FROM PAGE TO PERCEPTION: EXPLORING THE DEPTHS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH TEXTUAL AND READERS’ INFERENCES WITH REFERENCE TO HOOVER’S ‘IT ENDS WITH US’

Abstract

The current textual-empirical study explores how the text demonstrates the theme of domestic violence and how the readers transact with the text and connect the theme with their personal and social observations with reference to It Ends with Us (2016). Since the study is textual-empirical in its nature, to get insights about domestic violence in the text, Walker’s theory of violence has guided the textual part. To critically analyze the perceptions of readers to the theme of domestic violence, Rosenblatt’s model of reader response theory has directed the empirical part of the study. The literature review on It Ends with Us (2016) has broadly evaluated its exploration of domestic violence, the behavioral complexity of its characters, and its role in raising awareness about violent and oppressive relationships, emphasizing the novel’s influence on contemporary discussions on trauma and healing. The empirical data was collected from 6 participants through semi-structured interviews using Kallio’s model (2016). The first part of the study was analyzed through close reading of the text, whereas, Braun and Clarke’s model of thematic analysis (2006) helped to analyze the empirical data. The findings of the study revealed that all the phases of the Cycle of Violence were reflected in the novel and the participants demonstrated a profound engagement with the thematic relevancy and proximity, showcasing a nuanced ability to connect with the core themes of the study. These results are important for curriculum designers, literature instructors, and researchers in reader response as they provide significant insights into students’ perceptions in relation to fiction.