CHAPTER THREE

EVALUATION OF TRAUMA IN EIMEAR MCBRIDE A GIRL IS A HALF

FORMED THING AND JANET CHINENYE EZE NNENNA.
3.1 SYNOPSIS OF A GIRL IS A HALF FORMED THING AND NNENNA.
A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing by Eimear McBride is a novel that follows the life of an unnamed
girl as she grows up in a dysfunctional family in Ireland. The novel begins with the girl’s birth and
early childhood, during which she experiences neglect and abuse from her family members. Her
mother is distant and depressed because her husband leaves her to take care of the children
alone, while her older brother has a brain tumor which affects his behavior. The girl’s relationship
with her brother is complicated, as he alternates between being loving and caring towards her,
and being violent and abusive. She loves her brother so much as he proves to be her only source
of comfort whenever her mother unleashes her anger on her, but sadly her brothers illness
makes it difficult for him to respond well to her. Her mother blames her for everything including
her brothers sickness and when it starts looking like her brother would not make it, her mother
becomes even more bitter towards her. She would have preferred if it had been her daughter
who had the brain tumor and not her son. She despises her daughter so much because while her
husband was around, she was his preferred child so seeing her became a constant reminder of
the fact that her husband chose to leave her instead of trying to fix the marriage. The girls
childhood is mixed with fear, pain and the feeling of abandonment as she often wonders what
she did to receive the kind of treatment she gets from her mother and also from people around
who consider her to be useless because of her slurred speech.
In one of the passages at the beginning of the novel, the protagonist is feeling quite sick and
her mother wakes her up rudely to go for mass not caring about her physical state at that
moment. This act opens the readers to the kind of relationship that the mother and daughter
had, an abusive one.

Get up from that bed. Come on we’re late. Ah Mammy. It’ll do you no harm
Madam to show the Lord you care. But I feel sick please. None of that!
There’s no fresh air in there please(p5).

The above is a short conversation between the mother and her [Link] way the
novel is written can be quite confusing if the reader does not carefully understand who
is doing the talking.
As the girl grows older, she struggles with her identity and sexuality. She experiences sexual abuse
from her uncle, which leaves her feeling even more confused as to what she should accept as
normal . She finds it difficult to understand if her mothers behaviour towards her and her uncles
abuse is actually what is obtainable in life. Her uncle comes to visit in order to provide “emotional
support” for her mother who is distraught and to be an male figure in the house since her father
left. But instead of being a father figure to the girl, he becomes an abuser and takes advantage of
her from a very tender age even before she becomes a teenager. Scared of what her mother would
say, she keeps what she is going through to herself until one day when she is raped on the street
and her mother finds her cloth torn and her body blood stained. Relived that finally her mother
would get to see what she has been going through, but she is surprised as the reply she gets from
her mother is the opposite of what she [Link] is blamed for being lose and is simply asked
to wash up and never talk about it.
Throughout the novel, the girl’s internal thoughts and emotions are vividly portrayed. Her
language is raw and poetic, reflecting her inner turmoil and the complexity of her experiences.
The narrative jumps back and forth in time, creating a sense of disorientation and reflecting the
girl’s fractured sense of self.
As the girl reaches adolescence, she grapples with her own desires and the pressures of societal
expectations. She engages in sexual relationships with both men and women, seeking validation
and connection. She grows up with the idea that since people find it easy to abuse her, she will
no longer allow herself to be the abused but she will sleep with as many people as she can as
that would now make her the predator and not the prey. She engages in several sexual escapades
with the hope that she would somehow find comfort knowing that she is the one now using
people, however, these escapades often leaves her in emotional turmoil.
The novel culminates in a tragic event when she finally loses her brother to the illness, which
further devastates the girl and pushes her to the brink of despair. She becomes more withdrawn
and every time she tries to speak, her words are in fragments, like that of a little child revealing
someone whose mind is not fully developed hence why she is referred to as “half formed”.
Despite the hardships she faces, the girl displays resilience and a fierce determination to find her
own voice and reclaim her self worth.
“A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing” is a powerful and challenging novel that explores themes of
trauma, sexuality, and identity. The novel ends with the protagonist understanding that allowing
pain take hold of her would not necessarily give her the better life she so desires so she finally
embraces herself and comes to the understanding that the past cannot be changed but decisions
made from there on can affect her life for good. These elements of abuse, neglect, and illness
contribute to the girl’s fragmented psyche and shape her experiences and relationships
throughout the novel. They highlight the harsh realities she faces and the challenges she must
overcome in her journey towards self-discovery and healing.

