Q: Think about the roles of language, narrative, and/or narrative style in the representation of memory and trauma in the context of one of our readings—or in some other cultural object (book, movie, etc.) of your choice.    

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, experienced by Septimus in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, presents the struggles an individual with PTSD can face on an everyday basis. Through the unique narrative and perspective of Septimus, readers are able to recognize how both his own world and “actual reality” can be difficult to differentiate. An example of the role that language and narrative style plays in memory and trauma is observed in the film, American Sniper; where throughout the movie, we embark alongside Chris Kyle’s journey, otherwise known as “America’s deadliest sniper”. Due to Kyle’s line of work, when he returns home, he (like many others with PTSD) find it quite challenging adapting to society once again. In addition to the many challenges individuals with PTSD face, the common thread shared between Chris Kyle and Septimus Warren is the way their family reacts to them post-war. As their trauma and memories blend together, ordinary mundane events to accustomed civilians morph into chilling flashbacks for these post-war veterans. Through the characters of Lucrezia (Septimus’ wife) and Taya (Kyle’s wife), we are able to see how even the people who are closest to them wrestle with the fact that their loved ones have been mentally affected by the war. By way of cultural objects like the film American Sniper and novel Mrs. Dalloway, it highlights the challenges for those with PTSD to an understandably manageable level for those who do not experience PTSD. One of the underlying themes in both of the cultural objects I chose to compare is the effect that mental illness has on their loved ones. As both women, Lucrezia and Taya desperately long for their “old husbands”, the relationship between the two unfortunately deteriorates due to their spouses’ mental illness. Despite their love and constant efforts in trying to heal their husbands, mental illness is an engulfing actuality for many people. In light of this, the role of narratives that represent memory and trauma play an influential role in the conversation concerning post-traumatic stress disorder and mental illnesses. Through these narratives, we are able to see how mental illness affects individuals, their loved ones, and the community, therefore teaching us to be more empathetic and understanding in consideration of those with mental illnesses. With more representation of mental illness, it subtly breaks down the stigma behind mental illnesses and slowly normalizes the “taboo” topic. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and American Sniper are just some of the examples where the representation of memory and trauma can serve a greater purpose concerning the stigma against mental health.

• Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co, 1925. Print.
• Cooper, Bradley, Clint Eastwood, Kyle Gallner, Jake McDorman, Sienna Miller, Jim DeFelice, Chris Kyle, and Scott McEwen. American Sniper. , 2015