The brain learns by taking in information, organizing it, then storing the information for retrieval. In the brain, nerve cells called neurons have branches called dendrites (Halo Neuroscience, 2019). The connections between these dendrites are called synapses (Halo Neuroscience,

2019). The more the information is thought of and recalled, the stronger the synaptic connection becomes (HaloNeuroscience, 2019). The stronger the connection, the easier it is to recall the information. Trauma and Post

Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) impact each aspect of this process (Tedx Talks, 2023).

Daisy Payton, in her Tedx Talk (2023), explained how in people with PTSD, the prefrontal cortex, which is supposed to be the control center of the brain, becomes hypoactive. The amygdala, by contrast, becomes

hyperactive. The hippocampus then goes into overdrive. The body becomes stuck in a fight or flight response as the prefrontal cortex is unable to regulate responses to fear. In addition to the emotional and physical responses, PTSD can lead to an “impairment in neurogenesis” and an overall shortening of the synaptic connections between dendrites. Due to the dysregulation of normal functioning in the brain, PTSD can cause painful thoughts, intense emotions and overall body and behavioral changes (Therapy in a Nutshell, 2022).

While it is not a teacher’s job to diagnose or treat PTSD, educators have a responsibility to make their classrooms an environment conducive to learning. This means, in part, that the classroom is safe for all learners. This also entails using trauma informed practices to not cause undue stress to student learners or retraumatize those who already carry trauma with them.

Learning and Trauma in the English Classroom

As an English teacher, I have tried to do what I can to mitigate trauma and ensure students have a safe space to learn in my classroom. However, as I learn more about how the brain and body are affected by trauma, a question

has emerged: How can I hope to mitigate trauma in my classroom when all of the required books I teach are deeply traumatizing in some way?

Imagine, for a moment, you are a student in my 10th grade English class. Our first whole-class novel is a play by Reginald Rose (2006) called Twelve Angry Men. In this play, twelve jurors examine the evidence from a murder trial to determine a young man’s guilt or innocence. The reader learns the defendant came from, as the book calls it, a slum. His father, the victim, was an alcoholic and an abuser. This content could easily trigger a learner who experienced similar trauma. When a person experiences trauma, and then is exposed to it again, it can cause a stress response. This can cause the body to go into fight, flight, fawn, or freeze, mitigating the learner’s ability to take in information (Dovetail Qld, 2019).

Rose (2006) highlighted the racism of the time that permeated everyday consciousness and moved into the justice system, positioning the defendant as a person of Eastern European descent, and making all of the jurors visibly White — though the case could be made that one juror is ethnically Jewish. The room of White men making life-altering decisions for a young person of color is still, unfortunately, relevant today. A Black, Indigenous, or other learner of color could potentially be re-traumitized from reading the play. This uncomfortable, yet significant, connection between the book and reality is a further reminder to the traumatized brain that “the world isn’t safe” and the brain must work to protect the learner (Therapy in a Nutshell, 2022). If the basic need of safety cannot be met, it is highly unlikely the student will be able to learn.

Familial abuse and racism are two overt elements to the play; sexism is a more covert one. 12 Angry Men has only one woman in it. She is unnamed, and her voice is only heard through the distortion of the male jurors’ recollection of her testimony (Rose, 2006). Her appearance is picked apart as a lead into questioning her statement, which is then proven to be false. For a young woman reading this book, this reinforces the importance society places on appearance and could trigger insecurity. The more this idea is reinforced, the stronger the synaptic connection, and the more likely unpleasant, recurrent thoughts could occur surrounding this issue (HaloNeuoscience, 2019; Therapy in a Nutshell, 2022).

After reading 12 Angry Men my class moves to Steinbeck’s (1993) Of Mice and Men. Used for its realistic depiction of itinerant workers in the midst of the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men is often lauded for the friendship that exists between the main characters, George and Lennie. Lennie has an unspecified cognitive impairment. He is described as a gentle giant with the mind of a child. George is part caretaker and part friend to Lennie. Lennie enjoys petting soft things like mice and velvet, but does not know his own strength. When panicked, his instinct is to hold on. This reaction is tragically foreshadowed throughout the novella, where at the end he kills Curley’s wife. Curley, as the short-tempered son of the boss, is the primary antagonist of the novel. George kills Lennie to save him from the inevitable, painful, death Curley would inflict on Lennie.

For a neurodiverse learner or particularly empathic learners, this is a deeply shocking and upsetting end to an already difficult book. Though this is a fictional story, learners could experience it as a traumatic event. The end of the book tends to be the primary event learners remember, even years later. When my seniors find out which book the sophomores are reading, they often have strong memories of this ending. Steinbeck intended for the reader to think about how people with disabilities were treated during this era of history, but regardless of intent, the book resolves with George taking justice into his own hands and killing his best friend. How is that not traumatizing?

