The Intersection of Trauma and Language Impairment in Dalton Trumbo’s Johnny Got His Gun

Abstract

This study aims a detailed analysis of the novel, Johnny Got His Gun, written by Dalton Trumbo through the frameworks of trauma theory and psycholinguistics. This research is qualitative in nature and explores the effects of trauma on psychology, with a specific focus on PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). In the study, the protagonist, Joe Bonham, and his communication barriers are specifically targeted and analyzed. Joe Bonham’s PTSD stems from the dreadful and horrific injuries he suffered in World War I, which left him blind, deaf, without limbs, and unable to speak, which causes a deep physical and emotional solitude. His story circles around his deep and intense isolation and his struggle to communicate and understand his new reality. Trauma shatters his ability to form memories, maintain his identity, and connect with others, leaving him trapped in a cycle of psychological pain. Symptoms like intrusive thoughts, constant anxiety and emotional numbness only deepen and heighten his sense of disconnection from the world. The analysis shows that war inflicts not just physical wounds but also deep emotional scars, disrupting a person’s ability to communicate and form relationships; and renders a detailed apprehension of the complex link between trauma and language in literature. The protagonist, Joe Bonham’s experiences expatiate the destructive impact of trauma on human connection and self-expression, offering a poignant exploration of the psychological toll of war.

      Keywords: Trauma, language impairment, hyper-arousal, psycholinguistics, and PTSD.