Memory, Trauma and Ethical Silence in Kazuo Ishiguro's Fiction

Abstract

This research paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the complex relationships between memory, trauma, identity, and ethical accountability in the novels of the renowned contemporary British author Kazuo Ishiguro. A defining characteristic of Ishiguro's literature is that his narrators are often emotionally reserved, their memories are fragmentary, and their ethical dilemmas are morally ambiguous. Rather than viewing memory as a static historical record, the author presents it as a living process where individuals construct their identities and attempt to cope with their pride, regret, moral sorrow, and pain. 

Along with this, trauma and ethical silence are two crucial pillars of Ishiguro's literary universe. Trauma here is not merely the result of profound and adverse circumstances, but also the culmination of repressed emotions and moral conflicts. Characters often face this trauma in isolation and evade the truth. The research paper primarily focuses on three novels: The Remains of the Day (1989) [1], Never Let Me Go (2005) [2], and Klara and the Sun (2021) [3]. Through qualitative textual analysis and theoretical frameworks such as Trauma Theory, Ethical Criticism, and Narrative Theory, it is established that these three concepts are interconnected and form the foundation of Ishiguro's world.