The Perks of Being Relational: Reviewing The Perks

Journal of Creativity in Mental Health

ISSN: 1540-1383 (Print) 1540-1391 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wcmh20

The Perks of Being Relational: Reviewing The Perks of Being a Wallflower Colton Brown & Tonya R. Hammer To cite this article: Colton Brown & Tonya R. Hammer (2015) The Perks of Being Relational: Reviewing The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 10:2, 258-261, DOI: 10.1080/15401383.2015.1033506 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2015.1033506

Published online: 15 Jun 2015.

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Date: 22 October 2015, At: 08:41

Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 10:258–261, 2015 Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1540-1383 print/1540-1391 online DOI: 10.1080/15401383.2015.1033506

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The Perks of Being Relational: Reviewing The Perks of Being a Wallflower COLTON BROWN and TONYA R. HAMMER Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

This article reviews The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Halfon, Smith, Malkovich, & Chbosky, 2012), a coming-of-age film about 3 high school students attempting to survive school, find themselves, and connect with others. The authors provide a synopsis of various portions of the film and identify important aspects of relational-cultural theory (RCT) within its plot, such as growthfostering relationships, controlling images, and relational images. Various characters’ plotlines are discussed in relation to what RCT identifies as paramount tenets of human development and mental health. The authors also briefly discuss other counseling issues touched on within the film (i.e., affectional identity, sexual assault, and relational violence). KEYWORDS relational-cultural theory, film review, relationships, creativity in counseling

Audiences love to watch coming-of-age tales set against the backdrop of high school angst. One can look to the success and cult following of The Breakfast Club (Tanen & Hughes, 1985), which still has a name with adolescents through recycled references in modern films (i.e., Easy A [Devine & Gluck, 2010] and Pitch Perfect [Brooks, Handelman, Banks, & Moore, 2012]). Adding to the coming-of-age genre was 2012’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Halfon, Smith, Malkovich, & Chbosky, 2012), based on the novel of the same name by Stephen Chbosky (1999). The film follows Charlie Address correspondence to Tonya R. Hammer, College of Education, Oklahoma State University, 700 N. Greenwood Ave., Tulsa, OK 74106, USA. E-mail: [email protected] 258


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(Logan Lerman), who was recently released from an inpatient treatment facility for a suicide attempt, as he finds himself thrown into the halls of high school with no friends. According to relational-cultural theory, people suffer when they experience chronic isolation due to unfulfilled desires for growthfostering connection with others (Jordan, 2010). Such is the case for Charlie until he meets known misfit Sam (Emma Watson) and her gay step-brother Patrick (Ezra Miller) who have formed their own “Island of Misfit Toys” to meet their own need for connection. It is revealed that prior to the film, Charlie’s best friend from middle school committed suicide. Charlie’s other closest confidant, his brother Chris (Zane Holtz), also recently left his home for a college football scholarship. Isolation and loneliness send Charlie into a state of depression until he meets Patrick in shop class. Upon finding out Charlie has no friends, Sam and Patrick invite Charlie into their circle of friends. During a poignant exchange at a party, Charlie makes the observation that he thought no one ever noticed him to which Sam replies “Welcome to the Island of Misfit Toys.” The film accurately represents the struggle that individuals face in their desire to belong and connect with others and the experience of being isolated and lonely when you feel as if you do not matter. Eventually, Charlie, Sam, and Patrick become an inseparable trio, and Charlie learns what it means to feel connected and to belong. Charlie is not the only character experiencing disconnections in the film. Throughout the story, Patrick deals with his own negative relational images and his own expectations for his role in relationships in comparison to society’s expectations. Patrick is dating the closeted high school quarterback, Brad (Johnny Simmons), and he is bullied for being gay. These interactions make Patrick feel worthless and unlovable. His social status has earned him the nickname “Nothing,” which even his shop teacher uses, and he longs simply to graduate and move away. One reason he reaches out to Charlie is that Charlie refuses to call him “Nothing.” Patrick feels as if he may be able to matter to Charlie. Patrick copes with these challenges via partying and isolating himself to the few safe people he knows. In a desperate moment, Patrick even kisses Charlie, who is heterosexual, simply because he desires to be cared for and loved and to make a connection. Sam also finds herself struggling with growing up, being a senior, and getting into college. Eventually, Sam reveals to Charlie that she has had sex with quite a few guys to feel some sort of worth. Fitting with controlling images that society places on women, Sam feels the age-old pressure to be valued via sex (Jordan, 2008). After this moment of vulnerability, Sam and Charlie find a growth-fostering relationship in each other and become romantically involved just before she graduates. Charlie and Sam also confront the issue of authenticity in relationships when he asks her, “Do you think if people really knew how crazy you are, they will still talk to you?” The struggle to truly be yourself is difficult throughout the life span but never


