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Psychoanalytic and Deconstructionist
Approaches to “Vox Humana”
Maryam Rahim
Ted Morrissey’s “Vox Humana” is a narrative rich with psychological depth and structural complexity. At its core are Harry Gale, a Korean War veteran haunted by the echoes of war; and Annette, his sister, navigating her own crises of identity and agency. Through its fragmented narrative and intertextual references, “Vox Humana” becomes a canvas for exploring themes of alienation, repression, and the instability of meaning.
Using psychoanalytic theory, this critique examines how trauma, repression, and the unconscious shape the psyches of Harry and Annette. Meanwhile, a deconstructionist perspective reveals the text’s subversion of binaries—home/war, sanity/madness, and language/silence—and its insistence on the fluidity of meaning. Together, these frameworks illuminate the intricate ways Morrissey’s text resists resolution, inviting endless interpretation and reflection.
Psychoanalytic Analysis
The psychoanalytic approach, rooted in Freudian and Jungian theories, seeks to uncover the unconscious motivations behind the behavior of characters and the symbolic dimensions of the narrative. In this story this lens is particularly appropriate, regarding the inner struggles of Harry and Annette. Through this analysis, we explore how trauma, repression, and identity shape the characters’ lives in this story.
Harry’s trauma response
Harry returns from the Korean War with visible scars of psychological trauma. His behaviors— withdrawal, difficulty engaging in conversation, and fixation on certain objects like his typewriter and books—indicate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The “voices” of the Korean chorus in his head, murmuring unintelligibly, symbolize his fragmented psyche. These voices are a manifestation of Harry’s repressed experiences and unresolved guilt, especially related to the horrors he transcribed as part of his military duties.
Harry’s act of writing poetry after reading Carl Sandburg’s Chicago Poems provides him a therapeutic outlet. This shift from passive transcription to creative expression represents his attempt to reclaim agency over his inner chaos. For example, his poem “The Human Voice” reflects his yearning to make sense of his fractured identity and find solace amidst the dissonance within him.
Harry’s thoughts about the Sandburg poem “The Great Hunt” highlight his realization of solitude and the quest for meaning beyond death, aligning with the psychoanalytical theme of existential angst.
Annette’s emotional resilience
Annette, Harry’s sister, is portrayed as a character navigating her own emotional challenges. Her marriage’s dissolution, symbolized by Tim’s absence, leaves her contemplating societal expectations versus her newfound sense of freedom. Unlike Harry, who struggles with his inner demons, Annette exhibits quiet strength and adaptability. She internalizes her emotions, as seen in her reflective thoughts while preparing dinner, likening her feelings to “predatory specimens in a zoo”—caged but alive.
Annette’s kindness towards Harry, despite her uncertainties about his prolonged stay, underscores her role as a caregiver. This dynamic adds a familial dimension to the narrative, contrasting Harry’s internal chaos with Annette’s external composure.
Annette’s introspection about Tim’s abandonment (“Shouldn’t she be devastated?”) reveals her inner conflict and her eventual acceptance of independence, showcasing a subtle psychological growth.
Symbolism
The story’s imagery and symbols enrich the psychoanalytic reading. The recurring motif of storms, for instance, mirrors Harry’s turbulent emotions. His near-breakdown in the grocery store during a storm signifies the overwhelming nature of his inner turmoil. Similarly, his interactions with objects like his sister’s bookcase and the Underwood typewriter suggest a desperate need for structure and meaning.
The line “Harry took the pages of handwritten poetry… and sat in front of the machine” shows how the act of typing symbolizes control over his fragmented self.
Family and social dynamics
The siblings’ relationship forms the emotional core of the story. While Harry grapples with alienation, Annette’s role as his anchor is evident. Their shared loss of parents and the absence of extended family create a bond rooted in mutual reliance. Additionally, the societal expectations of gender roles, hinted at through comments by the villagers, further complicate their dynamic.
Pastor Phillips’ remark (“Just when she needed a man”) reflects the societal pressure on Annette to rely on Harry as a surrogate protector in Tim’s absence, a notion that conflicts with her burgeoning independence.
The role of the chorus
The “Korean chorus” in Harry’s mind symbolizes the intrusive nature of repressed memories. Morrissey writes, “More and more the faces spoke to him when he was awake, in the background of his consciousness…” (16). These voices represent Harry’s struggle to integrate the unspeakable into his conscious self. The chorus is both a burden and a source of insight, as it compels him to confront his fractured identity.
Deconstructionist Analysis
Meanwhile, deconstruction focuses on the instability of meaning, challenging fixed interpretations and exposing contradictions within the text. In Vox Humana, language, identity, and the concept of home are fluid, making the story a product that can be analyzed using deconstructionist approach.
The fractured notion of home
Morrissey’s text systematically dismantles the binaries that structure its narrative, revealing their inherent instability. The home/war dichotomy, for instance, is subverted as Harry finds no solace in returning home. Describing the village as wearing a “disquieting mask,” the text reframes home as a site of alienation rather than comfort.
