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Week 8

 I didn't really enjoy this week's film Mysterious Skin (2004) since there were some triggering scenes. I never agree with sexually abusing children, especially in a really young age because that would traumatize and affect the children in some ways. Mysterious Skin is a good example of showing that fact but it is just too triggering because of the ugly fact.

Mysterious Skin (Gregg Araki, 2004)

In my opinion, both Neil and Brian are interesting characters. They both be traumatized by the same coach but they deal with the trauma differently. While Neil deals with his trauma by facing the truth, Brian deals with his trauma by believing in and being obsessed with the UFO. One character accepts the truth, and one has to run away from the truth. However, whether facing or running away from the truth, they are both traumatized.

The film left me with some questions: Does that trauma truly affect their sexual orientation, their identity? The neglect of parents for sure affect children in the way they deal with trauma, but how intense? 


Comments

  1. Madeleine CorumMay 21, 2021 at 1:03 PM

    I think trauma definitely does not affect sexual orientation, though it might affect how sexual you are afterwords, as some people become hyper-sexual (regardless of which gender they have sex with) to regain control, and some people avoid sexual experiences to avoid the trauma and regain control in that way. I think trauma is part of what makes up someone's identity, but it definitely doesn't define identity, if that makes sense? Like my trauma will always be part of how I see the world, but so will my queerness, my childhood, and a lot of other things.

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  2. Macy VetoMay 21, 2021 at 8:30 PM

    Hi Hong! I enjoyed reading your blog post. I think it's important that you pointed out how trauma effects people in multiple ways. Neil and Brian lives were impacted by their trauma in very different manners. I think the ending, when they are there for each other in the coach's old house, was a very powerful scene.

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  3. Xiyue ZhangMay 23, 2021 at 9:47 AM

    I really like your blog! I realized just now that these two boys deal with this thing in two different ways and it is the same thing actually. Yes, I also want to know that what is the role of trauma that these two boys suffered.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jessie AronsMay 23, 2021 at 7:05 PM

    It was really interesting to see how Neil and Brian were affected differently by their trauma. Especially Brian, and how his trauma manifests in him believing in aliens and UFOs. It just shows how trauma can affect different people in different ways.

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  5. fannie vazquezMay 23, 2021 at 9:14 PM

    I think your second question is interesting. And its weird to say but I think it depends on the person. Neil looks like he's always known its just him and his mom and although he doesn't work he carries the emotional and mental burden with his mother. She isn't a mom, she's more of a friend and that's clerkly seen when he is dropped off to go to New York. She cares but because she is more of a friend, he deals with his emotional baggage alone. In a similar, yet also different way, Brian tells his parents and they are somewhat supportive but there is distance between them. Can't really say much about Brians parents because I dont really remember them.

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