Welcome to Elif Shafak’s The Island of Missing Trees

Hello! If you are preparing for your International AS Level English Literature exams from June 2028 onwards, you are in the right place. We are diving into Elif Shafak’s beautiful and moving novel, The Island of Missing Trees. This text is part of Unit 2 Section A: Place in prose texts.

In this unit, we don't just look at where a story happens; we look at why the "where" matters. Whether it is a sunny island in the Mediterranean or a snowy garden in London, place shapes who the characters are, how they feel, and the choices they make. Don’t worry if the book feels complex at first—we will break it down step-by-step!

What does "Place" mean in this exam?

According to your syllabus, "place" is more than just a pin on a map. When you study this novel, keep these ideas in mind:

  • Geographical locations: From the divided city of Nicosia in Cyprus to the suburbs of London.
  • The Natural World: The beauty of the island versus the "despoliation" (destruction) caused by war.
  • Home and Homeland: What does it mean to belong to a place? What happens when you are forced to leave?
  • Borders and Divisions: The physical and mental walls that separate people.
  • Abstract Place: Feelings of isolation or belonging.

Quick Tip: In the exam, you will be asked about the significance of place. This means you need to explain how the setting helps Shafak tell her story and what deeper meanings it creates.

The Two Main Settings: Cyprus and London

The novel moves between two very different places and times. This "dual setting" is a key authorial method.

1. Cyprus (The Past - 1974)

In the 1970s, Cyprus is a place of beauty and conflict. Shafak describes the island as a paradise filled with lemon trees and blue waters, but it is also a political space. The "Green Line" partitions the island into Greek and Turkish sides.
Significance: The partition represents cultural and political divisions. For the lovers, Kostas and Defne, the island is a place of danger because their identities (Greek and Turkish) are not supposed to mix.

2. London (The Present - Late 2010s)

London is presented as a place of exile and memory. It is colder, rainier, and feels more "contained" than Cyprus. Most of the action happens in a backyard garden.
Significance: For Ada (the daughter), London is a place where the past is hidden. For Kostas, the garden is a way to recreate his lost homeland.

Key Takeaway: The contrast between the open, sun-drenched island and the enclosed, chilly London garden highlights the characters' journey from trauma to attempted healing.

The Natural World: The Fig Tree as a Witness

One of the most unique "places" in the book isn't a building—it is the Ficus Carica (the fig tree). In this novel, nature has a voice. The tree is a migrant, just like the characters, because a cutting was taken from Cyprus and planted in London.

  • Nature’s Perspective: The tree observes human history. It sees the despoliation of the land during the war and the way humans treat each other.
  • Roots and Belonging: The tree symbolizes the idea of "roots." While humans can move, the tree reminds us that our identity is often tied to the soil we come from.
  • Survival: The way the tree is buried in the winter to survive the London cold is a metaphor for how the characters "bury" their painful memories to survive in a new place.

Did you know? Using a tree as a narrator is a "literary method" to show that place has its own memory and history, separate from human politics.

Borders, Partition, and Identity

The syllabus specifically mentions partition and borders. In The Island of Missing Trees, the border in Cyprus is a physical scar on the landscape.

The "Happy Fig" Tavern: This is a very important "sub-setting." It is a place located right on the edge of the division. Inside the tavern, the usual rules of society don't apply. It is a social space where Greek and Turkish people can meet in secret. However, the fact that it must be a secret shows how restrictive the political space of the island has become.

Social Identity: Characters are often "placed" in society based on their ethnicity. The novel explores how colonisation and partition force people to choose sides, even when they just want to belong to the land itself.

Authorial Methods: How Shafak Shapes Meaning (AO2)

When you write your essay, you must talk about how the author uses language and structure to represent place. Here are some methods to look for:

1. Personification of Nature: Shafak gives the fig tree human-like thoughts. This makes the natural world feel like a character with its own rights and feelings.

2. Sensory Language: She uses the smells of food (like honey and spices) and the sounds of the island to make the geographical location feel real and vivid for the reader.

3. Structural Patterning: The novel jumps between the 1970s and the present day. This shows that the past is always present in the place where we live now.

4. Symbolism of Buildings: Think about the state of upkeep of the tavern or the houses. A ruined building often symbolizes a broken community or a lost way of life.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Just telling the story: Don't just summarize what happens. Always link your points back to Place. (e.g., "This event happens because the setting is divided by war.")
  • Ignoring the Tree: The tree is a vital part of how Shafak represents the natural world. Make sure to include it in your discussion of setting!
  • Forgetting Context: Remember that the socio-cultural views of the 1970s (the conflict in Cyprus) are essential to understanding why the characters feel out of place.

Quick Review: Key Terms for your Essay

Partition: The physical and political division of the island.

Exile: The state of being barred from one's native country.

Metaphor: The fig tree as a metaphor for a migrant's heart.

Despoliation: The damage done to the natural world by human violence.

Note: For other perspectives on the theme of "Place," you might want to briefly look at how authors like Andrea Levy in "Small Island" or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in "Americanah" handle similar ideas of migration and identity.

Final Encouragement: You’ve got this! The Island of Missing Trees is a story about how we carry our "place" with us wherever we go. Focus on the feelings of belonging and the beauty of the natural world, and you will do great in your Unit 2 exam!