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A review by euphoric_rambles
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
5.0
The summary of this book is so simple: Joe, an infantryman in the US army during WWI is hit by a mortar shell, losing his arms, legs, and much of his face. He cannot communicate, hear, see, or smell, but finds that his mental faculties are all present and accounted for. When I read that I frankly thought this must be a short story because well, what more could you have to say? Apparently it was a lot. And oh my gosh did it work well.
We see Joe's life now and before spliced through his experience of realizing he first has a lost an arm, then both arms, and then both legs. The descriptions of Joe trying to sense where and what is happening to him, and around him is startingly written and well-paced this reads more like an intense thriller than anything else.
There are chapters that are repetitious words or phrases from Joe (like: Mama they took my arm my arm momma my arm). But they work so well to provide the reader with ample understanding of what Joe is feeling, how he's interacting with the world, and his mental status.
I absolutely loved the section where Joe was starting to map out time; it was described so viscerally and with such hope that you expect some kind of resolution or happy ending.
The ending:
Two associated notes:
My copy opened with a note from a mother (Cindy Sheehan) who's son Casey was killed in Afghanistan. I found her introduction extremely moving as she sympathizes and questions what Joe's mother must think. Was she told Joe is MIA? Or that he's dead? Does she--like Cindy; hope that even though she's been told her son is dead, that he might come home? That they made a mistake? This is agonizing in just a few short pages in the 2004 paperback edition.
Second, I had no idea that Metallica's 'One' was based on this book and even uses clips of the movie. Fun fact, in order to not pay royals on the film Metallica just bought the Johnny film to use at concerts. I don't know if I love that or not, but if more people see it, I'm about it.
I would consider this novel a must read anti-war piece, where the futility and nihilism are on display in spades. Trumbo's writing is so strong and vibrant that it is shockingly easy to read and parse the human at the midst of this story.
We see Joe's life now and before spliced through his experience of realizing he first has a lost an arm, then both arms, and then both legs. The descriptions of Joe trying to sense where and what is happening to him, and around him is startingly written and well-paced this reads more like an intense thriller than anything else.
There are chapters that are repetitious words or phrases from Joe (like: Mama they took my arm my arm momma my arm). But they work so well to provide the reader with ample understanding of what Joe is feeling, how he's interacting with the world, and his mental status.
I absolutely loved the section where Joe was starting to map out time; it was described so viscerally and with such hope that you expect some kind of resolution or happy ending.
The ending:
Spoiler
The ending, my God the ending. Joe develops a way to communicate by banging his head in morse code. It takes some amount of time...perhaps months? for a nurse to understand that the tapping (as he describes it) has a purpose and to find someone else who can attempt to communicate back. Joe's first full communicative chapter with some other human (aside from his internal monologue to the reader) is so painful and visceral. But so poignant. Trumbo's writing is so poetic and agonizing. Of course Joe is lonely! Of course Joe wants to die! But mostly right now he wants to not be alone and go outside to feel the sun. When this is denied he asks to be made an example of this is what war does to us! This is also denied. What's the point? Is this all nihilism and hopelessness? Perhaps, but it's war isn't that largely fruitless?Two associated notes:
My copy opened with a note from a mother (Cindy Sheehan) who's son Casey was killed in Afghanistan. I found her introduction extremely moving as she sympathizes and questions what Joe's mother must think. Was she told Joe is MIA? Or that he's dead? Does she--like Cindy; hope that even though she's been told her son is dead, that he might come home? That they made a mistake? This is agonizing in just a few short pages in the 2004 paperback edition.
Second, I had no idea that Metallica's 'One' was based on this book and even uses clips of the movie. Fun fact, in order to not pay royals on the film Metallica just bought the Johnny film to use at concerts. I don't know if I love that or not, but if more people see it, I'm about it.
I would consider this novel a must read anti-war piece, where the futility and nihilism are on display in spades. Trumbo's writing is so strong and vibrant that it is shockingly easy to read and parse the human at the midst of this story.