The other day I watched a film - The Way Way Back to be precise - and it just got me thinking. First of all I should tell you the plot: a shy 14-year-old boy, Duncan, goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of a water park, and resultantly, Duncan begins to come out of his shell. It is actually a really great film, and I have realised recently that I enjoy films based on introversion. This is partially because I certainly see some of myself in the main characters. I consider myself to be an 'introvert' as opposed to 'extrovert'. The official definitions of the two are as follows:
Introvert: a shy person // [psychology] a person predominantly concerned with their own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things
Extrovert: an outgoing, socially confident person // [psychology] a person predominantly concerned with external things or objective considerations
However, am I really an introvert? I personally would not say that introversion is about being shy. Introverts feel more switched on when they are in quieter, more low-key environments, whereas extroverts require large amounts of stimulation. Introverts withdraw in crowds, get easily distracted, hardly ever get bored and shut down when it is time to be alone. I can relate to all of these matters intimately; I am one of the few people who actually enjoys their own attention and I have done since I was little. Nevertheless, there does come a time about once a month in which I essentially transform into an extrovert. During this time I constantly crave attention, love getting out the house, like to explore, do things I wouldn't normally do, meet new people...the list goes on. And, when I am on the other end of the spectrum hovering around introversion, I tend to be confident and outgoing within my close friends and family (that is when I actually choose to socialise). Ultimately, I think most people can associate themselves with characteristics of both introversion and extroversion. After much deliberation I have come to the conclusion that I am, in fact, a good mix of both and I am happy to be that way!
In light of the topic of introversion, I put together a list of my favourite films referring to it (in no particular order):
1. The Way Way Back
As previously mentioned.
2. The Art of Getting By
George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who has made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.
3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world.
4. Garden State
A quietly troubled young man returns home for his mother's funeral after being estranged from his family for a decade.
5. It's Kind of a Funny Story
A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.
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