Research On Trauma: A Case Study Of American Post-9/11 Novel Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close

Jonathan Safran Foer,creating many popular works,is one of the most famous contemporary American writers.As one of the post-9/11 novels,his work Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,like a trauma museum,shows various traumas of different characters.The researches on trauma in the novel help people have a better understanding of traumatic symptoms,find out traumatic causes and explore the ways of recovery.The researches also appeal people to consider earnestly the trauma of man-made catastrophe so that people will face the conflict with more moderate and inclusive mindset.This dissertation,employing trauma theory as its theoretical basis,focuses on the traumatic causes,traumatic symptoms,and recovery of the characters as well as trauma transfer by means of theoretical and textual analysis.The main body of the dissertation comprises three parts.Firstly,it analyzes the causes of the characters' trauma.Then the characters' traumatic symptoms are analyzed mainly from three aspects: hyperarousal,intrusion and constriction.Secondly,the dissertation focuses on the characters' struggle and efforts against their traumas as well as their different ways of recovery.In general,their processes of recovery follow Judith Herman's three-stage traumatic recovery,that is,establishment of safety,remembrance and mourning,and reconnection with ordinary life.Through the analysis of the characters' recovery,the dissertation wishes to enlighten the traumatic victims that the most effective way to recover is telling about their traumatic experiences and constructing connection with the world;to enlighten the family and friends of traumatic victims that they should endeavor to construct a safe community full of love for the victims,and encourage them to rebuild the self-identity and start a new life.Thirdly,it analyzes the trauma transfer in the novel from two perspectives.From the perspective of history,the novel,juxtaposing the trauma caused by American 9/11 attacks with the trauma derived from the Second World War,breaks the historical and geographical boundary of trauma so that readers can consider the trauma of the 9/11 attacks from the point view of the whole human history.As for the perspective of literature,the novel,juxtaposing the trauma of different characters from literary works appeals to readers to give more humanistic care to the traumatic patients.The readers rethink the9/11 attacks and other traumatic events by the way of trauma transfer,then a new understanding of human trauma is achieved that trauma is common despite people's different nationalities and races.And the most effective way to reduce trauma iscomprehension and communication rather than conflict or war.Foer's philanthropic writing thinking can be fully recognized through the analysis of the trauma in the novel.Meanwhile,the author of the dissertation wants not only to point a way for the traumatic victims to recover but also make readers rethink the man-made trauma and have more humanistic care.