In Accordance to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a trauma is, “A disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury.” Trauma can be caused to both children and adults through the result of a mental and or physical distortion caused by a traumatic experience. Overcoming a traumatic experience can be a lucrative process without having proper technics and guidance, for that reason, Dr. Lahad, Director of the community stress prevention center in Qiryat Shmona, Israel, has developed six coping methods that can be utilized to alleviate tension to those that have been affected by their traumatic experiences. In the screenplay, “Pans Labyrinth” by Guillermo del Toro, the author sets the …show more content…
context of the setting to take place in Spain, in the summer of 1944, five years after the Spanish Civil War, during the early Francoist period. During the war the protagonist Ofelia who serves as the step daughter to the corrosive captain Vidal, experiences mental trauma and distortion alongside her pregnant mother and other supporting characters who also experience trauma that requires an alleviating coping mechanism. Ofelia and the other supporting characters utilized the coping methods of imagination and belief to diminish the effect of their traumatic experiences. The capability of imagination that a child possess is undisputable, while this mental characteristic is manifested to conjugate a childes creativity with imagination, it can also serve as a coping mechanism utilized to help a child overcome a traumatic experience.
According to the acritical, “How Children Cope with Trauma and Ongoing Threat: The BASIC Ph Model” By Frank Zenere, the author presents the findings of Dr. Lahad and those findings indicate that “Children frequently turn to their creativity as a means of coping with trauma. The pre-school child will recreate with toy cars a witnessed accident; an elementary aged student writes a fictitious essay about how his father who was killed in Iraq returned home alive as a war hero; and a high school student uses "gallows" humor to deal with a recent community tragedy.” According to page 5 of the screenplay, the protagonist Ofelia and her mother are being escorted to the military camp facilitated by Ofelia’s step father Captain Vidal, through their commute the pregnant mother begins to feel a deep pain within her pregnant belly as the unborn child has complications, as the soldiers stop the vehicle to assist the mother, Ofelia wonders off and meets a fairy whom is in the shape of a large cricket. Through the eyes of Ofelia, the cricket represents a form of physical imagination that is utilized to alleviate the overwhelming stress deriving from the transition from living in the urbanized side of Spain to the rural …show more content…
military camp cite. Ofelia comes into contact with this Imaginary creature a few more times until she is navigated to a devilish faun who grants her the ability to be reunited with her father who is said to be the king of the underworld if she completes three tasks before the full moon.
From analyzing the context of the literature, it is viable to understand that Ofelia is utilizing the coping mechanism of imagination to create a connection between her unforeseen reality and a fantasized gateway to be reconnected with her father who died during the war and who is said to be the King of the Underworld. According to the Faun, “We have to make sure that your essence is intact, that you have not become a mortal. To insure your return, you have three tasks to fulfill before the moon is full.” (del toro
24) The Faun assigns three tasks to Ofelia to complete and if they are promptly completed she will be reunited with her father, the quote is suggesting Ofelia to complete tasks that seem to be normal for her because of her powerful believe system filled with disillusion but to others around her that are dealing with their own kinds of coping styles, Ofelia seems to be masked as a mischievous little girl. Through the years of facing adversity, adults work distinctively to establish a structured backbone of fulfillment and happiness, but during critical conditions in life where many pillars of happiness have been dismantled and corroded away, an adult’s own motivation to keep moving forward can derive from a belief system which represents a sign of hope and opportunity, yet it can also lead individuals to a path of disillusion and misguidance. According to the study by Dr. Lahad, the coping method of belief can be described as “A child who turns to his/her belief system as a means of coping is relying upon his/her core values. Meaning and values are incorporated from the adults that are important to the child.” While continuing the story of “Pans Labyrinth”, the mother of Ofelia named Carmen who is pregnant with the son of captain Vidal, attempts to live passively along side her daughter under very tense conditions. While living in a military camp in the middle of the Spanish war she tends to mediate the very tense relationship between Ofelia and Captain Vidal, while attempting to find a middle ground for Ofelia so she can feel at home, Carmen utilizes the coping method of belief to give herself a glance of peace while during a very painful