Depression and Trauma Vented through Dreams in Krisna Asoksin’s Baan Khon Nok

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to explore depression and trauma vented through dreams in Krisna Asoksin’s novel “Baan Khon Nok” written in 1978, hence it is the scope for this study. A documentary study method was employed, and results were presented in a descriptive and analytical approach. The results showed that the female protagonist’s trauma is vented through dreams concerning three aspects: dreams that indicate the beginning of mental wounds and trauma, dreams that indicate an entry into depression, and dreams that indicate the end of life from depression disorder. The female protagonist’s dreams are rooted in the heart of a family disappointment in the past, consequently forcing her to seek and fulfill her love to compensate her trauma. She chooses to build a family with a man she loves, but he can not help to fulfill her dreams, causing her to have an end in her life by committing suicide. Findings of this study can be used as a life lesson. That is to say, when faced with problems, one should not commit suicide as a way out. Moreover, the novel enables readers to learn from the experience of those with depression and gain better understanding of their lives.