Traumatic Childhood in Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin

Abstract

This paper analyzes child molestation as trauma in Gregg Araki’s directed movie Mysterious Skin in the light of trauma studies. The movie explores the aftermath of child molestation through the stories of two young men, Neil and Brian. Neil is a young hustler who remembers being molested by his Little League coach. Brian is a young man who believes he was abducted by aliens. This research paper, therefore, focusing on Brian and Neil, protagonist of the movie, deals with three specific questions: what purpose does the movie serve while portraying characters like Brian and Neil? Why are the protagonists depicted in physical and psychological discomfort? And how the movie illuminate’s trauma as the consequences of child molestation? To answer these questions, this paper embodies Cathy Caruth’s analytical observation of trauma, most specifically ‘unclaimed experience’ and slightly adopts Dominick Lacapra’s notion of ‘working through,’ with special focus to demonstrate how the two characters strive to curtail the impact of trauma. The paper argues, Araki's film is a powerful and disturbing exploration of the long-term effects of child molestation. The film shows how the trauma can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and self-harm, depicting how the trauma can damage relationships and make it difficult for victims to trust others. The paper reveals that Mysterious Skin is an important film that raises awareness of the issue of child molestation which is a valuable resource for victims of child molestation and their loved ones. The sexual urges principally associated with the skin is the mysterious agency of human beings that does not merely changes the body reaction but also change the experiences, reality and destiny of human beings. Keywords: Molestation, Sexuality, Trauma, Memory and Hallucination