pregnancy. Although she utilized the belief coping style to alleviate stress that still does not hide the factual reasoning that her daughter carries, for example, in page fourteen of the text Ofelia states,” Why did you have to get married?” [Carmen] “We were alone too long.” [Ofelia]” You weren't alone. You were never alone” Concluding with her mother stating, “When you're older you'll understand. It hasn't been easy for me.” (del toro 14) Carmen seems to be in a very obeying state of mind for the sake of her and her children’s future. Days following the conversation between Carmen and Ofelia, Ofelia continues her adventure to complete all three tasks one of which consisted of going to a muddy and bug infested tunnel located under an old tree. After her venture, she returns home to her mother while quivering and covered in mud. While carmen still try to be a mediator she feels rather less disappointed then then captain Vidal. According to the text, “You've disappointed me, and your father, too.” [Carmen], “The Captain?” [Ofelia], “Yes¬ Him more than me.” [Carmen] The faintest trace of satisfaction is visible on Ofelia's face. Carmen leaves. [Imagery]. (del toro 43-44) Through the ongoing negative circumstances carmen keeps a submissive attitude towards the extensive circumstances, her coping mechanism of belief is keeping her level headed around her reality. Regardless of the age, traumatic experiences can cause mental deficiencies and, in some cases, a disconnect with reality in both adults and children. The screen play, Pans Labyrinth implies that if an individual experience a mental trauma they can utilize any of six coping methods formulated by Dr. Lahard to alleviate stress. Ofelia utilized the coping method of imagination to become reconnected with her father, the king of the underworld, and her subconscious formulated, in her eyes, three tangible tasks that must be completed for her to be reunited with him. While her mother carmen utilized the coping method of belief to mask the mental hardships that she experienced with a submissively level-headed mindset. Actions can be instinctual, if someone is sick their white blood cells attack the bacteria, if someone is traumatized their subconscious will utilize a coping mechanism that is best suitable to that specific person.
Primo Levi once said, " Human memory is a marvelous but fallacious instrument. The memories which lie within us are not carved in stone; not only do they tend to become erased as the years go by, but often they change, or even increase by incorporating extraneous features.." The memory of a human being is a fascinating matter, but it is not something that stays with us forever. Memories will often change or multiply with unnecessary information, but they are what define you as you.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) written and directed by Guillermo del Toro is a dark fantasy film that uses fantasy and inspired true events of the after effects of the Spanish Civil War to create a symbolic parable that was influenced by fairy tales and myths. Even though this film is explicitly about the times during Franco it is also a film that can speak for any time period, past, present, and future. Through the use of phantasmagorical elements in the fantasy sequences del Toro uses doubling to reinforce the horrific events that have and can happen again in reality. The film takes place five years after the Spanish Civil War during Francisco Franco’s reign of terror. The story focuses on Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) as well as Ofelia’s evil stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez). Both characters represent something bigger than they actually are; Ofelia is seen to represent Spain and the antifascists whereas Captain Vidal represents Franco and fascism. Ofelia has to complete three daunting tasks given to her by the Faun (Doug Jones) that is said to reunite her with her family, the King and Queen of the Underworld. Del Toro uses doubling of the mythical realm with the ‘real world’ throughout the film that emphasizes the underlying meaning of the film. The film also follows the story of the anti-fascists rebels that are hidden amongst the trees and mountains. The character Mercedes (Maribel Verdu) is able to fool Captain Vidal for most of the film and help the rebels. It is not until the near end of the film where Captain Vidal realizes that Mercedes has been helping the rebels the entire time and it is due partly because of his misogyny that he is unable to see her as a threat to his cause.
Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro takes place following the Spanish Civil War in 1944. The film is told primarily through the point of view of young Ofelia, who is soon to become Princess Moanna. Guillermo relies heavily on magic realism to portray the innocent minds of children during the time of conflict. As a spiritual sequel to The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth displays a first hand account of how children are both directly and indirectly affected by the war. In the film, Ofelia’s mother, Carmen gives birth you a little boy, after the birth of the child the audience is able to see how the innocence of children is restricted during times of adversity.
