| dc.description.abstract | In my thesis I wish to explore the consequences of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by applying trauma theory in an analysis of Helen Benedict’s novels, "Sand Queen", and "Wolf Season". In these two novels, the author foregrounds the stories of female soldiers, and also of civilian women and children both in Iraq and in the U.S. Through the multivoiced narratives of the two novels, the reader is able to explores diverse war-experiences which challenge conventional narratives of war. While the first novel is mainly set in Iraq, "Wolf Season" brings the war home to America and shows how trauma can affect wars most innocent victims, namely children. In both novels we also meet women who have experiences military sexual trauma during their deployments in Iraq, proving that in Benedict’s novels, as in real life, gender plays a decisive role in determining the experiences of American soldiers and veterans. Central to the analysis is an examination of how the culture and attitudes of the U.S. military upholds an institution which, in addition to the violence of war, perpetuates gender-based violence which in turn inflicts greater trauma on individuals both at home and abroad. | |