Exploration of individual psychological trauma in Kurt Vonnegut’s Jailbird

Abstract

The present research is an exploration of individual psychological trauma in Kurt Vonnegut`s Jailbird. Vonnegut presents the psychological disorder and hallucination of the characters due to the involvement in Watergate Scandal, loss of nearest and dearest one and holocaust incident before 1945. In addition to this, it excavates the social conflict between capitalism and communism. Due to mental restlessness, the protagonist is unable to choose anyone. In this regard the novel explores how the innocent people get victimized in the war and become scapegoat. The worse condition makes them traumatic who pass through present to past or to present. Therefore, revealing out the issue of traumatic condition through the medium of working through is the main significance of the study in order to analyze the text. The traumatic concept of Cathy Caruth, Dominick LaCapra, Jeffrey Alexandra, Van Der Kolk, Van der Hart, and other related theorists are used as theoretical tools in the research. The major contention of this research is that traumatic situation can`t be totally overcome but can be minimize through sharing to others or by writing literary pieces.