LITERARY DEPICTIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAUMA IN CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH FICTION

Abstract

Mental health and trauma are becoming more acknowledged as pressing matters in both the fields of psychology and literature. Trauma, usually defined as the emotional reaction to an event that is deeply distressing, and mental health, which includes the mental, emotional, and social well-being aspect, have been widely represented in contemporary fiction. The goal of this research study, therefore, is to critically read selected contemporary English novels featuring a character with psychological distress or trauma and healing journeys, whilst being able to reflect on how fiction represents and refracts cultural perceptions and understandings of mental illness.The research was conducted by undergraduate students from the Department of English Literature, University of Okara and University of Sahiwal, as well as MPhil scholars from the Department of English Literature, University of Okara. The qualitative approach used thematic literary analysis and reader-response data obtained using questionnaires. Twenty English literature students from undergraduate and postgraduate programs participated, offering insights into the accuracy and emotional impact of mental health representations in five selected novels: A Little Life, The Bell Jar, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Girl, Interrupted, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.While participants’ reflections showed that depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation emerged as the most visible themes they recognized, participants also identified The Bell Jar and Girl, Interrupted as the most representative text (for being realistic representations of trauma) while A Little Life raised ethical discussions around the representation of severe trauma. The character recoveries in the texts of Eleanor Oliphant and Perks of Being a Wallflower created an oppositional hopefulness. There were significant implications for participant’s interpretation of trauma within their demographic contexts (such as gender, academic status), suggesting implications for the educational contexts we are in, related to the reception of literature based on demographics. Using Trauma Theory as a conceptual framework, the research looks at literary texts in regards to their story and plot, character, and symbols of mental health. The research adopted purposive sampling and used textual analysis to read trauma experiences evidenced in literary texts. This research extends the current growing space of literary studies and mental health discussions, examining both structural and thematic levels. Future work on trauma fiction should consider the intersectional and therapeutic functions of trauma narratives in educational and clinical contexts.