Beyond Trauma: The Interplay between Memory, History, and Contemporaneity in Sinan Antoon’s Ya Maryam

: This paper discusses Sinan Antoon’s novel Ya Maryam and its representation of contemporary Iraq in the wake tragic events that took place after American occupation 2003. It sheds light on sectarian crisis violent atrocious turned into a minefield. The is more descriptive than prescriptive, not only allowing us to see gloomy reality present but also tolerant past through interplay between memory, history, contemporaneity. Drawing Pierre Nora’s conceptualization memory moving beyond opposition history we argue use intimate places photographs allows him bring both together as complementary records modern witness history. Through generation gap an uncle his young niece, Antoon brings single unified country reconciliation portrayed uncle’s seen eyes niece. aims solidify meaning national identity transcends religion time confirms Iraqiness all Iraqis. Though ends graphically tragically with death main protagonist, Yousef, trauma loss for transformation niece confirmation Iraqis irrespective ethno-religious identity.