Johnny Got His Gun Literary Analysis

The largest issue that surrounds war is not one about strategy, but one of morality. This issue is debated in the novel, Johnny Got His Gun, by Dalton Trumbo. This novel analyzes the validity and morality of war, as well as, the truth and reality of defending democracy. This novel takes a personal approach to the otherwise tactical and unemotional side of war. Trumbo writes this novel with a vehement anti-war sentiment that belligerently attacks the purpose of war. Additionally, this is demonstrated through the irregular circumstances of the main character, Joe Bonham. The author use of his physical disabilities made a resonating message for the reader. Trumbo is using this graphic imagery to make his point. He reinforces the point that true

This is the particular way that Trumbo is able to prove the hypocrisy of liberty. He attacks this theme in the book by asking the reader if Joe is truly free. Joe is immobilized for the duration of the novel except for when he goes into a flashback. Until the end, Joe is unable to communicate with the outside world and is unaware of his surroundings, location, and year. He was unable to recall the year or even track time at one point. He had to concentrate all of his energy on trying to track the days as the nurses came in to take care of him. This lifestyle is something that made Joe asks if he is truly living a “free life”. He was told that he was going to fight for democracy and liberty. However, he is incapacitated and is unable to live his life after the war affected his life. This change is making Joe go crazy. Joe is pleading to have contact with the outside world. The lack of contact is making him realize that he is a dead man living. He is the spokesmen of the dead. He lets the reader know that no one thinks of their country in their dying moments, but the family that they will be leaving behind. The pain of his suffering is even pushed aside by the doctors that are responsible for his life. After be told he couldn’t talk he remarks, “They were forcing him to be silent. They didn't want to hear him. They weren't interested in anything but getting him off their minds”

Additionally, the use of point of view is to add depth to the meaning of this novel. Trumbo proves that he is not afraid to act a normal and widely-accepted belief. He is not worried about acting war beliefs. He wants to inform the reader that the emotional side of the war is detrimental to soldiers. This novel gives an emotional side to an otherwise strategical battle. Johnny Got his Gun is a novel that attacks the core of the values that sent the US to war: democracy and liberty. These two fundamental rights are questioned by Joe. He feels that the ability to walk and talk and lead a normal life is something that all people should be able to do. He is not worried about having the protections the US affords him, or the liberty that he fought to defend. Joe is the personal side to war that Trumbo wants to expose for everyone to see. The ability to understand what Joe is thinking is part of the reasoning behind the part of speech. He is not the direct storyteller. This allows Trumbo to erase the debate of a reliable narrator and focus on the themes that he wrote for the story. This novel not only attacks war, but it is meticulous in pulling apart its faults and