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Book Corner: Jonny Got His Gun checked out and talked about...Wednesday, October 29, 2003 By Mike Connolly
The novel is set in the turmoil of World War 1. The book begins with a man being wounded in the trenches of France by artillery fire. The man begins to float in and out of childhood memories, and when he wakes he finds total silence and darkness. As he soon finds out, he has lost his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and limbs due to his wounds. From then on, the novel deals entirely with his thoughts (since all he can do is think), and his brief interactions with the nurse who cares for him, eventually culminating in his final triumph and depression. In my opinion, Johnny Got His Gun is one of the most influential and well-written books of all time. Not only is the book almost solely responsible for shaping a generation of anti-war protesters (the book was published in 1939), but Trumbo’s intense writing style had profound influences on the writings of Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonegut. Without a doubt, this novel is a must read, and a 9 on a 10 point scale. |