Content Warning: The source material and this guide discuss domestic violence.

Ghost opens with Castle remembering the night his father tried to shoot him and his mother. While he speaks cavalierly about this traumatic event, his actions and reactions show that he is still struggling to process the trauma of losing his father—both to his violent actions and his prison sentence. So long as Castle tries to ignore or run from his trauma, it keeps him stuck in place. As he bonds with his teammates and develops a positive relationship with Coach, he finally finds the strength and support he needs to heal from this trauma.

Castle’s trauma is clear in many of his actions. Forced to grow up quickly while enduring his father’s abuse, he has assumed a protective role in his home, sleeping on the floor outside his mother’s room. While this is a way for him to demonstrate his love for her, it also shows that he is trapped by his memory of the shooting. Though his father is in prison and no one is likely to hurt him and Teri, he still feels compelled to stand guard. This symbolizes how anxiety and trauma can self-perpetuate: Since Castle hasn’t confronted his fears, he relives them constantly.