Wounds to Be Seen: An Analysis of Traumatized Females in <i>A Mercy</i> Based on Narrative Discourse

Toni Morrison has consistently shed light on the plight of Black individuals in her works, particularly females who have endured multifaceted oppression rooted in gender, race, and social class. Her novels have explored the deeply ingrained injustices that shape the experiences of Black women, portraying their struggles with violence, discrimination, and subjugation. As one of her most representative masterpieces, A Mercy has been widely recognized as a success, in which Morrison masterfully employs the narrating strategy of alternating perspectives among different characters to provide a multi-dimensional view of their experiences. This study focuses on the complexity and depth of the female characters’ psychological and emotional wounds through the lens of Gérard Genette’s theory of narrative focalization. In this way, it underscores the aftereffects of incurable harm inflicted upon women through violence, racial discrimination, and human bondage while also highlighting their processes of self-construction, resilience, and the importance of mutual support.