Symbolism In The Water Beetles

Defense Mechanisms to Cope With The Realities of War

Wars are known to leave behind a trail of destruction that affects the mental health of individuals in profound ways. Michael Kaan's novel, The Water Beetles, set in Hong Kong during World War II, portrays the harrowing experiences of four characters and the defense mechanisms they utilize to cope with the trauma of war and the 1941 Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. Through the use of denial, rationalization, and intellectualization, Kaan portrays the characters' behaviors as they attempt to maintain a sense of the pre-war world in the face of war's bleak reality. While these defensive mechanisms help the characters deal with the emotional stress of war, it can also hinder them from

Denial is a "conscious refusal to perceive that painful facts exist" (Britannica), and it serves as a psychoanalytic defense mechanism. In the instance of Chow, his denial enables him to preserve a sense of stability and control in the chaotic and uncertain circumstance of the Japanese invading and capturing his hometown. In order to shield himself from the anguish of war and its harsh reality, he refuses to acknowledge the severity of the occupation and insists that life will go on as usual. This is exemplified as the narrator states that "Chow was sure that everything would go back to normal. The war would end, the Japanese would leave, and Hong Kong would be Hong Kong again" (Kaan 84). Denial, according to psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, "can be a useful defense mechanism in moderation, but it can also become pathological and hinder an individual's ability to confront reality and address their problems" (Britannica). When Chow visits the demolished streets of Hong Kong, he exhibits signs that he is unable to adequately confront and process the trauma of the occupation due to his previous denial of

The violence of Akamatsu's conduct and his intellectualization of the Japanese occupation can both be explained as psychological defense mechanisms. According to theorist Noam Chonsky, intellectualization can be described as "Focusing on the rational and logical aspects of a situation to avoid the emotional and uncomfortable aspects'' (Britannica). As a Japanese soldier, Akamatsu defends his participation in the conflict by arguing that it was important for Japan to win the war. As Kaan notes, "Akamatsu continued to justify the brutality of the Japanese army as a necessary evil in the pursuit of a greater cause. The Chinese, he believed, were a weak and inferior people who needed to be brought to heel” (Kaan 301). Akamatsu uses intellectualization to prevent any emotional distress that would result from realizing how heinous his and the actions of his peers truly are. Theorist Noam Chomsky states that intellectualization might "prevent individuals from fully confronting and processing their emotions" (Britannica), yet research has revealed that intellectualization can also be a maladaptive defense strategy. Akamastsu ignores the morality of the conflict and the effects of his terrible and brutal deeds against the people of Hong Kong by concentrating only on the rational components of the battle, which may hinder his mental health