NNENNA BY JANET CHINENYE EZE

The novel tells the story of its main character, Nnenna, who grows up longing for love and
attention. Nnenna is an only child, as her twin brother passed away at infancy. Her mother left
after she was born, so she was raised by her wealthy businessman father, Nnadozie Okafor, and
her grandmother, Amma. However, due to her father’s busy schedule and her grandmothers
constant travels, Nnenna is often left in the care of her grandmother’s sister, Aunt Nkechi, who
moves into the house after separating from her husband. She is bitter about her marital issues
and takes out her frustrations on Nnenna. This treatment causes her to withdraw from everyone
else as no one really paid attention to her, she felt invisible and neglected, despite living in a
house full of people.
The novel is divided into eight episodes, with the first episode focusing on Nnenna’s journey of
healing and the mistakes she made.
Nnenna’s life takes a turn when she leaves her family house for the first time to complete her
National Youth Service Corps in Enugu. There she meets Tobenna, who becomes the first person
to show her genuine love and affection which she truly craves. Despite numerous warnings from
friends and family about the red flags in her relationship, she chooses to pursue a romantic
involvement with Tobenna , overlooking his stinginess, occasional disappearances, and smoking
habit Nnenna believes that love is imperfect and overlooks these concerns. In her eyes, she is
deeply in love.
In the second episode, readers witness the challenges Nnena faces in her marriage. Tobenna
leaves their wedding reception to smoke and returns much later, causing Nnena distress. On their
wedding night,he goes missing, only to return in the morning, intoxicated, and dismissively
asserts his dominance over Nnena as the head of the family.
Nnenna’s story is one of pain, as her wedding experiences foreshadow the troubles to come.
Her father generously gifts them a furnished apartment, a car, and a job. However, Tobenna takes
these gestures for granted and consistently insults Nnenna. He rarely stays at home, only showing
up when he needs money to settle debts or when he finds himself in trouble. Episodes three,
four, and five witness a downward turn, as an argument during a car ride escalates, leading
Tobenna to push Nnenna out of the vehicle near a police checkpoint. They are subsequently
taken to the police station, where her family discovers her struggles in the most distressing
manner as seen in the excerpt below from the text.

My family eventually found out what I was hiding, in the worst way ever. We were
in the car and on our way from a friend's wedding. He was driving, and I was seated
in he passenger's seat. Earlier, we had argued, so there was some tension in the air. A
lady who was endowed in the behind department walked past, and he remarked,
"Boy!What I would do with that ass!"I could not contain my disgust, and I lost my
temper. Seriously, in front of your wife? You are shameless Tobenna." I blurted out.
It happened so fast. We were arguing; and the next minute, I was being flung out of
the passenger's seat and was rolling to the kerb. Unknown to us both, we were just in
front of a police station with some police officers, standing sentry outside(p95)

Fearful of ending up like her divorced father and aunt, Nnenna had concealed her issues,
hoping to prove that her marriage could be different and filled with love. However, she realizes
she has been fighting a lost battle when Tobenna, in a drunken state, not only pushes her off the
balcony but also attempts to forge her signature to access her money for his own travel abroad.
Despite the worsening situation, Nnenna initially refuses her father’s advice to leave the
marriage, clinging to the belief that Tobenna can change and their relationship can be salvaged.
However, the harsh reality becomes evident when Tobenna’s drug use affects his fertility, and his
family wrongfully blames Nnena for being promiscuous, despite her marrying him as a virgin.
Finally, Nnenna comes to the painful realization that her marriage is beyond redemption when
Tobenna’s violent actions and attempts to steal her money unfold. Both families are summoned
to mediate the dispute, with Nnena’s family vehemently asserting that their daughter should not
return to a drug-addicted, abusive husband. When Nnenna’s father goes to retrieve her
belongings from Tobenna’s house, he is greeted by the sight of a nearly naked girl, solidifying his
determination that his daughter will not go back to such an environment. Tobenna hurls insults at
Nnena’s family, reminding her that he only married her because she pressured him and sought an
escape from her own loneliness and misery. He maliciously uses the confidential information she
shared about her family against her, then walks away, only to return later when he once again
finds himself destitute, begging for forgiveness. However, Nnena finally refuses his pleas.
Her life is in shambles, and she questions whether she will ever find love again. In an effort to
rebuild herself, she decides to pursue further education abroad for her master’s degree and seeks
assistance from a psychologist. The novel concludes by depicting her remarkable healing journey
after years of therapy, as she comes to the profound realization that her happiness does not
depend on another person. Nnena adopts a girl and resolves that if she were to marry again, it
would be on her own terms.

3.2 PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF TRAUMA CAUSED BY ABSENTEE

PARENTS IN JANET CHINENYE EZE NNENNA AND EIMEAR MCBRIDES
A GIRL IS A HALF FORMED THING.
According to James Sully(1884), psychology is defined as the science of the "inner
world" in contrast to the natural sciences that study physical phenomena. He also sees
the term psychology as the Science of behaviour. The term has a lot to do with a
person's mental health,which also includes emotional,and social health as it affects
how we think, feel and behave. It also helps us understand how to deal with stress,
interact with others, and make healthy decisions. Mental health is important at every
stage of life, from childhood to adulthood. In 2023, an article in The Ohio State
University Journal (2023), defined psychology as the scientific study of the mind and
behaviour as Psychologists are actively involved in the study and understanding of
mental processes and brain function.
WHO states that the well-being of an individual is encompassed in the realization of
their abilities, coping with normal stresses of life, productive work and contribution to
their [Link] further assert that Mental health encompasses all of our
social,emotional,and psychological states. Therefore, people who experience "good"
mental health find that they maintain balance in the social, emotional, and
psychological areas of their lives.
The role of parents stand as one of the most profound and influential threads as
Parents are not only the custodians of their children’s physical well-being but also the
architects of their emotional landscapes. However, when this vital support system is
disrupted by absentee parents, it can set in motion a cascade of psychological effects
that linger long into adulthood.
Absentee parents often cannot provide the emotional support and validation that
their children need. This emotional neglect can result in feelings of worthlessness, low
self-esteem, and a sense of not being loved or valued. The Attachment theory suggests
that secure attachment to caregivers during early childhood is important for healthy
emotional development. If one or both parents are absent, children may experience
attachment disorders. This can lead to feelings of abandonment, insecurity, and
difficulty forming healthy relationships in the future.
Janet Chinenye Eze’s Nnenna exposes us to the childhood of the eponymous
character Nnena and how she suffers neglect from both parents. Her mother leaves her
father immediately after she is born and her father takes her to his mother to be looked
after while facing his business. This is revealed in the excerpt below from the text;

My dad, Nnadozie Okafor, is Amma and Grandpa's first son, and around the time I
was born, I mean I and my late twin brother were born, he was in charge of running
 and overseeing the family business.
Nigeria had just made Abuja the capital city around the time, and Amma thought it
wise to go open a business early in the town before it became saturated.
I do not remember my mother. All I was told was that her marriage with my father
did not work out and that I was sent to the family house after my twin brother died at
infancy (p16).