Ellis, B. H., Fogler, J., Hansen, S., Forbes, P., Navalta, C. P., & Saxe, G. (2012). Trauma systems therapy: 15-month outcomes and the importance of effecting environmental change. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4(6), 624-630. doi:10.1037/a0025192
"Pan 's Labyrinth" is directed by Guillermo del Toro, is a magical realism drama. The screen shows the magical world of bizarre situations, a fictional out of Pluto 's daughter "Ophelia" to roam the world. To 1944 as the background, the fascist murder of guerrilla fighters as a real-world story. The whole film myth and reality are intertwined, is a complete metaphor and reflection on the Spanish civil war. One side is the little girl innocent fairy tale, while the Nazis are inhuman torture and slaughter. Two living scenes intertwined in a film, brings out a moral and human conflict. This is the child to see everything in the eyes, and what we see, it seems that the other world.
In Jim Henson’s Labyrinth the plot closely follows the narrative structure that is documented by Propp and described by Berger. Propp establishes a series of functions which all Russian fairy tales followed and which Berger finds easily applies to modern day narratives. When these functions are applied to Labyrinth, they fit easily into the movies story line. The protagonist, Sarah, is an adequate example of Propp’s hero with some gender norms reversed and Jareth fits into the archetype of the villain. Labyrinth presents an excellent example to Berger’s updated interpretation of Propp’s fairy tale theory of structure, while presenting important modernizations to the structure.
Pan’s Labyrinth. (2006) Directed by Guillermo Del Toro. [Film] Spain: Tequila Gang, Warner Bro. Is set 1944 Spain after the civil war led by Franco. The film can be seen as a dark fairy tale fantasy with elements of violence. The film’s narrative is set between the real world and fantasy. The film is set around Ofelia, who is the main character we follow her journey as she is forced to move in with the Captain who is fighting a regime. It centres on Ofelia completing tasks that are set by a mysterious faun who believes that Ofelia is Princess Moanna from the underworld. I believe Pan Labyrinth focuses on many themes within the film I love how the director has so many hidden messages within the different themes.
Her inner struggle is most obvious in the scene where she hesitates to give in to her desire to see the narrator 's chick and the language in which it is portrayed is almost violent. “Help me, her body said, as painfully divided into two.” (96) it says in the text, a rather extreme description of a little girl wishing to play with a chick. But the narrator recognises her own struggle in Ofélia, can see herself giving birth in her giving in to her desires. Because of this, the narrator then tries her best to help Ofélia through the painful process, leading back to the beginning of the story where she called herself a messenger. “Shall I risk it? shall I give way to feeling? she asked herself. Yes, she replied to herself, through me.” (97) She is the one providing Ofélia with an understanding of what she is going through. She already knows the courage it takes to give in to the love that only mothers can understand, to its desires, and in providing silent comfort is able to guide her through the process. For the duration of it, the narrator functions as a mother figure for Ofélia who is becoming a mother and a child at the same time. This is supported by the imagery in the scene. The narrator describes her transformation as “her entire body [becoming] swollen and deformed” (96) and
The film Pan’s Labyrinth, has several common concepts with Joseph Campbell’s theory on heroes in Hero with a Thousand Faces. His theory emphasizes on tests that show their moral and basic instincts for the rite of passage to their threshold, in this case, the underworld. Campbell’s theory is a concept that surrounds an individual’s journey to heroism. This concept pertains to Ophelia due to her circumstances as a child who ventures out on thresholds, tests, and so forth. Campbell’s depiction relates to Ophelia as he describes the levels in which one must attain and accept as a female heroine. Furthermore, his theory exaggerates on the making of a hero to the resurrection in terms of physical and spiritual transformation. Ophelia’s character depicts a hero who has been resurrected as a human. Thus, she begins her journey to cross the threshold, “pass from the everyday world in the world of adventure,” (Campbell). There are many stages in the film that depicts Ophelia’s introduction to the stages of being a hero. More so, it focuses on tasks, which Ophelia must pass or fail in order to determine her role in the film; Princess of the Underworld or just a human soul. This is lead by the faun who simply reassures a place of ‘paradise’ for Ophelia only with her cooperation to listen and follow her morals.
