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DALTON TRUMBO 1905-1976. EARLY LIFE. Montrose, Colorado Later moved to Shale City (refers to his hometown in Johnny Got His Gun While in high school started to write for the local newspaper
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DALTON TRUMBO 1905-1976
EARLY LIFE • Montrose, Colorado • Later moved to Shale City (refers to his hometown in Johnny Got His Gun • While in high school started to write for the local newspaper • To support his sisters and mom after his father died, he worked the night shift at the bakery (refers to this in Johnny) • Studied at Univ. of Calif. during this time and his first stories and essays were published in Vanity Fair • 1932- wrote for Hollywood Spectator (film magazine) and left the bakery when he was offered the job of managing editor
INSPIRATION FOR JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN • Worked in a bookstore for a man who lost his eye in World War I. • He also read an article about a British officer who was horribly disfigured during World War I. • Inspired by the horrors of World War I and the oppressiveness of the United States draft • Trumbo wanted to show the realistic view of war in a time when war was being romanticized.
HISTORY OF THE NOVEL • Published on September 3, 1939 (two days after the start of World War II • After Pearl Harbor, this book was taken out of publication and even banned for being “Pro-Axis” • Out of print during the Korean War • Regained popularity during the Vietnam War • The book won a National Book Award • In 1971, the book was made into a movie • Did not do well in the United States’ box offices
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE OF THE NOVEL • “Johnny Get Your Gun” was a motivational song from World War I • Novel reveals what happens when “Johnny got his gun” • Title is a sarcastic shot at the romantic vision of war
LITERARY BACKGROUNDNATURALISTIC • Ordinary guy is crushed by society (war) • Little or no control over his fate • “shell has a number on it” • Realistic vision of war
FLASHBACK • The technique used to write Johnny Got His Gun • An interruption of the natural sequence of events whereby a character recalls an incident which has occurred earlier in life
STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS • Writing in a continuous stream of thought without regard to sentence development, grammar conventions, etc. (internal monologue) • How Dalton Trumbo shows the main character’s, Joe Bonham, thoughts • Introduced by the philosopher William James in 1890 • An attempt to follow the natural flow of thoughts a character has. • Allows the reader to witness the most intimate thoughts of the character
ABOUT JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN • Joe Bonham (protagonist of book) • Soldier in World War I • Body has been destroyed in battle • At first doesn’t realize his situation • When he realizes he tries to find ways to communicate to the outside world • Trumbo follows Joe’s thoughts, feelings, and memories as he lies helpless in a nightmare (stream of consciousness)