The deconstruction of “home” is central to the story. Harry’s physical return to the village contrasts with his emotional displacement, as he finds no solace in familiar surroundings. Annette, too, redefines home as a space of personal growth rather than societal conformity.
Annette’s reflection on Tim’s abandonment (“Now her life could have meaning which she herself ascribed to it”) challenges the traditional view of home as tied to marital stability.
Binary of sanity/madness
This destabilization extends to the binary of sanity/madness. Harry’s internal chorus, while suggestive of psychological instability, resists categorization as mere madness. Instead, the chorus functions as a Derridean aporia, an irresolvable tension that defies fixed interpretation. Similarly, the fragmented structure of the text, with its intertextual references and shifts in perspective, mirrors the instability of language itself, challenging the reader’s expectation of coherence.
Intertextuality and the binary of myth/reality
The story’s use of intertextuality, particularly the references to the Odyssey and “The Tale of the Old Man with No Legs,” blurs the boundaries between myth and reality. These tales serve as meta-narratives, reflecting Harry’s psychological journey and his struggle to find purpose. Harry’s recognition of the Korean tale’s similarity to the Odyssey illustrates the universality of human experiences and the interconnectedness of stories across cultures.
The role of ambiguity
Ambiguity permeates “Vox Humana,” particularly in its depiction of Harry’s psyche. The rainstorm scene at the grocery store exemplifies this, as sensory overload triggers a breakdown that defies singular interpretation. Morrissey writes:
“The bin’s wet scent of boggy earth rose around him like a closing bag…The briny smell of pickles rippled over him. He couldn’t breathe.”
This moment functions simultaneously as a literal event and a metaphor for Harry’s internal chaos, reflecting Derrida’s concept of différance, where meaning is perpetually deferred. The ambiguity of the scene—whether it represents a flashback, a panic attack, or both—underscores the text’s resistance to closure.
The interplay of speech and silence
Language in “Vox Humana” functions as both a bridge and a barrier. Harry’s role as a transcriber underscores the paradoxical nature of speech: he records the voices of others yet remains voiceless himself. The title, “Vox Humana” (“The Human Voice”), highlights this tension. Harry’s eventual creation of poetry suggests an attempt to reclaim agency over language, yet even this act is fraught with uncertainty: “He wondered if his soul was great, or could be great” (17).
Annette’s dialogues with Harry are marked by omissions and unspoken truths. For instance, she avoids discussing Tim’s departure directly, reflecting Derrida’s idea that meaning is always deferred. Her internal monologues further complicate the narrative, revealing layers of doubt and self-censorship.
Ambiguities of identity
Harry’s identity is fragmented, oscillating between soldier, brother, and poet. The text destabilizes these roles, portraying him as both an observer and a participant in his own life. His sense of alienation extends to the village, which he perceives as wearing a “disquieting mask.” This imagery underscores the fluidity of identity, where neither Harry nor the village retains a fixed essence. The line “The village had donned a disquieting mask” encapsulates Harry’s estrangement and the theme of performative normalcy.
Relationship of Both Approaches to the Story
The psychoanalytical and deconstructionist approaches work together to give a deeper understanding of Vox Humana. The psychoanalytical view looks at the characters’ personal struggles and hidden emotions, while the deconstructionist approach focuses on how things like identity, language, and the idea of home are uncertain and ever-changing. These two ideas connect closely, as the characters’ inner battles often show up in the story’s unstable structures. For example, Harry’s trauma and sense of being lost reflect in his struggle to feel at home, and Annette’s quiet strength mirrors her fight against societal expectations. Together, these perspectives show how personal struggles and bigger questions about life are tied together, making the story feel both personal and universal.
Ted Morrissey’s “Vox Humana” is a masterful exploration of the fragility of identity and the instability of meaning. Through the psychoanalytic lens, the text reveals the psychological scars left by war and the fragile mechanisms through which individuals attempt to heal. Deconstruction, on the other hand, lays bare the contradictions inherent in societal constructs and the fluidity of language.
Harry’s journey, marked by his interactions with the chorus, his reliance on poetry, and his estrangement from the village, becomes a meditation on the human condition. Similarly, Annette’s reflections and actions underscore the societal pressures and personal conflicts faced by those left behind. Together, these narratives create a richly layered text that resists resolution, inviting endless interpretation and reflection.
By examining “Vox Humana” through these theoretical frameworks, my hope was to illuminate its complexity, which makes it a valuable contribution to contemporary literature.
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Maryam Rahim is a final-year student of English Literature at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad. With a growing interest in literary theory and critical analysis, her academic work reflects a thoughtful engagement with literature’s philosophical and cultural dimensions. Alongside her scholarly pursuits, she also nurtures a deep intellectual interest in Islamic thought, often drawing connections between literary expression and religious philosophy. This interdisciplinary curiosity informs her approach to literature, allowing for a nuanced and reflective exploration of texts.
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