Abstract

Memories and nostalgia play a crucial role in the formation of an individual’s identity. Deep imagination, ingrained nostalgia, personal and transgenerational memories tend to predominate Mornings in Jenin (2011) as ways of recalling the past. This treatise explores the role of restorative nostalgia and (post)memories in shaping Amal’s hybrid and diasporic identity in Susan Abu Alhawa’s Mornings in Jenin. The concept of nostalgia is examined in the context of Svetlana Boym and Edward Casey’s theoretical framework, while the concept of (post)memories is analyzed in the context of Marianne Hirsch’s theoretical framework. The research reveals that Amal’s attempts to (re)construct her identity are overshadowed by her post(memories) and painful restorative nostalgia, which undermines the process of hybridity and her quest for identity. It seems that collective (post)memories, deep imagination, and strong feeling of nostalgia to (home)land have collectively inspired Susan Abulhawa to author Mornings in Jenin. Abulhawa’s restorative nostalgia is evident in her tendency to romanticize the past when discussing her former experiences, particularly in the autobiographical section concerning the orphanage.