This research proposes a systematic framework for analyzing fragmented literary narratives as a critical pedagogical tool to address the urgent need for humanistic care in the digital era. Using Patrick McCabe’s The Butcher Boy as a primary case study, the study employs Lacanian psychoanalysis and Bracha Ettinger’s concept of "wit(h)nessing" to structurally deconstruct the abstract experiences of psychic trauma. The methodology treats literary texts not merely as "outdated classics" but as complex, high-entropy data sets of human consciousness that require a specific "Trauma Literacy" to decode.

By mapping the protagonist’s narrative breakdown against contemporary global upheavals and collective displacement, the paper demonstrates how literature provides a structured environment for students to process non-linear information—a competency essential for navigating the fragmented reality of digital interactions. The findings suggest that a systematic approach to literary studies can transform abstract empathy into a functional ethical competency, fostering "response-ability" in a world increasingly dominated by algorithmically driven, dehumanized communication. This study concludes that the "slowness" of literary engagement is a necessary intervention to counteract the compassion fatigue prevalent in the digital saturation of our time.

Authors:
Yen Ching Yang, National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Ms. Yen-ching (Debby) Yang, Ph.D. Candidate at National Changhua University of Education and Lecturer at Chaoyang University of Technology. Interests: trauma theory and narrative ethics.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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