Boy Erased can be read as a trauma narrative with a special focus on the trauma narrative's function of creating reader empathy described by Laurie Vickroy. Therefore, this paper argues that Boy Erased offers the narrative strategies of the first-person point of view, interior monologues, foregrounding, and providing insight views into another character's thoughts and feelings to fulfill the trauma narrative function of creating reader empathy.
To prove this thesis, the paper's content is structured like the following. Firstly, the text gives a theoretical background on ex-gay conversion therapy, its harmful effects as well as its current relevance to the United States. Moreover, the paper defines reader empathy in trauma literature as described by Vickroy .Here, the chapter lays out the most important concepts for the analysis of reader empathy in the primary text. After that, the relevance of reader empathy specifically in Boy Erased will be pointed out. The next chapter covers an elaborate analysis of how Conley engages reader empathy throughout the memoir. Finally, the paper's central findings will be summarized in a conclusion with an outlook on further research.
Table of Contents
1.Introduction
2. Background and Theory Chapter
2.1. Ex- Gay Conversion Therapy in the United States
2.2. Laurie Vickroy on Trauma Literature and Reader Empathy
2.3. Relevance of Reader Empathy in Boy Erased
2.4. Defining Empathy
3. Analysis of Reader Empathy in Boy Erased
4.Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper examines how Garrard Conley’s autobiographical memoir Boy Erased utilizes specific narrative strategies to foster reader empathy regarding his experiences in ex-gay conversion therapy, specifically focusing on the intersection of trauma literature and reader engagement.
- Theoretical overview of ex-gay conversion therapy in the United States.
- Analysis of trauma literature functions based on the work of Laurie Vickroy.
- Examination of narrative strategies such as first-person point of view and interior monologues.
- Investigation of how stylistic devices contribute to the reader's identification with the protagonist's trauma.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Analysis of Reader Empathy in Boy Erased
The following part analyses the writer's narrative strategies to engage emphatic reader responses to the psychologically harmful experiences Conley made during his stay at Love in Action.
Firstly, Conley engages the reader's empathy by employing the narrative strategy of the point of view of the first-person narrator. The first-person narration allows ample insights into a character's consciousness and emotional states as the “(…) narrator self-narrates about his or her own experiences and perceptions (…)” (Keen “A Theory of Narrative Empathy” 220). In Boy Erased, Conley is “simultaneously the speaker and the spoken subject of [his] writing.” due to its autobiographical nature (Anderst 277) and reflects on his past traumatic experiences made at Love in Action trying to change his homosexuality. The first-person point of view allows Conley to share intimate stories with the readership (Anderst 280). It is intimacy that allows the reader to empathize with the autobiographer's lived experiences as a homosexual who is trapped in limiting beliefs of having to change (280). Boy Erased features several examples of this, especially in its early chapters that focus on the writer's teenage years. Conley shares private insights of incidents before going to conversion therapy. Before his Love in Action stay, he has a girlfriend, Chloe, who makes him feel safe and secure as she represents a means to conceal his homosexuality (Conley 45). Conley openly narrates his most private thought processes when Chloe starts to make physical advances in the car (44).
Summary of Chapters
1.Introduction: This chapter introduces the prevalence of ex-gay conversion efforts and establishes the memoir Boy Erased as a trauma narrative suitable for exploring reader empathy.
2. Background and Theory Chapter: This section provides essential context regarding the history of sexual orientation therapy and theoretical frameworks related to trauma literature and empathy.
3. Analysis of Reader Empathy in Boy Erased: This chapter evaluates the specific narrative techniques, including first-person perspective, interior monologues, and stylistic foregrounding used to evoke empathy in the reader.
4.Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the findings and confirms how Conley’s narrative strategies effectively translate his personal trauma into an empathetic reader experience.
Keywords
Boy Erased, Garrard Conley, Ex-gay conversion therapy, Trauma literature, Reader empathy, Laurie Vickroy, Suzanne Keen, First-person narration, Interior monologue, Narrative strategies, Sexual orientation, Homosexuality, Psychological trauma, Autobiography, Emphatic response.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the autobiographical memoir Boy Erased by Garrard Conley and analyzes how the text uses specific literary strategies to create an empathetic connection between the narrator's traumatic experiences in conversion therapy and the reader.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The central themes include the psychological harm caused by conversion therapy, the nature of trauma narratives in literature, the definition and function of reader empathy, and the construction of identity amidst forced social conditioning.
What is the main objective or research question?
The primary objective is to demonstrate how Conley employs narrative techniques like first-person perspective, interior monologues, and specific stylistic devices to fulfill the function of a trauma narrative: generating reader empathy.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes a literary analysis approach, drawing upon theoretical frameworks from scholars like Laurie Vickroy and Suzanne Keen to evaluate narrative strategies within the primary text.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body covers the historical context of conversion therapy in the U.S., a theoretical review of trauma literature, and an analytical deep-dive into how Conley’s prose invites the reader to experience his perceived "defects" and subsequent emotional trauma.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include trauma narrative, reader empathy, Boy Erased, conversion therapy, autobiographical self-narration, and narrative strategy.
How does the author define empathy within the context of this study?
The study relies on Suzanne Keen’s definition, characterizing empathy as the "vicarious, spontaneous sharing of affect"—distinct from sympathy, which is defined as feeling pity for someone rather than experiencing the event through their perspective.
What role does the "free indirect narration" play in the memoir?
The author uses this technique to shift focus to his mother’s inner thoughts and feelings, allowing the reader to understand not just his own trauma, but the broader "entangled web" of those affected by the decision to send him to conversion therapy.
Why is the first-person perspective significant in this memoir?
It allows for intimate, immediate access to Conley’s thought processes and emotional vulnerability, which is essential for bridging the gap between his private past trauma and the reader’s present-day perspective.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2020, Bearing Witness to Trauma: An Analysis of Reader Empathy in Garrard Conley's Autobiographical Memoir "Boy Erased", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1474082
