Writers often include trauma in stories as a way to add conflict to the plot. However, there is a lot about trauma that doesn’t get included or developed enough in stories. Or it just isn’t realistic enough. I once read a story where the main character experienced a horrific event and was almost murdered. The next day, however, he decided he was just going to move on and not be traumatized so that he wouldn’t give that satisfaction to his would-be murderer. While increased self-confidence and the belief of “If I survived this, I could survive anything” are very common trauma responses, this character’s trauma response is not realistic in the slightest. We don’t get to control what we are traumatized by, so the way the writer wrote this plot point was a little underwhelming. If you’re going to write about trauma in your fictional story, there are a few things to consider before you do.
Trauma doesn’t have to be dramatic. Trauma can be quiet, hiding just beneath the surface without being overt. Yes, trauma can affect the way someone carries themselves or reacts to the world around them, but sometimes the traumatic experiences are blocked off or not recognized. When a character has a traumatic experience, there should be a dynamic relationship that forms between the character and her trauma because that is the most realistic response. People who have experienced trauma have moments when they can go through periods of time without thinking about their past experiences whereas other times, it’s all they can think about. Trauma affects everyone differently, and if you incorporate it in your work, your character’s personality should tie into the way she reacts to the traumatic experience as this is the most realistic response.
Trauma does not have to be the be-all and end-all for a character. They should be more than their trauma. There are many stories I have read where the character experiences something traumatic and life-changing, and instead of the character growing from her experience, she becomes stunted. And while this is an interesting plot point, it starts to get really depressing after a while. To see a character become a complete shell of her former self is heartbreaking, but to see her grow into a better version of herself because she is once again taking back control of her life is empowering.
Trauma isn’t always the result of something big. It can be a lot of small things that build up over time. Often in stories where trauma is a major conflict or plot point, the traumatic event is a death or abandonment or childhood neglect. And while these are very traumatic events, trauma can also be anytime a person feels threatened, unsafe, powerless, or ashamed. By including trauma that has stemmed from multiple different experiences in stories, writers can bring awareness of how diverse trauma is. It doesn’t affect people in the same way, and people aren’t affected by the exact same things. What has left a lasting impact on me may not feel significant to you, but it still caused trauma.
Trauma responses don’t consist only of outbursts, anxiety, and depression. Trauma has a massive impact on a person’s mind and body. Adding more depth to how the character is affected by her traumatic experiences and how she responds to both external and internal stimuli can make the trauma you are writing about feel more realistic. Trauma responses can include digestive issues, depersonalization, hyperarousal, preoccupation with the experience, existential reactions, and other completely valid and normal feelings. It goes so much deeper than a lot of writers include in their stories, but by adding more details, you can make the audience truly understand how much the character is hurting.
It is important to understand trauma and how it may alter a person’s entire being. It is more than how we usually see it portrayed, and it would have a more significant impact if it was more developed in writing. Seeing a character evolve and heal from her trauma is so much more moving when we get to see exactly what she is growing and evolving from.
