Senior Violeta Gonzalez Toro was inspired by a transformative literature class to research how veterans might use reading as a path for healing after military experiences.
From the moment she walked into the classroom, Violeta Gonzalez Toro realized “Literature of War” would be different than any course she had taken at Carolina.
Led by Hilary Lithgow, teaching professor of English and comparative literature, the class invites students both with and without military experience to discuss readings on topics from World War I to combat in the 21st century.
The class comprises traditional students, whom Lithgow refers to as “civilians,” ROTC cadets and veterans, who tend to be older, said Gonzalez Toro, a senior.
Because of the wide variation in their life experiences, at first Gonzalez Toro was not sure how she and her classmates would approach discussions about war. A native of Medellín, Colombia, Gonzalez Toro has no military connections in her family and had not studied U.S. military history before coming to Carolina.
By the end of the semester, she would call the class life changing.
“You start reading these books with people that you think you have nothing in common with,” said Gonzalez Toro, who has majors in psychology and global studies with a minor in Chinese. “But then you start relating to the human emotions behind the stories you’re reading in a way that I thought was impossible when the class started.”
The experience inspired her to stay in touch with Lithgow, who became a mentor. During her junior year, Gonzalez Toro became an undergraduate teaching assistant for the course, and this past summer, she pursued original research on how veterans might use reading as a healing practice.
With the support of a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the Office for Undergraduate Research, Gonzalez Toro conducted interviews with five veterans — three who had taken Lithgow’s class and two who had not — to learn about their military experiences and transitions into civilian life.
She spoke with each veteran twice, posing the same questions each time.
What was it like returning to civilian life after your time in the military? And to interact with friends and family after you left the military? Would you like to share about a time that it was hard to describe a feeling or story from your military experience?
In between interviews, Gonzalez Toro asked each person to read parts of three works of literature, including All Quiet on the Western Front and The Things They Carried, books about World War I and the Vietnam War, respectively.
Gonzalez Toro witnessed the difference in conversations immediately.
“I think the readings open a different way to talk about yourself, one that’s more comfortable because the readings offer a vocabulary and a way to reference something,” she said, adding that interviewees often used characters and plot points of the books as catalysts to share their own stories.
Just like in class discussions, participants often shared vulnerable, sometimes difficult memories and experiences. Gonzalez Toro said her time as a humanities researcher and classroom leader has helped her grow in navigating complex, important conversations.
“It’s about finding comfort in the uncomfortable,” she said. “It’s been really fulfilling to see that what we have experienced in class and what we have read about can be seen in the research that I’m doing.”
Gonzalez Toro will graduate in December and plans to pursue a career in international relations. When she reflects on her research experience, she hopes her findings will encourage those seeking a greater understanding of themselves and others to explore the power of literature.
“Reading is a practice that can help anyone because, at the end of the day, you’re dealing with human emotions that every single person can relate to,” she said. “Even though we come from different backgrounds, reading can be a bridge for understanding.”
By Jess Abel ’19