ABSTRACT

Jusmawati : Trauma and Recovery in the Novel The Road by Cormac

McCarthy
Supervisor I : Yenti, S.S, M.Pd
Supervisor II : Al. Amin, M.A

Disaster is an event or series of events that threaten and disrupt people's lives and
livelihoods caused, either by natural factors and / or non-natural factors and
human factors resulting in human casualties, environmental damage, property
losses, and psychological impact. This research has the following main objectives:
1). to identify events that cause trauma in the novel The Road, 2). To explain the
trauma recovery process of the main characters in the novel The Road, the
researcher used the theory to analyze the data, namely: the theory of trauma and
trauma recovery by Judith Herman (2015). This research method is qualitative
research using a psychological approach. In collecting data, researchers used
documentation techniques. The data were analyzed based on narratives,
characters' actions, and dialogues that describe post-disaster psychological
suffering. The results showed that trauma and its recovery became an important
element that shaped the emotional journey of the characters. Referring to Judith
Herman's theory in Trauma and Recovery (2015), 1). Researchers identified three
of the six types of trauma that appear in the novel, namely forgotten history, terror,
and disconnection. Meanwhile, the types of trauma such as arrest, child abuse, and
new diagnosis were not found in the story. In the aspect of trauma recovery, 2).
Researchers found five of the five stages of recovery outlined by Herman, namely
healing relationships, safety, reminiscing and grieving, reconnection, and
commonality. These results show that although the characters are severely
traumatized by the destroyed world, the recovery process still takes place
gradually through emotional connection, physical protection, and inner connection
between father and son, which forms the meaning of humanity in a dark narrative.
The analysis shows that although the characters experience severe suffering, the
healing process takes place gradually through emotional connection, physical
protection, and inner closeness between father and son. The novel not only depicts
the destruction of the physical world, but also presents a deep reflection on the
inner strength of human beings and human values that remain alive in the midst of
destruction.
Keywords: trauma, recovery, the road