The fact that Nnenna was sent to the family house after her twin brother's death
implies a lack of parental care and a sense of displacement. The family is an important
place for the healthy development of children. Parents are the first teachers of
children’s growth. The physical and mental health of children cannot be separated
from the care of their parents and the normal family living environment. Nnennas case
is no different. Her parents separation took a negative toll on her as all she began to
do was to prove that unlike her parents she can actually stay in marriage. The absence
of her parents made it easy for her to be oppressed and disrespected. Parents are not
only responsible for the financial well-being of their children but also the emotional
well-being and this is something Nnennas parents and grandparents did not
understand. They are wealthy but in a bid to amass more wealth, they forget that they
are actually responsible for Nnenna’s growth process. Not only did her parents
abandon her, her grandmother also leaves her in the care of her Aunt Nkechi who is
also unstable at the moment. If they were truly concerned about her upbringing, she
should not have been left in the care of someone who also needed help. She becomes
a loner in the midst of many and struggles to find love and attention. In the excerpt
below, the author takes us into the mind of the protagonist to further reveal the impact
of absent parents on the mind of growing children.

I grew up with that need for attention, to be seen as who I was, to be heard, to be
understood. By the time I turned thirteen, I was no longer a carefree child. Instead, I
was a loner who walked on eggshells in her own home, who had to think before
talking so her words would not be twisted and used against her. Aunty Nkechi’s
meanness and cruelty stole my childhood.(p19)”.

In the process of growing up, people need to meet certain psychological needs in
addition to the nutritional balance of the body. They can experience the feeling of
attachment and love in the process of being cared for. Family attachment is the
driving force to the psychological development of Children. If there is no emotional
care, it would have the opposite effect on the healthy development of children’s
mental health. The lack of family affection in life causes most children to be
introverted, inferior and sensitive. From a Psychological point of view, neglected
children have higher anxiety and tension than other children.
Nnenna’s traumatic experience began from childhood. Feeling unwanted and lonely
is not something any child should be made to experience because there is always a
subconscious effect. The company of parents is very important. Childhood is a period
when a persons physiology and psychology changes and gradually matures, and it is
also a period where a persons outlook on life and values are gradually established. In
this early stage of socialization, the company of parents help children to form a good
character. However, without the company of parents, the guardian might not be able
to sincerely care for the child like the parents and can only be able to meet the
material needs of the children. Nnenna had all she wanted financially but lacked what
she desired the most- parental love.
The following is an excerpt from the novel when Nnenna shares her story on air. The
novel has several parts where there are twitter responses and this part reveals how
people also agree that one of the major reasons for all the protagonist went through
was simply because she never had parental guidance.

@KarydaDiva: But parenting is a lot of work o.

People will be chasing other things and leaving their children and raising broken
human beings upandan. Na wa. That her aunty sef is just a witch.
@Agogo_ and 200 others: @KatidaDiva
So true. There are too many broken people everywhere.
@FactsAndOil: But parents no de try sha o.
Where her mama say she go sef?
@Chic 89: @FactsAndOil Didn't you hear the part where she said her mum left her
dad.
@FactsAndOil: @Chic_89 she left husband. Her pikin offend her? She left.
Marriage and pikin na WhatsApp group when she de left? Na her mama I blame
abeg(p.29)

Her major traumatic experience is encountered in her marriage to Tobenna. Having

grown up believing that she needs someone to love her before she can love herself
and that her happiness is dependent on someone else, she leaves the family house for
her National Youth Service Corps happy and with the hope of finding someone who
would love her and with whom she would spend the rest of her life because the stigma
of her parents divorce still had an effect on her. The psychoanalytic approach by Sigmund
Freud focuses on deciphering how the unconscious mind governs conscious processes in ways
that interfere with healthy psychological functioning. It is built on the foundational idea that
biologically determined unconscious forces drive human behavior, often rooted in early
experiences of attempting to get our basic needs met (Pick, 2015). In applying this theory to the
life of the protagonist, it is evident that majority of her choices were rooted in her early
experiences which led her to find love and attention at all cost. Subconsciously, her mind has
been programmed to believe that she is not enough and she needs to get married in order to
validate herself before people .
The protagonist marries Tobenna without necessarily getting to know him well because he is the
first person to actually give her the love and attention she so desires. Being raised in a broken and
abusive home took its toll on Nnenna and she becomes more conscious about having a stable
home than fixing herself. She marries Tobenna and he turns out to be the opposite of what she
expects. The first shock comes immediately after her marriage when her husband is constantly
absent from the house. This comes as a shock to her because her leaving the family house was
because she felt lonely so it becomes a twist when she gets married and is still lonely. This was
another emotional torture for her as the protagonist makes mention of it in the text.

