Psychological Alienation and Identity: Race, Gender, and Trauma in Quicksand and Beloved

Abstract

This study explores the psychological alienation and identity struggles of Nella Larsen’s Quicksand and Toni Morrison’s Beloved, focusing on the intersection of race, gender, and historical trauma. Both novels examine how alienation, shaped by societal exclusion and systemic oppression, disrupts personal identity and fosters psychological fragmentation. Helga Crane’s alienation in Quicksand reflects the complexities of navigating mixed-race identity, gender expectations, and social invisibility, while Sethe in Beloved grapples with inherited trauma from slavery, manifesting as a haunting, cyclical alienation. This analysis incorporates theoretical frameworks, including Melvin Seeman’s alienation theory, Felix Geyer’s systems approach, and Cathy Caruth’s trauma theory, to show how historical and cultural forces intertwine with psychological conflict. Furthermore, the act of reclaiming narrative agency is highlighted as a means of resistance, empowerment, and self definition. Through their storytelling, both Helga and Sethe challenge silencing discourses, revealing the resilience and ongoing reconstruction of identity within the context of alienation.