Trauma Disorders and Trauma Recovery by Charlie in Stephen Chbosky’s Film the Perks of Being a Wallflower

Abstract

Psychological trauma is one of the psychological conditions that may influence an individual’s emotional stability, behavior, and ability to establish interpersonal relationships after experiencing distressing events. This research examines the traumatic disorders and the stages of trauma recovery experienced by Charlie, the main character in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012). The analysis employs a psychological approach by applying Judith Herman’s (2015) theory of traumatic disorders and trauma recovery. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method adapted from Azallin (2025). The primary data consist of dialogues and scenes taken from the film, while the data were collected through documentation. The analysis was carried out using close reading proposed by Barry (2017) to interpret the psychological meaning reflected in the narrative and the main character’s experiences. The findings indicate that Charlie experiences two forms of traumatic disorders, namely Terror and Disconnection, represented by four selected data. The recovery process is reflected through three stages, Healing Relationship, Remembrance and Mourning, and Reconnection, represented by six data. These findings show that Charlie’s unresolved childhood trauma shapes his emotional responses, social interactions, and perception of himself throughout the story.