Not content with just one infodump post? Check out this month’s trio, where we dive into the world of emotions, and how our feelings can inform and guide us.
First, check out The Language of Emotions by Karla McLaren for a life-changing look at how even “bad” or uncomfortable feelings provide us with valuable insights into our lives.
Next, read the novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower for a young person’s journey through trauma, loneliness, and ultimately, healing. Finally, view the film Inside Out for a dramatization of our inner emotional lives.
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NON-FICTION
McLaren, Karla. The Language of Emotions.* Sounds True Adult, 2010.
FICTION
Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower.* MTV Books, 2012.
FILM
Inside Out.* Directed by Pete Docter, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2015.
Discussion Questions
- How does “The Language of Emotions” help us understand the nuanced feelings experienced by Charlie in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”? Consider specific emotions Charlie struggles with, such as panic, and how McLaren’s approach to naming and understanding emotions could provide insight.
- In “Inside Out,” Riley’s emotions are personified as characters, and play a crucial role in her well-being. How do these representations compare to the ways Charlie’s friends and family support him in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”? What similarities and differences can you identify?
- Both “Inside Out” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” deal with sadness as a significant emotion. Using concepts from “The Language of Emotions,” discuss how each work portrays sadness and its impact on the characters’ lives.
- Riley in “Inside Out” and Charlie in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” both experience moments of joy. How does McLaren’s description of joy in “The Language of Emotions” deepen our understanding of these characters’ happy moments?
- Trauma is a recurring theme in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and is subtly present in “Inside Out.” How does “The Language of Emotions” address trauma, and how can its principles be applied to understand the characters’ emotional journeys in these works?
- How do the characters in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “Inside Out” demonstrate emotional intelligence? Use McLaren’s framework from “The Language of Emotions” to evaluate their growth and understanding of their own and others’ emotions.
- According to “The Language of Emotions,” anger serves a protective function. Analyze instances where anger appears in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “Inside Out,” and discuss how this perspective might change your view of these moments.
- Both Charlie in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and Riley in “Inside Out” go through healing processes. Using insights from “The Language of Emotions,” discuss how their emotional journeys reflect the stages of healing McLaren describes.
