Baba’s Death: Nour’s Nostalgic Voice in Zyen Joukhadar’s The Map of Salt and Stars

Abstract

This article discusses how nostalgia functions as a successful tool of resistance in The Map of Salt and Stars (2018). The article examines the representation of nostalgia of a displaced character called Nour emphasizing how weather and place shape her homesickness. It also investigates how the character copes with her nostalgic experience in an attempt to construct her shattered personality. We contend that there is a link between nostalgia, memories, weather, and place using the concept nostalgia as outlined by Tim Wildschut, Constantine Sedikides, and Clay Routledge. This reading helps us better understand the narratives under discussion and comprehend the psychological development of diasporic individuals. Overall, the paper concludes that Nour’s nostalgia is powered by her memories and weather, which enables her to resist the impact of the death of her father.