DISPLACEMENT, MEMORY AND IDENTITY IN FOSTER CARE NARRATIVES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HIDDEN AND A LONG WAY FROM HOME

This paper uses a comparative literary analysis to look at the themes of identity, memory, and displacement in Cathy
Glass’s Hidden and A Long Way from Home. The study focuses on how separation, trauma, and migration within the
foster care system cause emotional turmoil for the young characters, Tayo and Anna. In both stories, children are
compelled to leave familiar surroundings and deal with difficult previous events while navigating new social and
emotional realities. The study investigates how their behavior, relationships, and perceptions of trust are still impacted by
memories of abuse, neglect, and instability.
The study also emphasizes how a child’s sense of identity and belonging is disrupted by displacement. Tayo’s
narrative illustrates anxiety, concealment, and the slow process of emotional opening in a nurturing setting. Anna’s
journey, on the other hand, focuses on emotional and cultural exile as she tries to fit in while clinging to remnants of her
past. The study examines how memory serves as a link between prior trauma and current identity formation by contrasting
these experiences.
In the end, this study makes the case that stability, emotional support, and compassionate care giving are crucial
in assisting displaced children in reestablishing their sense of self. Through these accounts, the memoirs demonstrate how
resilient kids can be and how care may have a profound impact on their healing and recovery.