From Inferno to Paradiso? Towards Reconciliation

The role of narrating the self, by conscious or subconscious means, is crucial to accessing and coming to terms with trauma. Marilù Oliva represents this process through some of her protagonists, especially La Guerrera. Progression towards reconciliation is only possible if the protagonist is open to ‘other’ cultural and social experiences, to mezcla, and eventually to others, and such experiences motivate characters towards change. If this impetus is missing, reconciliation is impossible; conversely, the characters slide into aggressive responses in order to deal with their trauma. La Guerrera has a passion for mezcla – networking, respecting difference and valuing other approaches to life. Her zeal for crime solving is a major factor in her tortuous trajectory towards coming to terms with her traumas. This chapter traces La Guerrera’s harrowing memories, and some of the strategies that enable her to reconcile with her past, with reference to trauma studies and nomadic subjectivity. It also provides comparative links with the author’s other texts in relation to the treatment of these themes