The Perks of Being a Wallflower and the Trauma Olympics

During a recent moment of weakness, I rewatched the epic adolescent drama The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012, Chbosky). As the credits rolled, I realized that I had to rewatch it again. And immediately after that, again. Yes, I watched it three times in one sitting. Its reputation as a depressing, oftentimes juvenile and try-hard jaunt into the alternative scene precedes it. Upon hearing about my binge-watching, even my roommate's friend noted, “oh wow, she must be going through it.” And maybe I was, but the truth is, Perks might just be my comfort movie.

I mean, first of all, we have the all-star lineup of Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller as my own personal holy trinity, but then you add an amazing soundtrack and intense emotion to pull at your heartstrings. There’s something beautiful about the way the story unfolds––how Charlie is taken under the wing of the “indie” upperclassmen, how the viewer is thrown into the whirlwind of Charlie’s social life with all its awkwardness and cruel heartache.

If you somehow are unfamiliar with Perks, don’t worry, you probably already know some of the iconic features of the cinematic adaptation of the 1999 novel, such as the tunnel scene or even the line “we accept the love we think we deserve.” The film follows introverted and mentally ill Charlie in his freshman year as he dreams of becoming a writer, falling in love, and finding his place in the world. Charlie turns to his passions, mentors, and newfound relationships while struggling with the recent deaths of his aunt and his best friend. The film showcases the drama, joy, and sadness of adolescence on the precipice of adulthood trying to understand the themes of drugs, death, and sex.

This coming-of-age is quite a unique breed, though. It’s truly a product of its time and (despite being set in the early 90s) feels like a direct response to and influence for the cultural trends of the early 2010s. You may have the rather unfortunate nostalgia of 2014 Tumblr––the American Apparel tennis skirt, cigarettes, black-and-white grid aesthetic renaissance––and Perks fits directly into this canon as a story featuring a few indie teens in love with music and each other.

Not only did people feel envious of the 90s grunge and alternative style, but they also craved the witty banter and even intense emotion of the characters. This aesthetic is all fun and games until darker themes of mental illness, sexual assault, and trauma get involved. Since these motifs are essential to the plot, one's adoration for a book or movie, even certain characters, results in the adoration and idolatry of these aforementioned darker themes. As you may recall, the “tortured soul” persona made a comeback in 2014, and this was no coincidence.

Perks has had a profound impact on our generation, in both good and bad ways. It has forced us to confront ugly truths, unwanted pasts, and pushed us to explore our alternative sides. But the film also led to the romanticization of mental illness and trauma, making them an aesthetic or competition to be rewarded with a badge of honor.

Now, there exists a pervasive “Trauma Olympics” where high school and college-aged kids feel the need to compete for trauma bragging rights, and we all know somebody who deserves a gold medal. The issue isn’t the actual discussion of the intense hurt that one may have experienced, nor the openness or vulnerability with others. No, the issue stems from competition and comparison. Some may feel that their pain is not enough to be upset about and neglect to seek help while others may pad their trauma resume in order to fit in. Not to mention that this glamourization of mental illness normalizes disordered behavior, pushing those affected to not seek help and negating the struggle of people who do suffer from mental illnesses.

One of the friends I was discussing the Trauma Olympics with is herself a reserved person when it comes to more personal matters such as trauma and mental illness. When meeting new people who dump their demons onto her after little to no acquaintance, she feels the burden of having to open up in a reciprocal way. Whether or not the other person expects or wants this, their actions have a negative effect on those around them. Although yes, it is great to be vulnerable and open up, the only way to move forward and not harm others is to not fall into these patterns of trauma bonding and competition. And yes, the witty banter and emotional rollercoaster of Perks is a grand old time, but romanticizing the struggles of the characters is not. With that being said, I will continue to slowly mold my own personality after Ezra Miller’s enigmatic and delightful sweetheart of a character, Patrick.