AN EXPLORATION OF REPRESSION AND GENERATIONAL TRAUMA THROUGH THE THEORY OF PERSONALITY IN HAIDER’S HOW IT HAPPENED

Authors

  • Shiza Akhter Bs.Scholar, Department of English, Hamdard University Karachi.
  • Harum Wajid Bs.Scholar, Department of English, Hamdard University Karachi.
  • Hafiz Imran Nawaz Senior lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Hamdard University, Karachi.

Abstract

This research paper explores the novel: “How It Happened” written by Shazaf Fatima Haider through the lens of Freudian psychoanalytic theory. The characters of this novel, mainly Dadi and Zeba, highlight the conflict, unconscious desires and how the generational traumas shape individual identity and affinity. This article examines with the method of textual analysis, how family dynamics and expectations suppress individuality, especially women. Zeba faces challenges because she desires personal freedom but is controlled by her strict family morals through Dadi’s controlling nature. Moreover, the study employs Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic framework to understand the hidden character’s motivation so it can challenge the perceived realism of the story to reveal a psychological understanding of familial and social dimensions.

Keywords: The theory of Personality, Repression, Generational Trauma, How It Happened

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Published

2025-05-25

How to Cite

Shiza Akhter, Harum Wajid, & Hafiz Imran Nawaz. (2025). AN EXPLORATION OF REPRESSION AND GENERATIONAL TRAUMA THROUGH THE THEORY OF PERSONALITY IN HAIDER’S HOW IT HAPPENED. Journal for Current Sign, 3(2), 327–336. Retrieved from http://currentsignjournal.com/index.php/JCS/article/view/163

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2025): Journal for Current Sign

Section

Articles