I guess he was always like that, but I did not know that part of him because I had never really
spent time with him. It would be inaccurate to say that Tobenna started returning late because he
was always absent and whenever I asked where he was coming from, my next thought was regret
because he always responded with the most savage responses.
Usually, people do not want to be by themselves and they easily run into relationships
because of that fear.
From where I was coming and all my yearning for love and attention, it was only
natural that I would just take whatever was handed to me because I was happy to
finally have that sense of belonging(p.40)

The abuse in her marriage first started off as emotional abuse where she would
receive constant insults and be left by herself for weeks. Then it graduated into
physical abuse, theft, among others and Nnenna had to struggle to cope with it all
because she felt returning to the family house would not be any better. She wanted her
marriage to work at all cost amidst the trauma she was going through and she
preferred to endure it all than to be termed a divorcee. Her major mistake was settling
for less and she settled for less only because she had no one to guide her and to talk
to. The next paragraph is an excerpt from the novel to buttress the issues she face in
marriage that further put her in so much pain and distress.

It grew worse and in almost a few months of the marriage, I had gone from looking for love and
straight to dealing with a cheating husband, a verbal, physical, and emotional abuser, an
unrepentant thief, a lazy person who could not do the least to help me or clean his own mess, a
disrespectful husband, and a drug addict. I wish I were exaggerating or making this up, and if I did
not go through it all myself I would question the veracity of this story. Did I also mention that he
also dabbled into diabolism, as in native doctors? I know it sounds like I am making this up, but
woke up on one of the few times he slept at home to hear him making incantations.

This passage highlights a highly traumatic and abusive relationship, where the protagonist
experienced various forms of abuse and neglect from her husband, Relating her experiences to
trauma, it is evident that she went through significant distress and pain due to the actions of her
spouse. The repeated exposure to physical, verbal, emotional abuse, infidelity, theft, laziness,
disrespect, and drug addiction can have severe psychological and emotional consequences. From
a psychoanalytic perspective, this passage also hints at the potential presence of underlying
psychological issues within the individual’s husband. The mention of dabbling into diabolism and
making incantations suggests a possible engagement with occult practices, which could be
indicative of deeper psychological disturbances.
In the novel, the protagonist Nnenna endures a series of experiences that profoundly shape
her life. At the onset, she faces neglect from her parents, which leaves her longing for love and
connection. This early neglect had lasting effects on her emotional well-being, as it undermines
her sense of self-worth and leaves her vulnerable to seeking validation in unhealthy relationships
which leads to her marrying Tobenna out of a deep sense of loneliness. However, what initially
appears to be a solution to her isolation quickly turns into a nightmare as he becomes physically
and emotionally abusive, subjecting Nnenna to relentless beatings and other forms of
mistreatment. This cycle of abuse perpetuates a state of constant fear and hypervigilance, leaving
Nnenna in a perpetual state of trauma. The pinnacle of Nnenna’s traumatic experiences occurs
when Tobenna throws her from a balcony, an act that could have resulted in her death. The fact
that she is saved by her neighbors highlights the severity of the situation and the potential for
life-threatening harm. This event not only exacerbates Nnenna’s existing trauma but also
introduces a new layer of fear and vulnerability.
It took a disastrous relationship for Nnenna’s family to finally realize all she had ever wanted
from the beginning, it took her almost losing her life before her father finally made time from his
busy schedule to have a talk with her. It was not too late though as his counsels and that of her
grandmother helps to salvage the situation she finds herself and brings her to her senses as she
initially refuses to leave the marriage even after she is beaten and constantly abused because she
is scared of having a failed marriage like her parents and Aunt.
One of most important thing to note in this novel by Janet Chinenye Eze is the fact
that absentee parents plays a crucial role in a child’s psychology and this can grow
with the child into adulthood. Everything the protagonist went through could have
been avoided with simple love and care. It is no news that many parents believe that
once a child is being provided for financially, then there’s nothing else the child
needs. Parents need to build close relationships with their children else they would not
even know when the child is [Link] effects caused by absent parents can
extend into adulthood, with individuals experiencing long-term consequences. They
may be more susceptible to mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and
substance abuse. Additionally, the absence of a parent can contribute to a cycle of
intergenerational trauma, as individuals may struggle with parenting their own
children due to the unresolved trauma from their own experiences. Understanding the
impact of absentee parents on trauma is crucial for providing appropriate support and
interventions to help individuals heal from their experiences, develop healthy coping
mechanisms, and break the cycle of intergenerational trauma. This becomes helpful
for Nnenna as just seeing her father leave his business to come attend to her marital
issues was enough to know that he cares. After she decides to leave the marriage,
Tobennas family did not for once contact her, because she had left the house several
times and still ends up coming back. But this time was different, she had decided to
heal. She came to the understanding that although she lacked parental and marital love
from the beginn, there was still time to rebuild her life, to love herself and become a
better person.
In the following passages from the text, the author brings to the readers notice that it
is not foolish to love or to want to be loved and even if people can get hurt in the
process, there is room to heal. People who are traumatized should not be afraid to
seek medical help.

Before I embarked on my healing journey, I used to feel bad and think I was stupid
to love Tobenna as much as I did. But now, I can confidently say that I have all and I
walked away from the marriage, knowing that I explored all options and I still believe
that love is not wrong.
I spent most of my life looking for love and attention but did I for once stop to give
love to myself? To heal I began to tell myself that I am enough and that I matter and
everything fell into place. If I had loved myself, I would have been able to negotiate
better in relationships both with my ex and my family.

