hallward:*artistic representation of injuryI’ve been thinking a lot about modern fictionalizations o
hallward:*artistic representation of injuryI’ve been thinking a lot about modern fictionalizations of trauma as it relates to the First World War. I haven’t liked any of the current novels about the war that I’ve read (though I will only read a modern WWI novel if it concerns either disfigurement or homosexuality, so I’m sure I’ve missed something that’s more or less good in all cases, I find that so many novels lauded as psychologically incisive etc fall flat in terms of character & representation of trauma as it relates to that specific character—as opposed to the rote regurgitation of ‘oh no help I can’t stop thinking of the blood of the trenches and so and so died in my arms I can still hear the guns’ that’s cut-and-pasted over any character regardless of their personal experience. I think there’s a sentimental attachment to the idea of the camaraderie of the troops—bond of war, brothers in arms—but I’ve noticed, while reading Sassoon’s ‘15-‘18 diaries, that he views himself as fundamentally different from the men around him—fundamentally alone. Echoed to a degree in Owen, Graves, etc. Modern authors tend to think of the war’s trauma as monolithic and shared universally among all who fought, which nicely absolves them of the work of understanding trauma as it relates to their own characters’ selves… I could talk a lot more about this topic, but I have had approximately one hour of sleep in the past 40 hours or so and in this deprivation accidentally victimized an author on Goodreads with my grouchy review. Apologies. Bless you. At any rate, if anyone feels the burning desire to talk to me about the First World War, please do. -- source link