Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Development Theory on Frankie McGrath's Character in Kristin Hannah's The Women

Abstract

This research aims to address the character development of Frances "Frankie" McGrath in Kristin Hannah's novel The Women (2024) using Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development as a theoretical framework. Erikson's theory suggests that human development passes through eight psychosocial stages, with each stage having a psychosocial conflict that shapes the formation of personality and psychological health. The qualitative textual analysis and the close reading methodology of this research examines the experiences of Frankie McGrath as a military nurse in the Vietnam War and how they reflect the psychosocial crises discussed in Erikson's model. The results show how many times Frankie's development of her psychosocial functioning has been disrupted by trauma in the war, gender discrimination, social rejection and loss of loved ones. But she learns to rise above it, to reflect on her experiences, and to build supportive relationships, and she slowly rebuilds her psychological maturity and a sense of self. The study shows that Hannah's novel presents a rich picture of psychosocial growth in which development is not sequential, but recursive necessitating the return to earlier developmental struggles and dilemmas to attain emotional integrity as the individual. The study enriches literary research by providing a glimpse of the significance of developmental psychology in the process of character development and trauma narratives.

The film tells the story of Frankie McGrath, a World War II veteran who suffered from a traumatic war and struggles to find his identity after returning home. The movie follows World War II veteran, Frankie McGrath, who suffered from a traumatic war and is having trouble finding his identity once he returns home.