Introduction
Room by Emma Donoghue is a novel that reveals the essential aspects of child abuse, psychological trauma, and social adaptation through a child’s eyes. The events in this book are fictional, although the experiences that the author put in her work require a thorough examination and comprehension. Depicting such an event is a stunning move that made the book difficult yet essential to read. I believe that the events described in the book highlight the role that social adaptation plays in traumatized people’s lives.
Discussion
I am under the impression that it is the familial bond that got both characters through this experience and kept their chances of integration back into society above minimal. Jack’s mother did her best to prevent the child born from rape from learning the dire nature of his room-sized world (Donoghue, 2010). Despite being lied to, Jack had a unique opportunity to get shielded from the damage that could have been done to his psyche. Such behavior might appear as psychological abuse that covers the horrifying reality that Jack and his mother have managed to survive, yet it is one of the few options people may have when under duress. Only this type of protection enabled Jack and his mother to escape their captor. This implication suggests that people can escape being trapped in a mental prison from traumas through their inner strength of character.
The second half of the book provides a unique perspective that I have not expected to read. The aftermath of the long-lasting captivity turns out to be as traumatizing as being imprisoned in the Room. The level of attachment that Jack now has with his mother is both a boon and a significant obstacle on the path to independent living. In my interpretation, this notion shows a different side of the presented way through a critical event in one’s life. The real world scares this child, for whom it is challenging to adapt to his newfound comfort and relationships. I think that this situation is a direct result of her bottled-up emotions from the past seven years being suddenly released under pressure from the public.
In my understanding, this development is one of the weak spots in psychotherapy that Donoghue wanted to show. It might be interpreted as a failure of the protective mechanisms that were set up during hardships to allow an individual to integrate back into society. I believe that the author succeeded at showing the challenges of the healing process as much as the impact of the trauma.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Donoghue has shown how mental resilience can help people in detrimental situations but also may sabotage their ability to connect with others. The novel may be interpreted as a description of a path for those who struggle with trauma and abuse while also serving as a warning. The suffering that some people may go through can be unbearable, but society may never understand or share these feelings, which must be released for the healing process to be completed.
Reference
Donoghue, E. (2010). Room. Hachette UK.