ECHOES OF EMPIRE: DETERRITORIALIZATION AND TRAUMA IN NADEEM ASLAM’S THE WASTED VIGIL.

Abstract

This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to investigate the themes of empire, deterritorialization, and trauma in Nadeem Aslam’s The Wasted Vigil, primarily leveraging the Wmatrix tool for semantic analysis. The novel was selected for its nuanced exploration of the impact of imperialism on Afghan identity, and it was formatted into a digital corpus for in-depth analysis. The Wmatrix tool facilitated semantic tagging, categorizing key terms by thematic domains such as governance, distance, weapons, dark, disease, and emotional states, resulting in visual representations of these themes. Grounded in Bal’s (1997) narrative stylistics, the analysis focused on how narrative techniques shape reader engagement and interpretation, revealing significant passages that reflect characters' experiences of dislocation and identity crisis. The study contextualizes its findings within Afghanistan's socio-political landscape, particularly historical events like the Cold War and post-9/11 interventions. Through semantic domains, Aslam’s language emerges as a powerful vehicle for articulating the complexities of identity, belonging, and power dynamics in a landscape marked by imperial influence, ultimately inviting readers to reflect on the enduring scars of empire and the search for connection amidst trauma.