War Trauma And Recovery Of Contemporary Australians

David Malouf (1934-) is one of the most distinguished contemporary Australiannovelists as well as a most brilliant poet, who has long enjoyed a tremendous reputation inAustralia and is becoming increasingly prestigious in the international scene. Besides themost discussed and prominent cultural and historical complications in his works, Maloufshows great care to the life and psychological well-being of ordinary people, especiallythose having suffered many tribulations. With the help of trauma theory, this thesisanalyses the war experience and its impact on the survivors in his three novels, namelyJohnno (1976), Fly Away Peter (1982), and The Great World (1990), with a profoundexposure of the huge trauma the war brought to ordinary people and, more significantly,reveals the basic process of the recovery of war trauma. In doing so, Malouf highlyeulogizes the unremitting efforts made by the survivors of war and the positive attitudetowards life they displayed in spite of the traumatizations. Furthermore, Malouf’sappreciation and advocacy for the peaceful ordinary life of human beings is manifested bythe analysis.The thesis encompasses five chapters. Chapter One briefly introduces Malouf’s lifeand his major works, summarizes the characteristics of his critical reception and providesan overall understanding of trauma theory, especially Judith Herman’s recovery theory oftrauma which lays the theoretical basis for the analysis of the thesis. Chapter Twoexamines the major traumatic symptoms---isolation and helplessness of Johnno and Dantein Johnno and the great efforts they made for the establishment of safety, pointing out theoutlet of the latter and its fundamental significance for the recovery of war trauma. ChapterThree selects Fly Away Peter as the research object, following Jim and Ashley’s experiencein the First World War. It points out that reconstructing the war story and mourningtraumatic loss are indispensable and crucial for the survivors to come to terms with thetraumatic memory of war and find renewed hope for life. Chapter Four explores the finalresolution of war trauma in The Great World. It shows how Digger and Vic---two survivorsof war prison camp during the Second World War---overcome their inner fears andconflicts, walk out of the victim identity and endeavor to create a future in the real world.Chapter Five is the conclusion of the thesis, which points out the writing purpose and social significance of the novels. It further indicates that Malouf’s thoughts on the peacefulordinary life of common people that underlie the recovery of war trauma add much charmto his works and make them more profound and more attractive.