The Far-reaching Effects of Antithesis in Humanity as Represented in Elif Shafak’s An Island of Missing Trees

Abstract

Elif Shafak’s The Island of Missing Trees presents a profound exploration of the human condition through the lens of antithesis. The novel juxtaposes love and conflict, memory and forgetting, belonging and displacement, and human and non-human perspectives to illuminate the multifaceted nature of identity and societal interactions. Set against the backdrop of Cyprus during the 1970s inter-communal conflict, the narrative intertwines historical trauma with intimate personal experiences, employing a sentient fig tree as both observer and symbol of resilience, continuity, and ecological consciousness. This paper examines how Shafak’s strategic use of antithesis enhances the representation of humanity, highlighting the moral, psychological, and cultural implications of her storytelling. By analyzing character dynamics, narrative structure, and symbolism, the study reveals how oppositional forces shape the human experience and how memory, identity, and environmental consciousness intersect in complex ways. The research contributes to literary scholarship by offering a comprehensive examination of antithesis as a deliberate narrative and thematic device, emphasizing its relevance in understanding historical trauma, ecological awareness, and human resilience.

Keywords: Antithesis, Humanity, Identity, Memory, Conflict, Displacement, Ecological Consciousness, Cyprus