An Analysis of Post-Traumatic Evidence within: The December Man
Within Colleen Murphy’s December Man, the main character Jean displays significant impairment in both his behaviour, as well as his social, and perceptions, due to what occurred in the shooting. These are distinctive features of post-traumatic stress disorder, a crippling disease caused by the experience of a violent or disturbing event that strickens his character significantly. Jean struggles to cope with both the stresses and anxieties of having to relive the past, by not being able to being riddled with memories of the shooting in his day-to-day life, and it is in the way where his anguish will be shown. His illness will be shown through his abrupt lack of interest in his
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studies and his favorite activity karate. Jean also shows the trauma that he suffers through his imagining of a significant dream sequence that touches on the fact that he is guilty with having not been active in preventing the event from taking place.
Jean not being able to regain control of his actions, displays a large amount of anger towards not only the shooter, but towards himself for not having done more.
Being riddled with a tremendous amount of guilt, Jean succumbs to the emotions by slowly showing a lack of interest in both his extracurricular activity, as well as his academic career. The many ways that Jean’s social life diminishes because of him feeling remorseful, is that firstly, Jean begins to lose interest in Karate, which for him was an outlet for his repressed feelings. By gradually not focusing on what was once his favorite activity, it shows definite signs of post-traumatic stress establishing that he does suffer with it. Within the text “Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Post-Traumatic Stress” which was issued by the Department of both Veteran Affairs and Defense, explains that people who suffer from acute post-trauma may exhibit “Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma through markedly diminished interest, or participation in significant activities” (79). This shows that Jean’s apparent post-traumatic stress hinders him from fully participating in the extracurricular
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activity that he was once fond of. The ultimate lack of interest that Jean begins to show for karate, is further emphasized when his mother Kate, who strongly opposed him even going to Karate in the first place exclaims “You-you quit Karate, wasted all that money-why?” (Murphy 27). Kate who has shown a major lack of understanding in regards to her son’s hobbies, is stunned by him quitting karate although she disapproved of it. Jean’s anti-social behaviour is noticeable also when his absence in school is continually discussed within the play and his social skills having suffered as a result. Jean being absent in school is an additional example of him showing the signs of post-traumatic stress. By jean not going to school and openly stating this to his parents, shows that it is no longer his priority as is seen within quote, “I haven’t been going to class (...) Haven’t been attending classes” (26). He is showing that the guilt he feels is impacting him so much, that he can’t concentrate or doesn’t feel the need to go to school anymore. When asked why he was not going to his classes, Jean states that he is “[going] for walks (...) on the mountain” (27). On these walks, he apologizes to the victims for not doing more to save them stating, “I apologize to them. I whisper to them, to the air… to their souls” (27). Jean is overwhelmed with the guilt that he feels, and through that is weighted by the negative effects that it has on the sport that he was using as a coping strategy, and his education that were both so important to him. Through the mental illness that Jean suffers with, the anguish that he feels and the inability to no longer be able to do several things within his life, devastates him as he is consumed with remorse. Having shown indications of mental illness, the character Jean shows additional symptoms of the syndrome through his recollections of the traumatic event being altered and perceived differently.The guilt is what compels Jean to relive the horrific experience through a dream-like scenario that has a different outcome, which is common to survivor’s guilt victims and is known as corrective memory.
