https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1i3.062
From Wounds to Healing: Positive Relational Dynamics in To My Dearest Self
SILJASUKUMAR
Ph.D. Research Scholar
Department of English
Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore
Abstract: Nimna Vijay’s To My Dearest Self (2025), the English translation of the Malayalam bestseller Ettavum Priyapetta Ennodu, offers a nuanced exploration of emotional vulnerability, selfhood, and relational healing in contemporary Indian fiction. The novel traces the inner journey of Aditi, a young woman attempting to recover from heartbreak while navigating family expectations, social pressures, and a fragile sense of identity. This paper examines how the text represents healing and relational well-being through self-awareness, friendship, resilience, and emotional growth. Through close textual analysis, it explores the relationship between characterization, narrative movement, and thematic concerns, showing how Aditi gradually moves from silence and emotional fatigue toward self-respect and balance. Her transformation is shaped not only by introspection and supportive relationships but also by her growing ability to establish personal boundaries. Rather than presenting healing as a final resolution, the novel frames it as an ongoing negotiation between vulnerability and strength. In doing so, it reflects the emotional condition of a generation marked by exhaustion, uncertainty, and competing expectations. The paper argues that Vijay redefines relational positivity as a balance between caring for others and sustaining the self. Ultimately, To My Dearest Self foregrounds self-love not as withdrawal, but as a necessary foundation for meaningful human connection.
Keywords: Positive Psychology, Self-Love, Emotional Healing, Contemporary Indian Fiction, Nimna Vijay, Relational Dynamics
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