In conclusion, as the protagonist embarks on her journey abroad to further her studies. She not
only seeks knowledge but also embarks on a quest for healing. In the realm of Sigmund Freud’s
psychoanalytic theory, she understands that the mind possesses an incredible capacity to recover
from the deepest wounds. Just as Freud believed in the power of the unconscious mind to
reshape one’s reality, the protagonist embraces the idea that regardless of the traumatic
experiences one endures, there is always room for growth, transformation, and ultimately, the
restoration of one’s inner harmony. Through her studies and the exploration of new horizons, she
discovers that the mind’s resilience knows no bounds, and that the path to healing lies in
embracing life for oneself, unburdened by the past.

In Eimear McBride’s novel A Girl is a Half-formed Thing, the theme of absent parents plays a
significant role in shaping the protagonist’s life and experiences, ultimately leading to profound
trauma. Throughout the narrative, the girl’s parents are noticeably absent, both physically and
emotionally, leaving her to navigate the challenges of life on her own. Her mother, though
physically present, is emotionally distant and neglectful, leaving the girl feeling unloved and
abandoned. This absence of maternal love and care deeply impacts her development, leaving her
feeling isolated and vulnerable. Similarly, her father’s departure from the family for another
woman further compounds the girl’s sense of abandonment and loss. To make matters worse,
she is left in the care of her uncle, who subjects her to sexual abuse. The absence of stable and
nurturing parental figures leaves the girl without proper guidance, support, and emotional
grounding, leaving her vulnerable to the harsh realities of the world. As a result, her sense of
identity remains incomplete and fragmented, as she lacks the foundational stability and security
that a loving and stable family environment can provide. This profound absence of parental
presence and care ultimately inflicts deep trauma upon the protagonist, shaping her life in
profound and lasting ways.
The novel begins with the protagonist’s mother preparing for mass, the girl is still on the bed as
she is feeling sick that morning but instead of her mother to find out what the cause of the
sickness is, she forces her to wake up and prepare for mass.

Get up from that bed. Come on we’re late. Ah Mammy. It’ll do you no harm
Madam to show the Lord you care. But I feel sick . None of that please. There’s no
fresh air in there. Get you your shoes on we haven’t got time for this(p.17)

At this point, the mother calls the girl a “dirty brat”(18) and proceeds to beat both of
her children before pouting and locking herself in her room. Her mothers neglect
towards her is the beginning of the psychological trauma she experienced. She never
felt good enough and her father leaving made it worse. It is evident from the above
passage that there is no cordial relationship between the mother and daughter.
Few years after her father leaves the house, her uncle comes to tell them of her fathers
sudden demise. The girl is distraught because although he had already left them, she
still needed him around and felt like perhaps someday he would come back home. She
is extremely sad and begins to picture what it would have looked like to have her
father beside her. The excerpt below is a part from the text where the protagonist
imagines in her mind how other people who had their fathers with them would live,
she obviously was not comfortable with what happened to her father. She needed
attention, she also wanted to experience what others do in their homes.

The beginning of teens us. Thirteen me fifteen sixteen you. Wave and wave of it
hormone over. Like hot flush cold splash down my neck. Spilt with new thoughts,
troublesome that is and things that always must be said. Spill it out. Spill it down.
Where’s that father? Mine? Who belonged to was part of me? I think of. Where is
he? Imagination of fathers sitting by me on the bed. Stroking my hair you’re my girl,
belong to me pet. I have heard of seen those things somewhere on the telly. And I say
will you ever tell me what he said about daughters before I was born?(p.64)

From the above passage, the readers see how much the protagonist longed to be loved and to
have a father figure by her side especially since her mother is emotionally absent from her life
and also physically abusive. She says in the passage that the only place she has seen fathers
stroking their daughters hair is on television because she had never experienced it herself. The
absence of one’s parents can alter a child and cause emotional distress. Every child wants to be
loved and when they do not get it, there is always a void.
In the later parts of the novel, her mother decides to leave the house since her husband is
finally dead. She moves into his brothers place with her two children and that was when the
second phase of the girls trauma began. Her uncle is a married man who does not really come
around all the time so he is quite distant from her family. But things change when they move into
his house as he begins to lust after his niece. The conversation below ensured between the uncle
and the protagonist on the same day her mother moves them into his house.

Shouldn’t we be friends? I am your uncle after all. But it’s the first time that we’ve
met. No, I’ve seen you before. When? When you were born before we went abroad. I
don’t remember. You were only small. Do you like England? I do. What do you do?
All sorts of things and do you do? I go to school. I knew that. Yes you did. You’ve
quite a lip.(p.95)

From the first time she moves into her uncles house, it becomes obvious that he is
lusting after her even though she is barely a teenager. She tries to talk to her mother
about how uncomfortable she is in the house but her mother shrugs it off by saying
“…you donno how lucky we are to get a roof, don’t bother me…(p.102)”. Her uncle
takes the cue as he sees that her mother is unbothered about her and barely takes her
into consideration. The abuse begins a few days from when they came to live in the
house and continues till long after she had left the house. At first when the abuse
begins, the protagonist is scared and tries to run away but her uncle is stronger and
overpowers her. He takes advantage of her vulnerability and instead of helping her, he
makes her his prey.

What’s wrong? Nothing. I start to cry.

