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Trauma narratives often reveal a tension between affective coherence and bodily experiences that resist clear representation. This essay examines that tension through a comparative reading of Silvan Tomkins’ affect theory and Brian Massumi’s account of affect and intensity. It considers Tomkins’ emphasis on affective scripts, emotional organization, and coherence alongside Massumi’s focus on pre-linguistic intensity, bodily capacity, and the non-representational dimensions of affect. The analysis draws on selected trauma narratives, including Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and Jeannette Walls’ The Glass Castle, to explore how these theoretical perspectives illuminate trauma, memory, embodiment, and agency. The comparison shows that Tomkins’ framework is useful for tracing recurring affective patterns and their organization within narrative, while Massumi’s approach foregrounds bodily intensities that may exceed linguistic representation. The essay argues that placing these perspectives in dialogue can provide a more layered understanding of trauma narratives by attending to both affective coherence and bodily intensity.