Extraordinary: 5 lessons about mental health from the 2017 film

Yesterday, 09/29, Globo broadcast the film “Extraordinary”, and brought to light people's interest in knowing more about the film, since this 2017 work is characterized by its very strong emotional content. 

And it's no wonder. The film addresses extremely necessary issues, which for a long time were considered minor, but are actually very important, such as the impact of judgment, the difficulty in accepting who we are, the evil we can do – or receive. 

The work is inspired by the book by RJ Palacio and was a box office record upon its release. Even some time after its peak, it continues to be applauded by those who watch or read it. 

Still bringing up the mental health bias, in this content you will read:

• What is the movie Wonder about?
• How can judgment affect our mental health?
• 5 lessons about mental health from the movie Wonder

What is the movie Wonder about?

The film and book Wonder tells the story of Auggie, August Pullman, who is a 10-year-old boy who was born with a rare disease that “deforms” his face and makes it difficult for him to breathe and eat.

To solve these health issues, he underwent numerous surgeries, but even so he continued to look different from other children, which ended up causing insecurity when appearing in front of people. 

Therefore, most of the time when he is in public, he is wearing his astronaut helmet, which makes him more comfortable to “expose” himself, without the other children being scared by his appearance. 

The scenario

Given this context, the story takes place when he is in 5th grade, and he has to deal with different issues arising from this phase of life: friendships, adventures, school activities, as he will finally attend school. 

Until then, he studied at home with his mother's guidance.

Having to deal with so many different situations is quite a challenge. And I'll stop talking here so as not to give away any spoilers. 

How judgment can affect our mental health 

The fact is that, understanding the story, you can already imagine how difficult it is to be a child in Auggie's shoes. Healthy on the inside, but different on the outside. Constantly judged before he can even say a word. 

Does this story sound familiar to you?

Today, this situation is even more intense, after all, we end up exposing ourselves even more through social media.

Auggie, as you will discover when you read the book or watch the movie, was a normal child. However, he had to face many situations. 

Most of us, with our “normal” faces and bodies, are impacted daily by a beauty dictatorship implemented by influencers and cosmetics companies and we end up feeling on the fringes of what is “correct” or “normal”. 

And this applies to the other side as well: how many times do we judge people we don't even know because of the clothes they're wearing, some specific feature, their body, their skin color?

This type of attitude needs to be rethought as soon as possible, as people are getting sick for this reason. 

5 lessons about mental health from the movie Wonder

And that's why the film Wonder is so current and moving: it shows how we, in different situations and with different appearances, need to learn to live in this world that has very hostile parameters. 

The last two years that we have been dealing with this pandemic situation have taught us many things, and one of them is how much our mental health needs our attention. 

Choosing to watch films like Wonder, besides being very enjoyable, helps us to insert very important lessons into our lives, in a very subtle and interesting way. 

Check out 5 lessons from the film Wonder below. 

Don't judge someone by their appearance

There is a very basic premise regarding judging someone's appearance, and it is as follows:

And what's the reason for this? Maybe someone just got out of lunch and has a lettuce in their teeth: let them know. 

Who knows, maybe the label on her blouse is sticking out and she didn't notice: let her know. 

Maybe there's a little dirt she hadn't seen: it doesn't hurt to be kind and let her know. 

All of this takes less than five minutes to change, right? Now, the other extreme:

“Wow, you’ve gotten so fat!” – Is it any of your business? No! Then…don’t talk. 

And this goes for hair changes, cosmetic procedures or lack thereof, and anything else that CANNOT be changed in five minutes. After all, is telling someone that they've gained weight going to make a difference in their life? It'll probably just make them more insecure about themselves. 

Just as we feel extremely uncomfortable when someone gives an opinion that we didn't ask for, we can't do that to other people. 

Teach children about the dangers of bullying

Because they don't have this filter of what is morally right or wrong, children can end up being cruel. 

It is the parents' job to teach what is right and wrong, and how a child who is bullied can become.

Own up to mistakes

Perhaps this is the most difficult thing for human beings today: to admit their own mistakes, to take off the mask and recognize: I am flawed, I didn't mean to be, but I made a mistake and I want to improve. 

Owning up to one's mistakes is one of the greatest acts of courage a person can have. 

Face your fears

Auggie, in Wonder, was forced to deal with numerous situations that he was not used to. He was afraid. 

How many times in our lives do we feel bad, insecure, afraid of the unknown – or even the known – and want to give up?

It's that saying: if you're afraid, go ahead and be afraid!

Always choose to be kind

And yes, always choose to be kind, because each of us faces a silent battle. 

Did you like the content?

So, are you going to read the book or watch the movie? Take the opportunity to read it too Round 6: 5 finance lessons from the new Netflix series.

Nathalia Silva September 30, 2021