Trauma, Guilt, and the Fragmented Psyche: The Psychological Impact of the Iraq War on American Soldier

This paper seeks to investigate the psychological effects of the Iraq War on the American soldier through a literary analysis of Kevin Powers’ novel, The Yellow Birds. Adopting the psychoanalytical approach that has roots in literature, specifically the theories of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan, this study dwells on the main themes of trauma, guilt, suppression, and psyche fragmentation. That is to say, the protagonist John Bartle, who is the mouthpiece of the novelist Powers, stands as a case study to trace post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral wounds, revealing the deep psychological effects of war trauma. Depending on Freud’s theory of “repression” and Lacan’s conception of the “fragmented self”, the analysis elucidates Bartle’s conflict of integrating his war experience as an American veteran with his identity as a civilian. Moreover, the study incorporates the principal issues of reintegration post-war, highlighting the psychological aftermath via the perspective of literature. Thus, this papers aims to address the stark reality of veterans’ psychological problems and the need to get the acceptance and compassion from society.