Representations of Trauma in Artificial Respiration and In the Dream House: Challenging Archival Silence through Literary Works

This thesis explores how literature addresses Michel Trouillot’s concept of archival silence. By examining Ricardo Piglia’s Artificial Respiration (1980) and Carmen Maria Machado’s In the Dream House (2019), alongside historiographic and literary theory, this work offers insight into how authors promote social justice by subverting traditional narratives. Examining two distinct historical periods and phenomena; first the Argentine Proceso de Reorganización Nacional from 1976 to 1983, and the stigmatization of LGBTQ individuals, this project addresses the relationship between trauma and current gaps in archives of these periods. As each example is associated with its own distinct trauma, ranging from the brutal forced disappearances and torture led by state actors, alongside the everyday experiences of trauma faced by members of the LGBTQ community, these offer a unique lens for documenting how trauma manifests across archives. After exploring the contexts of these periods, the project discusses the literary decisions of both authors to examine how their use of transtextuality allows them to expand the scope of their work beyond traditional narrative frames. Utilizing transtextuality throughout their works, both Machado and Piglia offer unique commentary on the existing cultural memory surrounding these events by subverting traditional or “official” narratives, effectively highlighting previously silenced perspectives. Furthermore, this project’s focus on both author’s techniques highlights how literary works serve as an effective vector for performing archives that are limited or nonexistent. By considering this question, this project illuminates the importance of archival studies when seeking social justice for minority groups.