“… Hear me scream out this pain and misery that’s stuck inside”: os traços do transtorno de estresse pós-traumático (TEPT) em Mafuyu Sato do mangá Given Volumes 1 e 2 (2014-2016), à luz dos Estudos Psicanalíticos

Abstract

The manga Given, written and illustrated by Natsuki Kizu, tells the story of Mafuyu Sato, a high school student who is haunted by two rumors: the first is that he was dating a classmate from his previous school, and the second is that he was the cause of this classmate’s suicide. Mafuyu shows signs of carrying a weight that is far too heavy for a teenager. In this sense, Psychoanalytic Studies provide the necessary lenses to investigate how traumatic processes impact an individual’s mind. Thus, this paper examines the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced by the character Mafuyu Sato, as presented in volumes 1 and 2 of Given (2014-2016). Based on the development of the context presented in this brief description, this research aims to answer the following question: What are the signs of PTSD experienced by the character Mafuyu Sato from the manga Given, and how does he use music to cope with this condition? To answer this question, the general objective was defined as follows: To investigate the signs of PTSD experienced by the character Mafuyu Sato from the manga Given, in volumes 1 and 2 (2014-2016), and to understand how he uses music to cope with this condition. In order to achieve this, the following specific objectives were outlined: (i) Discuss the theoretical assumptions of Psychoanalytic Studies, with an emphasis on the concepts of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder; (ii) Characterize the circumstances that caused the trauma and the PTSD symptoms experienced by Mafuyu Sato; (iii) Analyze how the experience of music helps Mafuyu Sato overcome the trauma and achieve post-traumatic growth. As for the methodology, a qualitative investigation was conducted, with a bibliographic approach, exploratory nature, and interpretivist focus, based on Sigmund Freud (1976), Anna Freud (2006), among others. The findings of the research indicate that Mafuyu suffered an emotional burden so intense that he could not process it, which caused the trauma. From there, he began experiencing PTSD symptoms and saw music as an opportunity to overcome his trauma and achieve post-traumatic growth (PTG).