PTSD In Shutter Island

Internal Drowning
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is known as a condition that includes mental as well as emotional stress due to past events or psychological trauma. Some results of PTSD include vivid nightmares and flashbacks, difficult times concentrating, feeling as if things around you are not real, and turning to alcohol as a coping mechanism. In the film Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorsese the protagonist Teddy Daniels suffers from all the symptoms of PTSD due to his traumatic encounters during the Second World War. Through the psychoanalytical and the formalistic approach Teddy’s PTSD is reflected in symbols throughout the film. Due to Teddy’s PTSD, he suffers from severe hallucinations that drive him further away from his true self. He also has very vivid flashbacks that remind him of his most traumatic experiences in the past. Also as a result of Teddy’s PTSD due his

horrific past he has grown to have a fear of water and because of his fear, water is a major symbol throughout the film.

There is a wide range of past events that are capable of triggering PTSD symptoms. One of the symptoms is hallucination; in the film Teddy Daniels suffers from hallucinations multiple times due to his traumatic experiences. Teddy was determined to prove that Shutter Island was a conspiracy and that the patients there are for experiments. While he was on the way to the lighthouse, he comes across a cave where he meets the “real” Rachel Solando. In reality, Rachel is just one of his hallucinations. Teddy creates Rachel in his role-play because she says everything he wants to hear about the true intentions behind Shutter Island. Moreover, with Teddy’s encounter with Rachel results in his distance from his subconscious, Andrew Laeddis. Second, there are multiple events in the film that foreshadow Teddy’s true persona. For example, the constant presence of water in the film foreshadows the past traumatic experiences that result in his downfall. The island is surrounded by water, it is raining through most of the film, and Teddy suffers from seasickness. All of these factors foreshadow the truth of how Teddy’s wife and children really died. Towards the end of the film the audience discovers that Teddy’s oppressed memory of water is caused by the murder of his children. This memory causes his persona Teddy Daniels to have a fear of water.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can lead to many phobias, one including water.

Throughout the film, it is clear that Teddy Daniels has a fear of water, also known as aquaphobia. Later, the audience learns that this phobia was created due to the traumatic experience of Teddy finding all three of his children drowned in the lake by the hands of their mother Dolores, which impacts his PTSD greatly. Teddy has a fear of water based on the incident that happened in his past that he is trying to suppress. The murder of his three children has resulted in Teddy’s fear of water. With that, water is a major symbol throughout the film. Water surrounds Shutter Island, water separates Teddy from discovering what really happens in the lighthouse, a violent storm takes place. Water also symbolizes the barrier between sanity and insanity. Moreover, Water also distorts the image of Teddy reality and how Teddy is blocking out the past of his reality. This all symbolizes how water serves to keep Teddy Daniels on the island and distances Teddy from realizing whom he truly is, Andrew

Laeddis.
In conclusion, symbols are used in order to display Teddy Daniels PTSD. In the film Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorsese Teddy Daniels from multiple symptoms of PTSD due to his traumatic encounters during the Second World War and the death of his family. Through the psychoanalytical and the formalistic approach Teddy’s PTSD is displayed in symbols throughout the film. Due to Teddy’s PTSD he suffers from severe hallucinations that drive him further away from his subconscious, Andrew Laeddis. He also has very vivid flashbacks that remind him of his most traumatic experiences in the past, including his three dead children who were drowned by his wife. Also as a result of Teddy’s PTSD due his horrific past he has grown to have a fear of water and because of his fear, water is a major symbol throughout the film. Therefore, Teddy’s PTSD is reflected through symbols throughout the film.