The Effect of Trauma on the Main Character in the Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Abstract

This literary psychology research aims to identify the causes, symptoms, and recovery of trauma experienced by the main character named Charlie in the novel Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow. The data source of this is the Girl in Pieces novel by Kathleen Glasgow which contains 416 pages. The research examines Erwin Randolph Parson, PhD’s PTSD theory, and Gabor Mate and Daniel Mate’s book The Myth of Normal (Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture) regarding trauma recovery, with the help of literary psychology theory. This research uses a descriptive qualitative research method. In the research that has been conducted, it is found that the impact of the trauma on the main character named Charlie is posttraumatic disorder (from now on referred to as PTSD), resulting from the death of her father, abusive mother, loss of her only friend, bullying, rape, and a situation that causes her to live in a brothel. The impact of these traumatic events is symptoms of intrusive re-experiencing, avoidance, and arousal. Charlie’s journey of recovery from her PTSD begins with self-acceptance, re-engaging her hobbies, and trusting herself to choose her path in life.