It is through this reliving of those memories that Jean wants to relive the event so that he may have the chance to do it over again in an attempt to save more lives. The anxiety that comes with this disorder is that victims are faced with the harsh reality of having to deal with their emotions and recollections of the experiences, this is mentioned within Sarah Jaffe’s descriptions of the illness when she describes that the person may be stricken with “Persistent re-experiencing of the event through thoughts or perceptions, images, dreams, illusions, hallucinations, dissociative flashback of episodes, and/or intense psychological distress” (Jaffe 1). Jaffe describes the symptoms that correspond to the disorder, and also justifies Jean’s dream within the play. Jean being stricken with his guilty conscious has the fantasy of him being a super-hero character within the dream saving the woman and stopping the shooter. He emphasizes how much of a coward he felt for not having prevented the shooting, through comparing himself to an insignificant mouse who fled as is mentioned, “I was a
tiny frightened mouse scurrying down the escalator- someone should squish me” (41). this shows that Jean believes that he was very cowardice in his actions, and that he nothing more than a mouse that fled the situation. Kate’s character tries to reason with Jean by attempting to comfort him by saying that fleeing a dangerous situation is a common reaction, and that he should not be so hard on himself, to which Jean exclaims, “That’s not the point Ma, the Point is that no one tried to stop him” (42). Jean is convinced that he could of prevented the assault on the women if only he had stayed and fought against the shooter. His inability to let go of his guilt that consumes him, makes it difficult for jean to move on from the tragedy. The distress of the character is shown through his attempt to remedy the guilt that he feels, and this is done so through the fantasy concept of re-exploring his own memories, and modifying them to his desired outcome. The mental state of Jean is shown as being severely affected as he begins to show how his personality starts to become increasingly more enraged showing how the incident has filled him hatred. Jean’s gradual change in behaviour manifests when he expresses his absolute hate towards the shooter Marc Lepine through uttering profanities such as, “Murdering fuck pig savage” as well as within his dreams when he imagines himself running after the shooter screaming “You fucking cock sucking-” (41). His hate towards the shooter stems from his frustration at having to deal with the shock and trauma of everything. The symptom associated with this behaviour is mentioned from the Clinical Practice Guide for the Management of Post-Traumatic Stress states, “Individuals who are unable to regain control of their lives may experience Feeling irritable, easily agitated, or angry and resentful” (21). Jean’s behavioural changes are due to his trauma as he was an initially quite person who is now expressing his rage towards the shooter, as well as his anger and frustration towards himself for not having done more for the victims. Jean being in a fragile mental state, is conveying his feelings through outbursts and profanities, showing that the illness is what is beginning to consume him rapidly. Anger has faced Jean with many problems within his life, such as not being able to properly respond to the trauma that he has faced. The character Jean deals with the repercussions of the event in various ways, most of which affect him in negative ways. The play shows the many different ways that people suffer through the mental stress of having to deal with a great tragedy such as this. Jean’s attempt to stifle the emotions that he has by no longer attending school as well as quitting karate, shows that he has been deeply affected by the traumatic experience. The attempt made by Jean to modify the events of the shooting stands as evidence that the severity of the event is so horrific for Jean, that the only way that he has dealt with it is by fantasizing about being the hero in the situation. His behaviour is so significant as it relays the frustration that he deals with in not having been able to be the saviour. All indications show that Jean displays a decline of both his social, and academic life, as well as his temperament while he deals with survivor guilt. Faced with these challenges, Jean is a tragic character who suffers greatly as a result of being involved in what is a horrific attack on innocent lives, as well as his interpersonal innocence.
“We Kill Ourselves Because We Are Haunted” is a non-fiction essay by Jennifer Percy; in which Percy meet veterans or soldiers and their family who are suffering from PTSD, due to some accident that happened to the veterans or soldiers. In the article Percy, discuss various incidence of different people who are trapped in the circle of PTSD. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a problem related to mental health. In this a person come across flashbacks, nightmares, uncontrollable thought that are not easily recoverable. PTSD may happen when a person comes across a terrifying situation that happened to themselves or someone close to them.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition, similar to an anxiety disorder, that is triggered by trauma and other extremely stressful circumstances. Throughout the book, Junger talks about PTSD in a wide range:from PTSD rates in natural disaster victims to PTSD rates in veterans. The latter is explained on a deeper perspective. While Junger gave many examples of why PTSD rates in America were so high, the most captivating was:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly known as PTSD, affects many individuals throughout the world. PTSD is a mental health disorder that is brought on by experiencing a traumatizing event. People experience PTSD in many different ways and some of these people, like Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye, have difficulty getting through their daily activities and can experience depression and loneliness which may require treatment. Referencing websites for the Mayo Clinic, Department of Veteran Affairs, National Institute of Mental Health and the novel Catcher in the Rye one can see that suffering from PTSD can change someone’s life forever.
Antwone Fisher presents characteristics consistent with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 271). The American Psychiatric Association described the characteristics of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, as “the development of characteristic symptoms following exposure to one or more traumatic events” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 271). The American Psychological Association (2013) outlines the criterion for diagnosis outlined in eight diagnostic criterion sublevels (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, pp. 271-272). Criterion A is measured by “exposure to actual or threatened” serious trauma or injury based upon one or more factors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p.