Don’t. There now. Don’t. There now. It’s been a bad old year for you all I know. A
lot’s gone on. It’ll improve though. You know you can think of me in a father way.
I’m only at the end of a phone and we’d love you to come and stay. See your cousins.
They’re just about your age. Where you going? Come back. Hey! Come back here
please.
Oh sacred heart of Jesus I place all my trust in thee.
you. He. Turns my face to him. Dissolving fright under his hands. He put his mouth
on mine. This is kiss to me. Then. Wave of. What. Lost. And he says. That was nice
but don’t you want to kiss me back? I. I’d like you to open your mouth a bit. I. Do. He
kisses me. The deep again. With lips and teeth and with his tongue. Touch me soft
there I did not know would be. Fill my mouth with it. He says. Open your eyes. Is this
the first kiss you’ve had at all? Flexed and on a wire I’m. He knows something I
don’t. About me.
That I am naïve. Do that. Don’t do that to me. I. Feel I might begin to cry or sink or
fall.(p.98)

The uncle sexually abuses the protagonist from a young age, which deeply affects her sense of
self and her understanding of relationships. The sexual abuse perpetrated by the uncle is a
violation of the protagonist’s boundaries and trust. This traumatic experience shapes her
perception of intimacy, causing her to struggle with forming healthy relationships and
maintaining a sense of self-worth. The abuse also leads to feelings of shame, guilt, and confusion,
as the protagonist grapples with the conflicting emotions associated with the abuse. She
struggles to understand if she should accept it as normal and since there was no one she could
talk to, she kept to herself until she could barely feel the hurt anymore. The life of the girl is that
of perpetual pain, hurt, abuse and shame. From her fathers death to her mothers neglect, her
uncles abuse and to make matters worse, she gets raped on the street one night when she is sent
out by her mother for being too much of a bother. This was the period where it was diagnosed
that her brother would not make it, so her mother becomes so upset and aggressive towards her
that she sends her out into the night. Being that it is an unsafe neighborhood in the remote part
of town, she gets molested by a group of people she could not even see.

Who. What’s that? They’ll get me will they up between the legs. Who’s there?
What’s that? Oh now. A mortal sin. You know. Go on empty mouths and tongues and
hands and fingers pass me up. That some hurt me with nails on my face. Get me up.
Up the. He. Up there. Jesus. What’s that? What’s that? Swig this there.
The night is quiet. There are no dreams.
But this morning no one came for no one comes for me. How can I. Wake. My face
is brick. My everything sting and swollen. Up. I am. Something. I am sore. Do you. I
go I. Down the stairs. Cold. My mouth hurts against the light where it shiddent and it
 shouldn’t lick it smart. My back. Thinks it feels too riddled with holes. Dead.(p.148)

It is not possible for one to go through child molestation and it would not leave a
lasting impact in the mind of the person. Absentee parents is the major cause of
everything the girl suffered. Although her mother is physically present, it makes no
difference as it would have been better if she is not there in the first place. Many
parents have left the upbringing of their children to the environment even though they
are there physically. Not everyone understands parenting and the work that comes
with it because it the girl had care from her mother most of the things she suffered
throughout the novel would not have been encountered.
At the later part of the novel, she decides to sleep with as many men as possible so
she can have knowledge on what it feels like to actually be the oppressor and not the
oppressed. She takes full control of her sexual life and even goes back years after to
continue a relationship with her uncle just to feel powerful. In reality, pain does not
heal pain and if traumatized victims do not seek help from the right sources, they are
bound to make more mistakes.
The novel ends with the girl becoming tired of her situation and realizing that
causing people pain is not the way to heal from pain. She feels dejected and
abandoned and this is seen in the last paragraph where she says;

I put my face down in a pillow. Think if I were dead. if I were dead I’d be the best
best thing. All good and right and well. I hear nothing. I. The all the night because the
sky falls down where my bones should break. Nail me right inside the blackness.
That’s a good night’s sleep for me(p.179)

In conclusion, the theme of absentee parents plays a vital role in both novels as it uncovers the
importance of parental lobe and support in a child’s life and the lasting impact the absence of
one’s parents can have on their development.

3.3 WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME AS EXPERIENCED BY THE

CHARACTERS IN EIMEAR MCBRIDES A GIRL IS A HALF FORMED
THING AND JANET CHINENYE EZE NNENA.
Abandonment syndrome also called traumatic withdrawal syndrome or is a catatonic
disorder that causes a state of decreased consciousness and was first described in
Sweden in the 1990s. It primarily affects psychologically traumatized people who are
in the midst of a difficult situation. People reportedly develop depressive symptoms,
become socially withdrawn, and become motionless and speechless as reactions to
their negative experiences. This is exactly what the unnamed protagonist in A Girl is a
half formed thing experienced and this is the reason the language of the book is
disjointed because the protagonist became almost speechless trying to fit in and also
understand what she was going through.

The eighteen-year-old narrator in the novel sounds only a little different from a five-
year-old. For instance, her manner of not completing her sentences, inverting syntax,
and otherwise mauling grammatical convention can have the odd effect of making her
sound like a crazed Irish pirate: “I be new girl. . . . To have to be saying again again
where I come from(p.76). Due to the negative experiences she encounters, she
withdrew from those around her and became almost silent from a tender age and by
the time she begins to speak again, inconsistencies present themselves from time to
time. In the novel, the protagonist spends a significant amount of time alone, seeking
solace and refuge in her own thoughts. She withdraws from the environment and
seeks comfort in her own inner world, which becomes a coping mechanism to deal
with the trauma she has experienced. The same withdrawal from family is
experienced by Nnena in Janet chinenye’s novel.

