RAMIFICATIONS OF A TRAUMATIC DIVISION: OPPOSITE COUPLES IN THE ISLAND WITHOUT TREES

Abstract

The story is based on a historical reality, the division of Cyprus after the Turkish intervention in the year 1974 and the events both prior to and after it, interweaving two love stories between two Turkish Cypriots and two Greek Cypriots, one star-crossed, the other happy ending in these turbulent times. Starting with the historical background, the paper dwells on the “couples”, i.e. two people, two abstract concepts, two incidents, in fact any two things Elif Shafak either brings together or compares throughout the story, how they are resolved and Elif Shafak’s stance as regards her holding sides with either of the two communities.

Keywords: Trauma, love, “couples”, homophobia, separation and union.

REFERENCES

O'Malley, B., & Craig, I. (2001). The Cyprus conspiracy: America, Espionage and the Turkish invasion. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Shafak, E. (2021). The Island without Trees, London: Penguin Books Ltd.