Abstract
Drawing on theorists such as Bruno Bettelheim, Lucy Bonds, Stef Craps, Dominick LaCapra, and Laura Loumeau-May, this paper explores the role of trauma and healing in Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series by examining protagonist Feyre Archeron’s journey. Specifically, Feyre’s journey with trauma and how she heals throughout the series. The analysis highlights how Feyre’s recovery is deeply tied to empathy, her acts of artistic creation, and her evolving relationships with others, especially with those who have also endured their own trauma. In addition to textual analysis, the paper incorporates reader and fan responses—particularly fanart and social media engagement—to demonstrate how trauma literature invites readers to witness and sometimes replicate healing in their own lives. Ultimately, this study argues that ACOTAR not only entertains but offers readers a therapeutic framework through which to explore and reflect on their own experiences of trauma and recovery by witnessing Feyre’s healing through empathy, community, and art.
Recommended Citation
Remm, Alexandria A.
(2025)
"Witnessing Healing Through Fantasy: Trauma, Community, and Art in A Court of Thorns and Roses,"
Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy: Vol. 12:
Iss.
2, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dialogue/vol12/iss2/2
Included in
American Popular Culture Commons, Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons, Community-Based Learning Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Social Justice Commons