This is supposed to be a bad thing, right; a child being so independent that they stay
out of the way of the adults in the house? Well, for some reason, it was interpreted in
my own house as maturity, and Aunt Nkechi was praised for teaching me good
manners and independence. They praised her for training me well and for training me
to be a child who does not disturb the adults in the house. No one ever really looked at
me to see if I was happy being out of their way or asked whether I really wanted to
stay away from them(p.20)

The above paragraph is an excerpt from the novel where she withdraws herself from
everyone around her because of the loneliness she feels and also because she is trying
to avoid the many insults she always comes in contact with from Aunt Nkechi. People
who have experienced trauma often withdraw themselves as a coping mechanism to
protect themselves from further harm or to manage overwhelming
[Link] events can cause individuals to feel vulnerable and unsafe.
Withdrawal can be a way to create a sense of safety and control over their
environment. It is important to note that withdrawal is a common response to trauma,
but it is not a healthy long-term solution. Avoiding people does not guarantee that
such a person would never get hurt again.
When social withdrawal is a symptom of trauma, and the person suffering does not
have a social support system in place, or simply avoids engaging with that system,
then they may experience some more adverse effects which includes
loneliness,strained relationships, substance misuse and abuse, depression among
others. Louise Hawkley, a psychologist and senior research scientist, conducted
extensive research on the relationship between loneliness, social isolation, and trauma
and according to her findings, individuals who have experienced trauma are more
susceptible to experiencing loneliness and its detrimental effects on their health.
Humans are naturally social creatures, so when our desire and eventually our ability to
socialize diminishes, we are subject to a range of adverse health effects.

Literary texts often explore themes of trauma and isolation, and understanding the
effects of loneliness on characters can deepen ones understanding of their
psychological states and motivations. It also explores how trauma shapes characters’
experiences of loneliness and the subsequent impact on their mental and emotional
well-being.

3.4 SOCIETAL BELIEFS AS TRIGGERS TO TRAUMA

Chiké Frankie Edozien, a Nigerian-American journalist and scholar wrote extensively about the
trivialization of trauma in African societies, particularly in relation to issues such as sexual
violence and LGBTQ+ experiences. He highlights how cultural attitudes and beliefs can contribute
to the marginalization and dismissal of trauma. In many African societies, there is a tendency to
prioritize collective well-being and the preservation of community harmony over individual
experiences of trauma. This can lead to a reluctance to acknowledge or discuss traumatic events,
as they may be seen as disruptive or damaging to the social fabric. Specifically regarding sexual
violence, Edozien points out that the societal emphasis on preserving family honor and avoiding
public scandal often results in the silencing and shaming of survivors. This can create a culture of
victim-blaming and denial, where the trauma experienced by survivors is not adequately
recognized or addressed. Moreover, the prevailing patriarchal norms in many African societies
can further perpetuate the trivialization of trauma, particularly in cases of gender-based violence.
People often tend to water down a person’s experience by bringing in a worse
experience just to make the person feel like whatever he or she is going through is
little or trivial compared to what other people have gone through. This is the reason
why many times, traumatized victims find it difficult difficult to tell people about
their problems for fear of being criticized. How people respond to those who are faced
with or have gone through traumatic experiences especially sexual or emotional abuse
will determine if the person gets better or worse.
In Nnenna by Janet Eze, the novel begins with the protagonist visiting her therapist
in order to bring her experiences to the limelight to people can know and learn from
it. Although she had healed, her therapist had to make sure she would not be affected
by the negative comments that will definitely come while she shares her story. This is
because there are several people even in this present age who tend to commonize
people’s experiences and heartbreaks. This happens especially on social media space
where since the reader cannot be seen physically, he or she responds however they
like without considering the other persons feelings. The novel begins by introducing a
live podcast where the protagonist shares her story and people are allowed to
comment.

This podcast is a forum where people learn and unlearn life and relationships. And
Nnenna, as we already informed you, you are likely to see reactions that may come
across as disagreeable on our social media platforms, especially on Twitter. They do
not in any way reflect our opinion of you, and it is not our intention to trivialise your
experience.
Yes, I understand Doctor, and I gave my consent of my own freewill. I was not
coerced, and I am in the best frame of mind. The comments are fine too. Bring them
on(p.13)

The narrator was prepared for whatever comments she would get because she had
already healed. Some of the comments were inconsiderate like; @FactsAndOil: Who else
has noticed that heartbreak always turns people to motivational speakers? Ehhnn, red flag ...
ehnn what I now know. Abeg Hanty coman do giveaway for [Link] kind Telemundo story sef.
Na like this Secrets of the Sands take startо?(p62). But what happens when the victim is yet
to recover from the shock of what he or she went through? It would not be over
generalization to state that many Africans especially do not consider certain events or
occurrences to be traumatic enough especially when they have to do with emotional
abuse. Some people believe that as long as a man does not beat his wife, then she is
lucky as nothing is as bad as receiving a beating. While others are of the school of
thought that even if there is domestic violence, the woman should pray and things
would get better as there are people who have suffered worse or at least the husband
did not bring another woman into the house(if the wife is the one being molested).
This school of thought is also represented in the novel as the author tries to make
people understand that trauma can begin from as little as constant insults or even
comparison.

It is even worse when you go to seek counsel from an elder, especially elderly
women. Instead of them talking to you like you are a human being with real issues,
they ask the stereotype questions; "Does he beat you? Does he
A cheat on you?
If at that moment you happen to be unfortunate enough to be in the midst of more
than one of such elderly women, you will be regarded with stories of other women
who suffered more than you but endured, as if the very essence of marriage is to
suffer, as if being a married woman automatically enters you in a competition or race
to win a Nobel prize for suffering.
They say that you should talk to someone when you are facing marital problem, but
does talking help? Who exactly is the right person to talk to? Do you talk to your
mates who only know as much as you - or less - and who are as unsure as you? Do
you talk to older married women who from my experience need comrades in
suffering?
Do you talk to your pastor who would use your story to illustrate a sermon in service?
And what happens after you find someone to talk to and talk to them? Does it change
anything? Does the person you shared with make it better?(p.92)

The above excerpt from the novel is to have a glimpse of how the average African can
view trauma. Literature captures this because it is what is prevalent in some societies.