The struggle to battle with the persistent grief of self-blame and lack of identity is a constant reminder to the barriers in relationships. Leroy grieves over the fact that he has lost his identity as a father and husband. Although he often thinks of Randy, the memories of him have faded. As a result, he latches on to Norma Jean but she doesn’t respond back. This causes him to feel like a failure of a husband. Norma Jean is grieving over the emptiness in her life. It was not the life she thought she would have. Her deceased son symbolizes her emptiness because of his death. She also feels emptiness towards her husband. For example, she feels very uncomfortable around him and always tries to find something for him to do. When Leroy arrives back home from his accident Mason implies, “he thinks she’s seems a little disappointed” (Mason 220), displaying Norma Jean frustrated with his lying around doing nothing but watching television and smoking pot. In addition, Norma Jean feels emptiness towards her mother, which is presented in the way her mother criticizes her. When tragedies occur in a family and self-confidence fades it can take over your life a...
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is not something to think lightly of, and affects several people in society, not just soldiers. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is best known as a mental health condition that many soldiers experience after the war, but it’s a problem that stretches far beyond the military. PTSD affects 5%-10% of all men and 7%-14% of all women in this country(Charles, PTSD). In Chris Kyle’s autobiography American Sniper he touches on many subjects involving PTSD, and talks about the challenge of being a good father, husband, and soldier while stationed overseas. In American Sniper Chris Kyle is a very talented long ranged sniper for the United States Navy Seals, during his tour in Iraq, Chris tallies up several kills.
Boone, Katherine. "The Paradox of PTSD." Wilson Quarterly. 35.4 (2011): 18-22. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
This case study explores how a sudden life change affects certain behaviors and psychological changes in an individual. In the film, “John Q.”, the main character, John Q. Archibald, who is played by Denzel Washington, experiences a sudden life change when his son, Michael Archibald, is suddenly diagnosed with cardiomegaly. Cardiomegaly is an abnormal enlargement of the heart and requires a heart transplant for long term survival. In the beginning of the movie, John Q. Archibald’s wife’s car was repossessed due to non-payment, his hours were reduced at work, and he could not find a second job to support his family.
Schiraldi, G. R. (2009). The post-traumatic stress disorder sourcebook: A guide to healing, recovery, and growth. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is defined by our book, Abnormal Psychology, as “an extreme response to a severe stressor, including increased anxiety, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, and symptoms of increased arousal.” In the diagnosis of PTSD, a person must have experienced an serious trauma; including “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation.” In the DSM-5, symptoms for PTSD are grouped in four categories. First being intrusively reexperiencing the traumatic event. The person may have recurring memories of the event and may be intensely upset by reminders of the event. Secondly, avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, either internally or externally. Third, signs of mood and cognitive change after the trauma. This includes blaming the self or others for the event and feeling detached from others. The last category is symptoms of increased arousal and reactivity. The person may experience self-destructive behavior and sleep disturbance. The person must have 1 symptom from the first category, 1 from the second, at least 2 from the third, and at least 2 from the fourth. The symptoms began or worsened after the trauma(s) and continued for at least one
The article under review is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the DSM-5: Controversy, Change, and Conceptual Considerations by Anushka Pai, Alina M. Suris, and Carol S. North in Behavioral Sciences. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault (U.S. Department VA, 2007). PTSD can happen to anyone and many factors can increase the possibility of developing PTSD that are not under the person’s own control. Symptoms of PTSD usually will start soon after the traumatic event but may not appear for months or years later. There are four types of symptoms of PTSD but may show in different
Her tense mind is then further pushed towards insanity by her husband, John. As one of the few characters in the story, John plays a pivotal role in the regression of the narrator’s mind. Again, the narrator uses the wallpaper to convey her emotions. Just as the shapes in the wallpaper become clearer to the narrator, in her mind, she is having the epiphany that John is in control of her.
“The months pass by. The summer of 1918 is the most bloody and most terrible. The days stand like angels in blue and gold, incomprehensible, above the ring of annihilation.” (Remarque 230). This quote is an example of an event that a soldier would probably re-play in their mind causing Post -traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a disorder caused by experiencing a traumatic or very stressful experience, such as war. This can cause emotional problems for people like Paul and his friends in All Quiet on the Western Front.
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