In Hungry Ghosts by Kevin Jared Hosein, there are five introductory sections that consist of “A Gate to Hell,” “A Small Sacrifice,” “A Father’s Sins,” “A Clean Break,” and “Deadwater” that are important to understanding the motivations of the characters. Each of the sections provides the reader with background context on the characters generational traumas that have shaped who they are in the present. For instance, in “A Gate to Hell,” Krishna faces bullying due to his status as a child from Barrack. Unlike his father Hans, who chooses to avoid confrontations Krishna chooses to fight and takes responsibility for his actions even when his cousin offers to take the blame: “Tarak was willing to take the fall, but Krishna wanted them to know it was him” (p. 4). This defiance by Krishna shows us his desire to resist oppression due to his experiences. This is only one of the various sets of examples that show us the complexities of each of the characters.

The flashbacks also deepen our understanding of characters such as the twins and Marlee by revealing the trauma that they live in there current lives. In “A Small Sacrifice,” we are met with Marlee’s back story, revealing her struggles with poverty and life in a brothel before ultimately meeting Dalton Changoor, who offers an escape from her past. she reflects upon this idea that “The hard times are over. The past is dead and long behind” (p. 94), believing that she has escaped the hardships of her past. However, the section of the story suggests otherwise, hinting at a possible search of identity and stability in her life.

In a similar way, in “A Father’s Sins,” the twins (Rudra and Rostam) violent upbringing by their father, who forces them to engage in violent acts, molding them to be the worst parts of themselves. He also imposes societal norms such as “Wives must stay with their husbands. Sons must always love their fathers. Anything else is an affront to nature” (p. 191). This demonstrates, that the cause of their actions are due to trauma and the brutality they endured, which causes readers to empathize with the characters and understand their troubled actions.

Overall, the flashbacks are themes of generational trauma that explore how family legacy’s impact the present of these characters. Han’s backstory in “A Clean Break” reveals the tragic death of his mother and the emotional neglect from his father. This influences Han’s decision to distance himself from his family. Ironically despite his efforts to avoid becoming like his father, Han’s life choices ultimately breaks his family leading to Krishna’s rebelliousness and Shweta’s sorrow, as illustrated in “Deadwater,” when she is awakened by news of her son’s death. At the end of the day these flashbacks allow readers to empathize with the characters struggles but also gives them an understanding to how each one is shaped by both personal and inherited suffering.

Hosein, Kevin Jared. Hungry Ghosts. HarperCollins, 2023.