The rampant misogyny is another uncomfortable aspect of teaching Of Mice and Men that must be addressed. Curley’s wife is known only by her association to her husband. The ranch hands call her a “tart” and George quickly calls her “jailbait” and forbids Lennie from interacting with her (Steinbeck, 1993). In her few interactions with the men, she can be read as flirtatious, or heartbreakingly lonely. Each year I have talks with students about her precarious position, as many initially take George’s point of view. Once we lay out the evidence: Curley beats her, isolates her, and because the ranch hands fear Curley, they avoid her further, many students begin to find sympathy. Even in death, George blames Curley’s wife for Lennie’s actions. This shows students that a desire for connection is seen as flirtation, that a name does not matter once a man enters the picture, and that if a crime against a woman is committed, she can easily be blamed for it. This is reinforcement of still painfully relevant societal truths. I worry this book can act as an impetus for trauma, leading to isolation and a fear of speaking out for my learners who have or will experience intimate partner violence.

There is value in teaching these books as a way to engage with the world with a book as an anchor for discussion, learning, and growth. However, when these books prioritize the comfort of White, able-bodied, neurotypical men and center violence and oppression on women, the disabled, and people of color, it becomes difficult to argue in favor of teaching these pieces. We cannot shield students from the realities of the world, but it is time to select books that reflect the diversity of the world, and teach with trauma-informed practices.

After reading 12 Angry Men my class moves to Steinbeck’s (1993) Of Mice and Men. Used for its realistic depiction of itinerant workers in the midst of the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men is often lauded for the friendship that exists between the main characters, George and Lennie. Lennie has an unspecified cognitive impairment. He is described as a gentle giant with the mind of a child. George is part caretaker and part friend to Lennie. Lennie enjoys petting soft things like mice and velvet, but does not know his own strength. When panicked, his instinct is to hold on. This reaction is tragically foreshadowed throughout the novella, where at the end he kills Curley’s wife. Curley, as the short-tempered son of the boss, is the primary antagonist of the novel. George kills Lennie to save him from the inevitable, painful, death Curley would inflict on Lennie.

For a neurodiverse learner or particularly empathic learners, this is a deeply shocking and upsetting end to an already difficult book. Though this is a fictional story, learners could experience it as a traumatic event. The end of the book tends to be the primary event learners remember, even years later. When my seniors find out which book the sophomores are reading, they often have strong memories of this ending. Steinbeck intended for the reader to think about how people with disabilities were treated during this era of history, but regardless of intent, the book resolves with George taking justice into his own hands and killing his best friend. How is that not traumatizing?

The rampant misogyny is another uncomfortable aspect of teaching Of Mice and Men that must be addressed. Curley’s wife is known only by her association to her husband. The ranch hands call her a “tart” and George quickly calls her “jailbait” and forbids Lennie from interacting with her (Steinbeck, 1993). In her few interactions with the men, she can be read as flirtatious, or heartbreakingly lonely. Each year I have talks with students about her precarious position, as many initially take George’s point of view. Once we lay out the evidence: Curley beats her, isolates her, and because the ranch hands fear Curley, they avoid her further, many students begin to find sympathy. Even in death, George blames Curley’s wife for Lennie’s actions. This shows students that a desire for connection is seen as flirtation, that a name does not matter once a man enters the picture, and that if a crime against a woman is committed, she can easily be blamed for it. This is reinforcement of still painfully relevant societal truths. I worry this book can act as an impetus for trauma, leading to isolation and a fear of speaking out for my learners who have or will experience intimate partner violence.

There is value in teaching these books as a way to engage with the world with a book as an anchor for discussion, learning, and growth. However, when these books prioritize the comfort of White, able-bodied, neurotypical men and center violence and oppression on women, the disabled, and people of color, it becomes difficult to argue in favor of teaching these pieces. We cannot shield students from the realities of the world, but it is time to select books that reflect the diversity of the world, and teach with trauma-informed practices.

References

Dovetail Qld. (2019, August 7). Trauma and the brain. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=ZLF_SEy6sdc

Halo Neuroscience. (2019, February 8). The neuroscience of learning. [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nWMP68DqHE

Rose, R. (2006). Twelve angry men. Penguin Publishing Group.

Steinbeck, J. (1993). Of mice and men. Penguin Publishing Group.

Therapy in a Nutshell. (2022, April 14). How trauma and PTSD change the brain. [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdUR69J2u6c

TEDx Talks. (2023, December 15). Trauma on the brain: The neurobiological effects of PTSD | Daisy Payton |

TEDxMeritAcademy. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BThqIwhqxA