FROM ATTACHMENT TRAUMA TO HEALING: TAN TWAN ENG’S THE GARDEN OF EVENING MISTS

The portrayal of forbidden romance within Malaysian literature in English represents to some extent the nation’s complex racial history shaped by colonialism and occupation. These interracial relationships sometimes involve the forbidden intimate attachment between the colonizer and colonized, creating tension and anxiety – due to societal pressure and expectations. One such example comes from the novel The Garden of Evening Mists (2011) by Tan Twan Eng, which portrays the forbidden relationship between the protagonist, Yun Ling (the colonized), and Aritomo (the colonizer), a Japanese gardener. Previous scholarship has frequently analysed the relationship between these colonized and colonizer characters through the lens of postcolonialism, trauma and memory. However, the attachment trauma caused by their broken attachment bond and the healing that ensues has not been critically addressed. This study addresses this gap by reading The Garden of Evening Mists through Jon G. Allen’s theory of attachment trauma. Our study reveals a progression of Yun Ling’s character, mired first in attachment trauma to attachment anxiety and ultimately, to accepting healing through a secure base character. The unusual but forbidden relationship between Yun Ling and Aritomo highlights that despite the trauma of broken attachments, healing can still occur.