When I wrote the story of the squirrel that is forced to flee and then returns centuries later to exact revenge, I was really thinking about how deep wounds from displacement persist in real conflicts. In my mind, that squirrel’s journey represents communities that are driven out of their homes and carry that pain across generations. (1)
I also see how revenge is not just personal—it comes from a shared memory of injustice. The squirrel’s desire to destroy what used to be a forest home is not idle hatred, but a reaction to loss and betrayal that has built up over time. (2)
Another thing I noticed when writing is the role of dehumanization: once you’re out of your homeland, people may start seeing you as “other,” and that makes violent return feel more justifiable. (3) For me, turning forest animals into enemies is my way of showing how even former friends can be recast as threats when history is painful.
But I don’t want my story to be only about revenge. I believe there’s space to think about healing and reconciliation. Yes, the squirrel comes back violently—but I imagine maybe it regrets, or maybe it realizes real peace comes from rebuilding trust and shared memories, not just bloodshed. (4)
Ultimately, writing this story taught me something important: conflict isn’t just about “them vs. us.” It’s about wounded identities, memory, and how the future can change if people choose to face the past instead of repeating it. I hope readers ask themselves: After returning, what do we do next?
Sources (with Credibility)
- Bar‑Tal, Daniel, Intractable conflict and collective memory: The case of Israel — Current Opinion in Psychology. Peer‑reviewed.
- Systematic review on mental health in Gaza under long-term conflict — Middle East Current Psychiatry. Peer‑reviewed.
- “The normalisation of dehumanisation in the Israel–Palestine conflict,” The Guardian. Media / commentary, moderate reliability.
- Struhl, Karsten J., “Collective Trauma, Revenge, and Cycles of Violence: A Buddhist Approach …” — Secular Buddhist Network. Opinion / analysis, useful but not peer-reviewed.
- Wikipedia, “Ongoing Nakba” — for understanding the concept of continuing collective trauma. Use with caution, cross-reference with academic sources.
