Navigating Refugee Trauma and Identity Negotiation: A Maslowian Investigation of Hierarchical Fulfilment in Chris Cleave’s The Other Hand

Abstract

The research article explores the character analyses of Little Bee, undocumented refugee in Chris Cleave the Other Hand, through the theoretical lens odd Abraham Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Human Needs.’ The paper traces Bee’s experiences as an adolescent African refugee, investigating her journal from premigration trauma, forced geographical dislocation to eventual deportation in the UK, by focusing on the quest for identity and self-reclamation. The article illustrates the non-linear and partial satisfaction of the hierarchy. The analysis claims that for displaced communities, sense of belongingness functions as the psychological imperatives to overcome marginalization and homelessness. Furthermore, this paper underscores the impact of socio-political context of migratory trauma in restructuring the disrupted identity among the marginalised population.