Something that I found very interesting in The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West was the point of view from which the novel was written. As expressed in other posts, I too am currently taking a course in soldier and trauma literature with Dr. Haytock, in which the novels, articles, and stories we have read thus far were written by veterans or people who did extensive research and interviews with veterans. In addition, the stories are also accounts of the war and life at home following. Also, the stories are all written by men. What immediately stuck out to me in this novel is that it really does have to do with a soldier and the women and relationships that his being in war affects. We see this story through the eyes of Christopher’s cousin Jenny. In this, we gain the insight into two different types of trauma; trauma faced at war and trauma at home. The trauma of Christopher’s PTSD is juxtaposed with that of his wife, Kitty. Out of the three female characters, Kitty seems to be the only one who cannot cope with her husband’s amnesia. Kitty is much dissociated and the trauma of Christopher’s amnesia is a reminder of the trauma faced when their son, Oliver, died. Kitty’s behavior, her temper and detachment, show her character as continually facing and going through the trauma; it never leaves her.

Another way to read this juxtaposed trauma, if we choose to read it that way, is that it shows the different ways that genders deal with and experience trauma. However, despite this, the trauma Kitty faces at home is overshadowed by the trauma Christopher faces upon his return from war.