Chainsaw Fingers and PTSD
“Dehumanization isn't a way of talking. It's a way of thinking - a way of thinking that - sadly, comes all too easy to us” (Konkol). The topic of dehumanization which, most of us will agree is a state when an individual being viewed or interpreted in an animalistic or non-human view. From “Chainsaw Fingers” author Paul Crenshaw mentioned Post-traumatic stress disorder, a common disorder that affects war veterans. According to Mayo clinic, the issues connected with PTSD, include: interfering with others, the lack of privacy, flashbacks about the war site and being on guard.
“Chainsaw Fingers” is a short story about a war veteran named Mills who fought in combat and received prosthetic limbs to replace his legs. Later, as he was running around his neighborhood a car crashed into him and damaged his hands and fingers. Again he received an amputee, but this time in a different form of his own choice. He chooses chainsaws and the doctors asked him “Why”. He responded “So when whatever happens next happens I won’t have to come back here. I can saw on my own body” (Crenshaw 373). Mills has a difficulty in controlling his emotions…show more content… He was not aware that he would gain so much celebrity due to his fingers. Mills confidence dropped when he heard the children pounding at his door. They know they are witnessing the strangest person who lives on the block. They did not think about how Mills felt. He longs for a place to escape or hide the loud noises. The house symbolizes Mills body. The house was well-built Mills felt safe and blocked out the truth. “She had raised the blinds and the light was too bright and on the sidewalk were more kids, dozens now, and a few adults too, sitting in lawn chairs like it was right field at a baseball game. He closed the blinds” (Crenshaw 317). He is safe and shield from the public view and standpoint about his life before the
