Results: The First Cut Is The Deepest

Sharp Objects is an eight-episode HBO series airing right now. Based on the book of the same name by The New York Times bestselling author Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl, Dark Places), it tells the story of reporter Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) who returns to her small hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely. It also co-stars Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina, Eliza Scanlen, Elizabeth Perkins and Matt Craven. Have you been watching the series or have you read the book?

Without giving too much away, (if you really don't want to know anything skip this question), the underlying imagery in this series, and of course in the book too, is cutting. In the novel, Camille describes her self-harm: "I am a cutter... My skin, you see, screams. It's covered with words—cook, cupcake, kitty, curls—as if a knife-wielding first-grader learned to write on my flesh." The words engraved on Camille's skin both reflect and foreshadow what will happen in the series. Words also appear throughout the series, "cut" into car windows, fields of grass, walls and so on, all giving the viewer a little glimpse into what will happen further into the series. If you have watched the series, did you notice, and realize the importance of these "cuts" and "words"?

Self harm and specifically cutting is dangerous and highly misunderstood. Self-harm is the deliberate infliction of damage to your own body and includes cutting, burning, and other forms of injury. While cutting can look like attempted suicide, it's often not; most people who mutilate themselves do it as a way to regulate mood. People who hurt themselves in this way may be motivated by a need to distract themselves from inner turmoil or to quickly release anxiety that builds due to an inability to express intense emotions. This type of self-injury is an unhealthy way to cope with emotional pain, intense anger and frustration A common belief regarding self-harm is that it is an attention-seeking behaviour; however, in many cases, this is inaccurate. Many self-harmers are very self-conscious of their wounds and scars and feel guilty about their behaviour, leading them to go to great lengths to conceal their behaviour from others. In the movie, Camille wears long sleeves and pants, to try and conceal her scars. Do you know someone who you know or suspect may be self-harming (whether it be cutting, burning, etc)?

Again, spoiler alert if you have not seen the series/read the book, and may plan to --- the very notion of cutting as a deliberate form of self-harm figures very prominently into Sharp Objects and its story line. To understand the very act of cutting is important while watching the series, but not necessary. It is still a masterfully written, directed and acted series, with a very dark message. Of course it is not the only book written highlighting this subject. Many excellent novels on the subject have been written, many of them targeted to the typical age of young people who self-harm (usually mid teens to early twenties). Because cutting and other forms of self-harm are almost always done in secret, and usually there is the guilt and fear of being discovered, for a young person to read a novel they can identity with and know what they are doing can be talked about, is crucial. Have you heard of or read any of these novels?