THEME - the appreciation for different forms of therapy

The appreciation for many forms of therapy becomes instrumental in combating shell-shock. Rivers maintains a calm attitude when dealing with his patients. He performs psychotherapy and in addition to that, encourages his patients (the soldiers) to talk about their personal war experience rather than to forget the horrific images and "to let themselves feel the pity and terror their war experience inevitably evoked" (pg 48). Rivers is even willing to perform hypnosis on Billy Prior in order to help him retrieve his repressed memories.

The success of River's methods can be seen in the outcome of his patients. At the beginning of the novel, Billy Prior has a conversion disorder of muteness. However, through Rivers's patient prodding, eventually Prior begins to speak again. River's gentle nature enables him to pull Prior out of his mute state. Rivers also supervises another form of therapy by allowing interaction among the patients and the staff at Craiglockhart. Rivers's father-like relationship with his patients also is a form of therapy, because the men are able to freely open up to him.The success of the various therapeutic methods presented in the novel proves how valuable therapy is to mental and physical recovery from shell shock.

Dr. Rivers encourages rest and relaxation for his patients, unlike most other psychiatrist, who turn to electric shock therapy. One doctor who adopts such method of treatment in the novel is Dr. Yealland, who appears in the last few chapters of the book. Unlike Rivers, Yealland believes that "the removal of physical symptom" (pg 224) is already enough to be described as a cure. He doesn't take into account the emotional side of his patients as most of them are clearly show signs of other mental illnesses such as depression. Yealland in general is seen as the opposite of Rivers in terms of personality. Instead of having a welcoming attitude, Yealland is described as "an impressive figure" in which he does not "merely meet your eye, but stare(s) so intently that you fe(el) your skull ha(s) become transparent" (pg 224). This quoatation depicts the negative atmosphere surrounding Yealland in which people feel as the way he stares at people suggests a motive for people to fear him. Moreover, he also believes that the most effective way to cure a patient suffering from mutism is to apply "very strong electric current" to a patient's "neck and throat", apply "hot plates...repeatedly to the back of the throat" and "lighted cigarettes to the tongue" (pg 227) . This is portrayed through the fictional character, Callan, who suffers from mutism during the war. After conducting the treatment, Callan is able to speak fluently again thus is believed to be "cured". However, we the readers, do not know the extent in which Callan is considered "cured" because he is only perceived to be cured physically (i.e. being able to speak) but not considering his psychological state.


Extra info!

"Although Rivers used the Freudian concepts of 'repression' and 'the unconscious', in his work but he did not follow the Freudian School. He treated the soldiers with 'autognosis' which involved dream analysis (and was a version of what is now called cognitive therapy). Rivers called shell shock 'anxiety neurosis' and he used catharsis and re-education by telling his patients how much faith he had in them in order to make themselves well again. Rivers used the power of suggestion to create self-belief in the patients."

--- http://sites2.scran.ac.uk/Warp/Rivers2.htm

Theme: Impacts & The Government

Apart from being physically and mentally disturbed, there are also links on two total different impacts the wars have caused.

1. Education and Dreams

This is presented through Burns, “Cut a chrysalis open, and you will find a rotting caterpillar. What you will never find is that mythical creature, half caterpillar, half butterfly…Burns was young, after all…Though it was difficult to see him as an undergraduate. He had missed his chance of being ordinary” (page 184) The imagery of chrysalis, caterpillar and butterfly link to the idea of the barrier the war has created, insisted youngsters to join the war, killed one another. It degenerates the youth, ruins their educating life to create peace. Therefore, dreams and ambitions have no stands in the soldiers (another emotional difficulty to overcome)

2. Women

The war however seems to bring in a positive connotation towards women.

“That would help to account for the greater prevalence of anxiety neuroses and hysterical disorders of women in peacetime…Any explanation of war neurosis must account for the fact that this apparently intensely masculine life of war and danger and hardship produced in men the same disorders that women suffered from in peace” (page 222). This quotation shows a contradiction between women and men. The war allowed women to actually work helpfully while during peace, the women’s lives were too cliché that neurosis occurred to them. This contrasting idea makes the readers think about what changes would take place in women status in the society after the war, perhaps, emancipating.

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Another small theme which I find is quoted through Sarah's perspective. Pat Barker barely directs this theme later in the novel.

