Trauma and Reconciliation in Glenn Patterson's Fat Lad

The Troubles is the most defining conflict in the history of Northern Ireland. However, as Glenn Patterson suggests, it is not the only story, and the effects of the Troubles on the lives of individuals is just as important, as it can also be seen in his second novel, Fat Lad (1992). In my thesis I focus on the family history of the Lindens, and its connections to the Troubles. In the first chapter I analyse the roots and effects of the protagonist's, Drew Linden's, trauma. Furthermore, I describe the role of transgenerational trauma in the Linden family's story. In the second chapter, I give an overview of the important factors that play a role in Drew Linden's work-through process, which eventually leads him towards reconciliation.MSc/MAAnglisztikaB