Transforming Trauma: Post-Traumatic Growth in Colleen Hoover’s Confess (2015)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/wjfh.Vol22.Iss1.1503Keywords:
Trauma; narrative healing; creative expression; catharsis; communal storytelling.Abstract
This paper explores post-traumatic growth in Colleen Hoover’s novel Confess (2015), focusing on the emotional and psychological struggles of Owen and Auburn as they navigate grief, guilt, and confession. Drawing on trauma theory, particularly the works of Judith Herman, Peter Levine, and Dori Laub, the study argues that although trauma is deeply haunting and psychologically disruptive, it can also enable resilience and transformation. The analysis examines Auburn’s grief following the loss of her partner and her enforced separation from her child, alongside Owen’s guilt after a fatal car accident that destroyed his family. Central to the narrative is the link between art and confession as therapeutic practices of disclosure and healing. Owen’s art studio, filled with anonymous confessional artworks, functions as a sanctuary for externalizing trauma and fostering recovery. Through mutual openness, Auburn and Owen reclaim agency, heal emotional wounds, and resist trauma’s silencing force.
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