The Government

This is presented through the time when Sarah accompanied her friend, Madge, to visit Madge’s fiancé. She got lost and found injured soldiers. Page 160, as described “Figures that were no longer the size and shape of adult men. Trouser legs sewn short; empty sleeves pinned to jacked. One man had lost all his limbs…They stared at her…blank stare…If she’d managed to smile, to look normal, it might have been better. But no, she thought, there was nothing she could have done that would have made it better. Simply by being there…:a pretty girl, she had made everything worse”. Sarah’s shocked reaction highlights the fact that the society hid the injured soldiers and still encouraged the new generation to join the army, they dared not to display the negativeness and cruelty the war punished. Selfishness and immorality are emphasised. The depiction hides no euphemism & disgust, it also conveys sympathy and provokes anger towards the government & their lies.

Character Study - Callan

Callan is a patient suffering from mutism who appears in the last few chapters of the novel Renegeration. Though a minor character, he shows that the experiences soldiers have during war not only pose physical problems but psychological ones as well. He is being treated by Yealland in a manner described as "inhumane" by Rivers - electroshock.

Page 226
Callan obviously heard the question but made no response. His eyes flicked from Yealland to Rivers, whom he looked up and down dispassionately. Yealland leant closer to Rivers and murmured, ‘Very negative attitude.’
Callan had broken down in April. He’d been employed behind the lines on transport at the time, perhaps because his nervous state was already giving cause for concern. While feeding the horses, he had suddenly fallen down, and had remained unconscious for a period of five hours. When he came round, he was shaking all over and was unable to speak. He hadn’t spoken at all since then. He attributed his loss of speech to heatstroke.
Analysis
Callan is a character who chooses to isolate himself from the others and refuses to cooperate with Yealland when it comes to treatment, as if he doesn’t want to be cured. He appears insolent and rebellious. The fact that he obviously heard the question shows that he still pays attention and somehow shows that he comprehends but he made no response, showing that he just doesn’t care or doesn’t think it’s worth communicating with Yealland. Callan looked Rivers up and down dispassionately, indicating that he stereotypes psychiatrists, possibly due to his experience and the resulting impression he gets of them – a negative sterotype, as if he’s saying ‘oh, not another one’. Rivers describes Callan as broken. He used to fight but was transferred to working behind the lines because his nervous state concerned others. This illustrates that he’s been emotionally affected by war not so severely that he needed treatment, so he was transferred. He fell down suddenly while feeding horses, which is a strange yet interesting way of breaking down. This was what caused him to become mute, and he blamed it on heatstroke. However, there may be a different reason behind his illness that he doesn’t want to share, therefore he easily attributed it to heatstroke.

Page 229
Callan was brought in. He looked indifferent, or defiant, though once he was settled in the chair his eyes shifted from side to side in a way that suggested fear.
Analysis
When Callan was brought in for treatment, he looked indifferent which suggests that he’s used to it and has gone through it many times before as if it was a routine. He also looked defiant which brings out his rebellious side and the unwillingness to cooperate. However, as soon as he was sat down he started showing signs of uneasiness or fear, indicating that even though he’s been through this many times before, he’s still truly afraid. This leads readers to become curious as to why Callan still chooses to ignore or reject treatment.

Page 230
It took an hour. Rivers during all that time scarcely moved. His empathy with the man in the chair kept him still, since Callan himself never moved, except once to flex the fingers of his strapped hands. At last he nodded. Immediately the electrode was removed, and after a great deal of effort Callan managed to say ‘ah’ in a sort of breathy whisper.
Analysis
It took an hour for Callan to finally give in to the treatment, demonstrating his resilience and strength and determination to resist. However, Rivers was empathising with Callan during treatment, meaning Callan must have been showing a lot of pain or indications of terrible suffering somehow, yet still remaining silent. This again emphasises his strength to resist while proving that he doesn’t want treatment. Readers may think he might not even want to be cured. However he does give up in the end, and nods. It took Callan a great deal of effort to even make a sound, but he still did it, showing how difficult it is for Callan to speak even though he can and will do so if he really must.

Page 238
And yet on the ward, listening to the list of Callan’s battles, he’d felt that nothing Callan could say could have been more powerful than his silence. Later, in the electrical room, as Callan began slowly to repeat the alphabet, walking up and down with Yealland, in and out of the circle of light, Rivers had felt that he was witnessing the silencing of a human being.
Analysis
Rivers reflects on what he witnessed of Callan’s painful treatment, stating that Callan was most powerful when he was silent. This shows the powerful effect of Callan’s silence and may be the reason why he wants to remain silent, because it is only then that he is truly listened to. Rivers says he felt like he was witnessing the silencing of a human being. This is true, as Yealland said so himself “You must speak, but I shall not listen to anything you have to say”. When mute, he is paid attention to. When talking, he won’t be listened to. This highlights the power of Callan’s silence, and therefore the power of himself as a person, and the effect it had on Rivers.

What other functions do you think this character has in the novel? Feel free to add any comments or responses :)

By May Doan & Lillian Teoh