المستخلص: |
This paper examines the refugee journey from displacement to emplacement in Alan Gratz's Refugee. Using the theory of rites of passage, as a starting point, it studies the life-changing experiences of the three refugee protagonists in three different stages: the life in their motherlands before their movement into another destination, the intermediary or liminal stage where their journey begins across borders and the final stage where they reintegrate into the host country. Moreover, the study attempts to provide a further analytical ground by adding spatial as well as psychological dimensions to the protagonists‟ rites of passage via integrating two complementary theoretical concepts: non-place and resilience. In doing so, it offers new insight into the hardships and trauma endured by the protagonists in every stage and how they come up with resilience strategies that help them survive the constant transitions from one phase to another. Altogether, by rethinking the refugee experience as rites of passage, a more comprehensive picture of refugees‟ departure, journey, and arrival can be addressed.
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