Trauma, Memory, and the Idea of Nation: Literary Testimony in S. Ramakrishnan’s “The Smell of Kerosene”

Abstract

S. Ramakrishnan’s “The Smell of Kerosene” offers literary testimony that explores the psychological trauma and social scarring caused by caste-based violence in contemporary Tamil society. The short story presents the painful personal experience of a young man who survives an attempt to be burned alive during caste conflict. The lingering smell of kerosene becomes a symbol of the narrator’s trauma and reminds him of the fear and suffering he experienced. This article also examines the idea of a nation, often based on values like equality, justice, unity, and respect for all people. However, this story portrays the nation as lacking a unified identity. The text exposes the invisible web of violence everywhere in society, even in schools and offices. This fractures national unity and turns neighbours into enemies.

This article explores how individual memory preserves collective trauma, transforming private suffering into public testimony. It examines the relationship between trauma, memory, and the idea of nation in Ramakrishnan’s narrative. It draws on Cathy Caruth's theory of trauma and Dori Laub's theory of literary testimony. This study reads the story as both a personal account of survival and a literary record preserving memories of caste oppression. By preserving marginalised voices through literary testimony, the work records the pain of a wound that remains unhealed. The narrative preserves memory and challenges readers to rethink nationhood in relation to social justice and human compassion.