In A Girl is an half formed thing by Eimear McBride, trauma is viewed as a spiritual

issue. In the 2022 census, it was discovered that 69% (3.5 million) of the population
identified as [Link] next largest group after Catholic was "no religion" at
14%.The Irish setting of the novel seems to identify the culture of a Catholic
household. The protagonist slowly deviates from the strict catholic tradition in which
she has been brought up. At the beginning, like any child that has been brought up to
practice praying, she blindly prays for fear of what will happen if she does not. Her
mother has instilled in her a fear "Will you save us Mammy? I’ll say easy children
close your eyes for this world is coming to an end. But Mammy it scares me. Well
better behave yourself then."(p.34) Yet as she grows older and her fate becomes
tested, by her brother's illness and her abuse, she begins to lose touch with faith and
she is told that the reason for all her sufferings is because she cannot recite the Hail
Mary. The protagonist suffers so much in the hand of her mother and her uncle
while her brothers death gives her the final blow, she had prayed for so long that her
brother should not die as he was her only source of comfort while she went through so
many terrible events. Eventually, she loses faith in the fact that her prayers will be
answered “Back to the start. I’d be. Hail Holy Queen no that won’t work, I’ll offer
something up. God.”(p85)
What the protagonist needed at that point was not prayers but help. She needed
someone to confide in, she also needed medical attention as rape should not be taken
lightly, but instead she is dismissed by her mother who does not even give her a
chance to explain but instead tells her her pains are spiritual.
How society respond to people’s story is very important. This novel presents the
response in a twitter like form and it shows how people can make joke of a persons
experience thereby making the person feel worse.
In conclusion,it is important to allow people talk, even if they become upset. The
effect of trauma is psychological and should be handled as such.

3.5 THE INTERFACE BETWEEN GENDER AND TRAUMA

The relationship between gender and trauma is a significant area of study that has been
explored by various scholars. It is widely recognized that gender plays a crucial role in shaping the
experience and aftermath of trauma, as well as the ways in which individuals cope and heal .One
prominent scholar in this field is Judith Herman, whose book “Trauma and Recovery” has been
influential in understanding the gendered nature of trauma. Herman argues that trauma is
inherently tied to power dynamics, and gender is a critical factor in these dynamics. She
highlights how societal norms and expectations around gender can contribute to the vulnerability
of certain individuals to trauma, particularly women and marginalized gender identities. She also
emphasizes the ways in which trauma can disrupt individuals’ sense of self and their
relationships, often leading to feelings of shame and isolation.
The interface between gender and trauma is a complex and multifaceted aspect of human
experience that has been explored in various forms of literature. Novels such as Eimear McBride’s
“A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing” and Janet Chinenye Eze’s “Nnenna” offer profound insights into
this intersection, highlighting the ways in which gendered societal norms and power dynamics
contribute to the experiences of trauma for both male and female characters.
In “A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing,” McBride presents a fragmented narrative that follows the life
of a young woman who endures a series of traumatic events. These include sexual abuse, an
absent father, and a brother with a brain tumor. The protagonist’s experiences are deeply
intertwined with her gender, as she navigates a society that perpetuates patriarchal norms and
expectations. McBride’s portrayal emphasizes the lasting impact of trauma on the female
character, shedding light on the ways in which these experiences can shape her sense of self and
her interactions with others. The novel also explores the ways in which gendered power
dynamics contribute to the perpetuation of trauma, such as the protagonist’s relationships with
men who exert control and dominance over her.
Similarly, in “Nnenna,” Eze delves into the theme of gender and trauma through the perspective
of a young girl who faces abandonment, neglect, and domestic abuse. The protagonist’s mother
leaves her, and her father becomes consumed by his business, leaving her to grow up in a lonely
and unstable environment. As she enters into a turbulent marriage with Tobenna, she
experiences physical and emotional violence, as well as financial exploitation. Eze’s novel
explores the specific vulnerabilities that women can face within intimate relationships,
highlighting the gendered power dynamics that contribute to the protagonist’s trauma. Through
Nnenna’s story, the novel examines how gender shapes her experiences of trauma and the
subsequent impact on her mental and emotional well-being. It also explores the ways in which
societal expectations of masculinity and femininity can limit individuals’ ability to seek help and
support when facing trauma.
Both novels emphasize the interface between gender and trauma, illustrating the complex
relationship between the two. They shed light on the specific ways in which gendered societal
norms and power dynamics contribute to the experiences of trauma for both male and female
characters. By exploring these themes, the authors challenge societal norms and prompt readers
to critically examine the structures that perpetuate gender-based trauma. The novels also
highlight the importance of empathy and understanding in addressing and healing from trauma,
as characters grapple with the impact of their experiences on their identities and relationships.
Through their exploration of the interface between gender and trauma, these novels contribute
to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between the two. They highlight the ways
in which societal expectations and power dynamics can shape individuals’ experiences of trauma,
regardless of their gender. By bringing these issues to the forefront of literary discourse, the
authors invite readers to engage in a broader cultural conversation about trauma, gender, and
the importance of empathy and understanding. Ultimately, the exploration of this interface in
literature fosters greater awareness and potential for change, encouraging readers to challenge
and dismantle the structures that perpetuate gender-based trauma.