University of Kurdistan Critical Literary Studies 2676-699X 7 2 2025 04 01 Shaping Individual and Collective Identities: The Trace of Cultural Memory in Kazuo Ishiguro's A Pale View of Hills in the Realm of Jan Assmann Theory 61 85 63765 10.22034/cls.2025.63765 EN Noshin Jamali PhD Candidate in English Literature, Department of English Language and Literature, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Motiee Assistant Professor, Department of English Language and Literature, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Seyed Reza Ebrahimi Assistant Professor, English Department, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran. Journal Article 2024 06 22 Kazuo Ishiguro explores human emotions, trauma, and love in his novels, with memory playing a central role in shaping characters' identities. This study, drawing on Jan Assmann's cultural memory theory, investigates the role of memory in shaping individual and collective identities in Kazuo Ishiguro's <em>A Pale View of Hills</em>. The study explores how personal and cultural memories influence characters' perceptions, beliefs, and interactions, shaping their sense of self and societal integration. It highlights how suppressed memories, unresolved traumas, shared historical memories, and societal narratives contribute to identity formation. Characters in the novel navigate trauma, loss, and identity construction amidst cultural memory and spatial dislocation. The experiences of characters like Etsuko and Sachiko illustrate the crucial role of memory in shaping individual and collective identities. The study reveals the intricate interplay between personal and collective memory as depicted through Etsuko's reflections on past tragedies and societal contexts in the novel. Ishiguro's exploration of memory, trauma, and identity construction showcases the profound impact of memories on both personal and collective identities. The findings demonstrate how the past continues to shape the present and influence personal and shared cultural histories. https://cls.uok.ac.ir/article_63765_af19183e3c81d565892cf930e718df37.pdf