Cleave, Chris: *1973

The Other Hand - aka Little Bee, 2008 - Thematic Parallels: Trauma

Cleave, Chris: The Other Hand - aka Little Bee, 2008
"The Other Hand" is a deeply emotional, thought-provoking novel centered on the refugee crisis, the lingering impact of violence, and the ethical complexities of compassion in an unequal world. It explores complex themes of immigration, trauma, identity, and moral responsibility.
The following books are thematically similar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Draper, Sharon M.: Copper Sun, 2006, ~300pp
  This novel centers on an African girl enslaved and forcibly taken to America, facing violence, displacement, survival, cross-cultural encounters, and the ongoing trauma of colonial exploitation.
  Both works both deal with human dignity, autonomy, and resistance to dehumanizing systems. They force audiences to ask: What makes life worth living—and who gets to decide?
- Lahiri, Jhumpa: The Namesake, 2003, ~290pp
  The novel explores immigrant and cross-cultural identity, focusing on the struggle of a family moving between India and the US, issues of belonging, and generational conflict. It shares the theme of displacement and search for identity.
  Though "The Namesake" leans more toward quiet, introspective realism and "The Other Hand" is more overtly political and emotionally intense, both novels provide nuanced examinations of identity, displacement, and the search for connection across boundaries of culture and experience. They ask what it means to belong, to remember, and to be human in an increasingly interconnected—and fractured—world.
- Morrison, Toni.: The Bluest Eye, 1970, ~170pp
  This novel explores trauma, identity, and the lasting scars of violence and historical injustice, similar to Little Bee’s focus on horror, trauma, and identity.
  Both novels show how race and colonial legacies shape personal identity, with characters questioning their worth in the face of oppressive systems. They deal with the lasting psychological effects of trauma experienced at a young age, especially when ignored or minimized by society.
- Souad: Burned Alive, 2003, ~220pp
  This work focuses on personal trauma and survival, with strong resonance on violence and human rights.
  Both works center on the suffering of young women who survive horrifying violence and oppression, and whose stories are shaped by political, cultural, and patriarchal forces. They use the protagonist’s trauma to criticize broader systems of gender-based injustice, often involving silenced or marginalized female voices.
List of general discussion questions on Trauma (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Trauma (pdf)