The movie begins with Dawn in art class showing a display of what she designed for the Winter Carnival. Some of the girls in her class didn't like her display. The girls laughed at the design and made fun of Dawn for thinking up something so silly. When they left the room, Dawn grabbed a box cutter sitting on her art easel and ran to the bathroom. In the stall, Dawn sits and rocks back and forth, upset with the humilation of not having a good idea for the Winter Carnival. She stares at the box cutter, rolls up her sleeve, and then starts making small cuts on her forearm. After inflicting pain to herself, Dawn feels better and walks home.
While eating dinner with her parents, Dawn notices tension between her mother and father. She tries to talk with them but all her parents can do is ignore her and start arguing with each other. Dawn tries to speak with them individually. Her father, Russell, is always distant, doesn't show affection, and can't communicate with her. Her mother, Joyce, can only speak of herself and is always taking the focus away from Dawn. It's bad enough her school life is unstable, she hates that her home life is the exact same way. Trying to find salvation from both worlds, Dawn turns to 19-year old Craig, who has no romantic interest in her but only how physical he can get with her. Dawn, unaware of his real motive of being with her, feels that he is the only one she can turn to.
After another day of humilation in school with the same girls, Dawn runs downstairs to the school's boiler room. She grabs the box cutter, rolls up her sleeve and releases her anger. After cutting, the satisfied look on Dawn's face shows how her self-injuries are helping her to deal with everything. She can now go back upstairs to finish her school day. Dawn returns to class and while passing out papers, the teacher notices blood on Dawn's sleeve and sends her to the school nurse. The principal calls her parents to talk about what Dawn has been doing to herself. They take Dawn home. In the back seat of the car, Dawn doesn't know what her parents are thinking. Russell, still distant, doesn't know what to say to her and Joyce, humiliated, doesn't want to be blamed for her behavior and demands that she stops. Making sure that the cutting does stops, Joyce hides all the knives, razors, fingernail filers, and scissors. Frustrated that her mother is treating her like a child and her father doesn't understand her, Dawn tries to find ways to cut herself but is unable to find anything sharp to cut with so she ends up running to the garage, sitting in the car and grabs the cigarette lighter. She rolls up her sleeve and burns herself. She burns herself so badly, she is rushed to the emergency room. Her parents, giving up on trying to help her, insist on sending her to visit with a therapist, Dr. Parella.
Visiting Dr. Parella on a regular basis is helping Dawn to better understand that she is cutting herself because she is unable to express her feelings verbally and emotionally. Dr. Parella advises Dawn to express those feelings. Dawn, knowing that her mother is one of the main reasons, confronts her. Joyce right away gets defensive and angry that she is being blamed. She then decides to leave the family so she explains to Dawn that it would be better if she left so that Dawn could get better. Dawn, very upset, runs to Dr. Parella's office and starts crying about her mother leaving. Dr. Parella apologizes but is pleased that Dawn is crying. She explains to Dawn that if tears can take the place of blood, then Dawn has begun the long road to recovery.
Lizzy =)
No comments:
Post a Comment