Environmental Crisis and Trauma in Faryal Ali Gauhar’s An Abundance of Wild Roses

Abstract

This study examines the representation of environmental trauma in Feryal Ali Gauhar’s An Abundance of Wild Roses with the objective of understanding how ecological disturbance shapes the emotional and psychological lives of a rural community. Grounded in environmental trauma theory and eco-criticism, the research challenges conventional trauma narratives that prioritize war or personal loss by foregrounding the slow, pervasive impact of environmental degradation. Employing a qualitative methodology based on close textual analysis, the study treats the landscape not as a passive backdrop but as an active force that materializes memory, fear, and collective anxiety through images of landslides, damaged soil, climatic irregularities, and social disruption. The findings reveal that environmental uncertainty produces sustained psychological instability, emotional withdrawal, and social fragmentation, particularly among communities whose livelihoods depend on the land. The study recommends ecological restoration, sustainable land management, community-centered environmental education, and responsive policy measures as essential strategies to address environmental trauma and promote long-term psychological and social resilience