Johnny Got His Gun Summary

In a medical facility, Joe Bonham lies grievously wounded, his mind filled with flashbacks of his former life: his father's demise, his goodbye to his sweetheart Kareen before heading to fight in a foreign conflict, and his youth in Shale City, a humble community in Colorado. His recollections bubble with simple yet poignant moments of his past, like home-cooked meals, the first plane touching down in Shale City, and losing his love, Diane, to his closest friend, Bill Harper.

His thoughts oscillate between the past and the present, filled with rue over his decision to be a part of a war that had nothing to do with him. It dawns on him that he has sustained major injuries, having been in a hospital bed all along. He senses that his limbs have been removed and he no longer has the ability to talk, see, hear, or smell due to the loss of his face. He grapples with the harsh reality of his condition, questioning the doctors' decision to keep him alive. As he navigates through a labyrinth of memories and horrifying dreams, he reminisces about his father's lush gardens, the taste of wholesome meals, and the seeming aimlessness of his father's life because he didn't amass any wealth. His mind keeps circling back to the absurdity of fighting and sacrificing oneself for a war that had no relevance to him, and the deceptive nature of lofty terms like 'liberty', 'democracy', 'freedom', and 'decency'.

Time trudges on, and Joe fills his thoughts with stories, facts, and figures, trying to sense the world outside using the remaining skin on his neck. He hatches a plan to count the days by feeling the warmth of the sunrise, marking the nurses' visits, and keeping a tally of the passing days. After a year, he successfully completes his count and silently celebrates the New Year. In his fourth year, he is startled to feel that he is being displayed to visitors, and a medal is placed on his chest. His anger flares, and he attempts to show the visitors the war's damage by removing his mask. He realizes that he can communicate through vibrations, and starts tapping out SOS in Morse code. However, his nurse misunderstands his tapping as seizures and sedates him. When he wakes up, he discovers a new nurse who tries to communicate with him. After many attempts, she realizes he's communicating in Morse code. After summoning a Morse code expert, Joe asks to be shown to the world as a testament to the realities of war. However, his request is denied due to regulations. In despair, Joe tries to understand why he is denied the chance to communicate his story, and realizes that the authorities are scared to reveal the true face of war to the public.