“Trauma is used when describing emotionally painful and distressing experiences or situations that can overwhelm a person’s ability to cope” (John A. Rich, Theodore Corbin, & Sandra Bloom, 2008). Trauma could include deaths, violence, verbal and nonverbal words and actions, discrimination, racism etc. Trauma could result in serious long-term effects on a person’s health, mental stability, and physical body. Judith Herman, from Trauma and Recovery, said “Traumatic events are extraordinary, not because they occur rarely, but rather because they overwhelm the ordinary human adaptations to life” (John A. Rich, Theodore Corbin, & Sandra Bloom, 2008). Trauma does not involve the same experiences for everyone; each individual is unique in that they, and only they, can decide what is traumatic for them.
The novel The Maze Runner by James Dashner begins with a teenage boy waking up in an elevator who has no memory of the past, only that his name is Thomas. When the doors of the elevator open up he is pulled into a humongous square surrounding, called the Glade, by a group of teenage boys. The boys in the Glade refer to themselves as the ‘Gladers’. Thomas learns that the Gladers have lived in there for two years and that the Glade is located in the center of a maze which contains a labyrinth of high walls that move during the night and deadly creatures called grievers. The Glade is led by two boys, Alby and Newt; they both maintain order in the Glade by enforcing strict rules and jobs that keep the Gladers busy. A day after Thomas’ arrival an unknown girl arrives in the Glade. This shocks everyone because the Gladers only receive a new person every month, never within the same week. This also shocks everyone because she was the only girl in a maze full of boys. The girl also gives a message that everything is going to change and that she is the last one ever. Right after her message she immediately falls into a coma. The arrival of the girl causes many things to go chaotic including the sun seizing to rise, the Gladers stop receiving supplies from the creators of the maze, and the doors of the Glade that protect the Gladers from the grievers at night stop closing. When the girl, Teresa wakes up she informs Thomas that they both knew each other in the past and that the maze was a code. Thomas and the people who run around the maze to map out the labyrinth, the runners, look through the archives of the maps and find out the code. Then the leader of the runners, Minho, figures out that the cliff they thought was just a cliff was actua...
PTSD is a debilitating mental illness that occurs when someone is exposed to a traumatic, dangerous, frightening, or a possibly life-threating occurrence. “It is an anxiety disorder that can interfere with your relationships, your work, and your social life.” (Muscari, pp. 3-7) Trauma affects everyone in different ways. Everyone feels wide ranges of emotions after going through or witnessing a traumatic event, fear, sadness and depression, it can cause changes in your everyday life as in your sleep and eating patterns. Some people experience reoccurring thoughts and nightmares about the event.
In the production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, trauma played a huge role in the lives of some of the characters. Characters such as Hamlet, Ophelia and even Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude displayed effects of trauma within this production. Trauma is defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. Brooke Sanders came and explained how people are affected by traumatic events in their life time whether it has to do with death, family issues, or just dealing with issues in life, period.
Childhood Trauma is defined as “The experience of an event by a child that is emotionally painful or distressful, which often results in lasting mental and physical effects.” (The National Institute of Mental Health). Childhood trauma is an epidemic that seems to be running its way throughout the world. Childhood trauma is a worldwide problem that can affect anyone and everyone. People tend to just try and help the problems that occur due to the childhood trauma, but not the problem itself. Many of these issues will also follow the child into their adult years and will cause negative effects. This paper will discuss the negative outcomes for a child who suffers from childhood trauma, and the negative outcomes that can follow them into adulthood.
According to the American Psychological Association, trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event. Some terrible events that happen all too often are rape, natural disasters or an accident. Immediately following the event shock and denial are likely to occur, but in the long-term flashbacks, unpredictable emotions and troubled relationships can arise. Defining emotional trauma on a child. Emotional trauma in a child can be created by bullying, emotional abuse, death of loved ones, separation from parent, or chaos and dysfunction in the household. Child symptoms of trauma can be very similar to depression symptoms. They can over sleep or sleep to little, unexplained anger, trouble focusing, obsessive worrying and some anxiety. How a child experiences an event and how it’s handled by those around him have an effect on how traumatizing it can be, notes Dr. Jerry Bubrick (Child Mind Institute , 2017). People grieve at different speeds and the way the child grieves is not the correct indicator on how the child will cope later. Defining physical trauma on a child. Physical trauma on a child is considered non-accidental or the cause of physical injury. Some households that suffer from alcoholism/substance abuse and anger issues have higher occurrences of child abuse as compared to households without according to psychology today. Sometimes kids that are abused are unaware that they are being abused and are victims of child