguro's A Pale View of Hills. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, 53(4), 322–336.
10. Oanh, D. H. (2021). The Concept of trauma in literature viewed from the transitioning models of trauma in the West. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 37(4), 97–110.
11. Selma, B., & Halla, S. (2022). Trauma and Recovery in Young Adult Literature: Dspace.univ-Guelma.dz. https://dspace.univ-guelma.dz/jspui/handle/123456789/13469
12. Shenoy, P. (2013). The One You Cannot Have. Westland.
13. Trimarco, P. (2023). The Extremities of Literature: Traumatic memory in two novels by Kazuo Ishiguro. Text Matters: A Journal of Literature, Theory and Culture, (13), 195–209.
14. Van der Kolk, B. A., Hopper, J. W., & Osterman, J. E. (2008). Exploring the nature of traumatic memory: Combining clinical knowledge with laboratory methods. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 4(2), 9-31.

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How to cite

Sivaranjani, R., & Bhuvaneswari, V. (2026). Exploring traumatic memory and emotional recovery in preeti shenoy’s the one you cannot have . Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 8(8), 2026512. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2026512

[1] Aili Aarelaid (2006). Cultural Trauma and Life Stories. Kikimora Publications.

[2] Balaev, M. (2018). Trauma studies. A Companion to Literary Theory, 360–371.

[3] Caruth, C. (1995). Trauma: Explorations in Memory. Johns Hopkins UP.

[4] Drąg, W. (2014). Revisiting loss: Memory, trauma and nostalgia in the Novels of Kazuo Ishiguro. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

[5] Herman, J. L. (2015). Trauma and recovery: Aftermath of Violence from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Basic Books.

[6] Hollingsworth, A. (2024). Breaking the curse: retelling a folk fairy tale to explore trauma and healing in novels for young people (Doctoral dissertation, Bath Spa University).

[7] Kabir, A. J. (2005). Gender, Memory, Trauma: women's novels on the Partition of India. Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 25(1), 177–190.

[8] Linden, M., & Rutkowski, K. (Eds.). (2013). Hurting memories and beneficial forgetting: Posttraumatic stress disorders, biographical developments, and social conflicts. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-398393-0.00001-8.

[9] Molino, M. R. (2012). Traumatic memory and narrative isolation in Ishiguro's A Pale View of Hills. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, 53(4), 322–336.

[10] Oanh, D. H. (2021). The Concept of trauma in literature viewed from the transitioning models of trauma in the West. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 37(4), 97–110.

[11] Selma, B., & Halla, S. (2022). Trauma and Recovery in Young Adult Literature: Dspace.univ-Guelma.dz. https://dspace.univ-guelma.dz/jspui/handle/123456789/13469

[12] Shenoy, P. (2013). The One You Cannot Have. Westland.

[13] Trimarco, P. (2023). The Extremities of Literature: Traumatic memory in two novels by Kazuo Ishiguro. Text Matters: A Journal of Literature, Theory and Culture, (13), 195–209.

[14] Van der Kolk, B. A., Hopper, J. W., & Osterman, J. E. (2008). Exploring the nature of traumatic memory: Combining clinical knowledge with laboratory methods. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 4(2), 9-31.

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References

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