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more so than during those tumultuous times of adolescence. The importance of feeling accepted for who you truly are is vital in a healthy relationship and is demonstrated further in the relationship between Charlie and Sam when Sam says, “I want people to like the real me,” and Charlie, who clearly likes Sam, says, “I know who you are, Sam.” The characters in the film continually demonstrate the importance of connecting in a real and honest manner. Upon graduation, Sam and Patrick move away, leaving Charlie alone and isolated, as all his friends have now disappeared again. However, it is through the support he feels in experiencing a growth-fostering relationship that Charlie is able to process the realization that he was molested by his aunt, Helen (Melanie Lynskey). Due to these stressors, however, Charlie once again attempts suicide, and he is placed back in an inpatient facility. Charlie is visited by his family and friends while there, including Sam and Patrick. He eventually recovers and is released from the facility and returns to his everyday life. He and his parents are closer, and Sam and Patrick come to visit periodically. This film addresses many challenges today’s youth face when growing up. In a time when adolescents are encouraged to individualize, connection is often sacrificed. Charlie, Sam, and Patrick not only survived high school, but flourished because of their relationships with each other. Many clinical issues also present themselves throughout the film, including sexual assault, bullying, affectional minority issues, relational violence, and mental health concerns. The characters in the film and their relationships provide many possibilities for application in counseling and in training counselors. First of all, the film provides an excellent vehicle for helping parents understand the dynamics and importance of peer relationships in their children’s lives. A second possible use in clinical application is for working with adolescents themselves. Many adolescent clients could possibly see themselves in the characters in the film, and either having them view the film or watching clips together in session would provide catalysts for discussions. A third possible use of the film would be application in training counselors in either development classes or in diagnosis and conceptualization courses. The characters and relationships in this film provide many different possible avenues for use within counseling. Possibly the most important message of hope and human potential, a vital component of counseling, can be found in the final line of the film. While standing up in the bed of a truck that is speeding through a brightly lit tunnel, Charlie exclaims, “In this moment, I swear, we are infinite”—as all clients are if given the chance.

REFERENCES Brooks, P., Handelman, M., Banks, E. (Producers), & Moore, J. (Director). (2012). Pitch perfect [Motion picture]. United States: Universal Pictures.

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Chbosky, S. (1999). The perks of being a wallflower. New York, NY: Pocket Books. Devine, Z. (Producer), & Gluck, W. (Director). (2010). Easy A [Motion picture]. United States: Screen Gems. Halfon, L., Smith, R., Malkovich, J. (Producers), & Chbosky, S. (Director). (2012). The perks of being a wallflower [Motion picture]. United States: Summit Entertainment. Jordan, J. V. (2008). Valuing vulnerability: New definitions of courage. Women & Therapy, 31, 209–233. doi:10.1080/02703140802146399 Jordan, J. V. (2010). Relational-cultural therapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14295-035 Tanen, N. (Producer), & Hughes, J. (Director). (1985). The breakfast club [Motion picture]. United States: Universal Pictures.

Colton Brown is a Doctoral Student in the College of Education at Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tonya R. Hammer is an Assistant Professor in the College of Education at Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, Oklahoma.