Volume VI Special Issue I January 2026

Name of Author : Vinisha Rose P B, Dr. S. Sureshkumar

Title of the paper : Intergenerational trauma and transmission of memory in Gayl Jones Corregidora

Abstract: Gayl Jones is one of the most influential literary voices in the canon of African American literature. Jones novel uses trauma and memory not only to reveal the personal suffering of black women but also to critique the systems of racism, sexual violence and Patriarchy. Corregidora 1975, first novel of Gayl Jones, is a powerful and brilliant exploration of trauma and memory through the lens of generational and sexual violence. Jones proficiently uses Ursas fragmented storytelling and complex relationships to portray how Black womens bodies and voices have carried the inheritance of sexual violence, slavery and resistance. Ursas struggle to balance her personal healing with her inherited duty to remember encapsulates how generational trauma shapes identity. By using trauma theory, memory studies and Black feminism, the novel portrays the relationship between memory and trauma. The central character Ursa communicates her painful memories and manages her trauma in an effective way.

Keywords : Trauma, Memory, Black Feminism, Racism, Patriarchy

DOI :

Page Number : 309-313