#BratTherapy: Charli XCX, The Apple, and the Weight of Intergenerational Trauma
It's a warm summer. You've declared it "Brat Summer." A time to embrace your bold, rebellious side. You're ready to live without rules, flirt with chaos, and dive headfirst into the deep end of what it means to be free. But somewhere in the midst of all the glitter and freedom, there's a shadow, an unexplained heaviness that clings to you. And no matter how hard you try to shake it, it follows you like a ghost from the past.
The Rotten Apple: A Symbol of Intergenerational Trauma
Let's talk about apples. Not just any apple, but the one Charli XCX sings about, the one that's rotten right to the core. It's easy to see the apple as a symbol of something tainted, something that looks perfect on the outside but hides something sinister beneath. This idea isn't new… apples have long been symbols in stories. As an archetypal image, the apple symbolises both the allure of knowledge and the burden of inherited sin, representing a duality that echoes through myth, religion, and the subconscious.
“I think the apple's rotten right to the core
From all the things passed down
From all the apples coming before
I split the apple down symmetrical lines
And what I find is kinda scary
Makes me just wanna drive”
But what if this apple represents something more personal, something that ties into the very roots of who you are? What if it symbolises the trauma passed down from generation to generation, the things our parents, grandparents and beyond carried with them, and then passed on to us? Sometimes without even realising it.
What is ‘Intergenerational Trauma?’
In recent years, our understanding of intergenerational trauma has evolved dramatically, shedding new light on how deeply our pasts influence our present. Researchers like Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, have shown how trauma not only affects the brain but is also stored in the body, influencing our behaviours and health across generations. Epigenetic research further reveals that trauma can leave chemical imprints on our genes, which are then passed down, affirming what many have long felt: the pain, fears, and unresolved issues of our ancestors don’t just disappear… they live on within us, shaping our emotions, behaviours, and even our bodies. Gabor Maté discusses this very thing in his book, The Myth of Normal, exploring how intergenerational trauma and societal pressures contribute to the hidden epidemic of chronic stress and illness, challenging the idea of what we consider "normal" in modern life.
This is where the symbolism of the apple in Charli XCX’s music intersects with the very real experiences of intergenerational trauma. Just as an apple can appear whole and perfect on the outside but hide rot at its core, we too might carry the unseen wounds of our forebears, influencing how we move through the world and react to challenges. This makes sense of that inexplicable feeling that something is inherently bad within you… the lingering of past traumas influencing your pursuit of freedom and self-expression.
One of the most profound explorations of this phenomenon comes from Resmaa Menakem’s book My Grandmother’s Hands. Menakem delves into how trauma, particularly racialised trauma, is stored in our bodies and passed down through generations. His concept of “somatic abolitionism” shifts the focus from trauma as purely a psychological issue to one that is also deeply physical, showing that the body itself can carry the scars of history. By acknowledging the intersectionality of trauma, the way it’s shaped by factors like race, gender, and class—you can better understand your emotions and the ways they’re influenced by larger social forces.
Foundational trauma scholar Judith Herman’s emphasises the importance of integrating these painful experiences into our personal and collective narratives. Herman argues that healing from trauma involves reclaiming control over our present by acknowledging and processing the past, rather than letting it silently dictate our lives. Her ideas remind us that understanding and integrating these intergenerational wounds is crucial for breaking free from their influence.
This is key to understanding why, despite your best efforts to embrace your Brat Summer, you might still find yourself grappling with overwhelming or out of place emotions. These emotions aren’t just yours, they’re echoes of the past, tied to the experiences of those who came before you. Recognising this is the first step in what I’m calling #BratTherapy.
Cutting the Apple: A Journey into the Past
Imagine slicing that apple in half, right down its symmetrical lines. As you do, you find not just seeds, but memories. Fragments of stories you might have heard but never really understood. Maybe it's the anxiety your mom carries, or the anger your dad never talks about that you always felt as you tiptoed around the house. These emotions didn't just come from nowhere. They're inherited, passed down like a family heirloom.
You might not even recognise it at first, but the reverberations of these emotions are there, lodged deep inside you, influencing how you react, how you feel, and how you see the world. And this summer, in your quest to be free, to live wild and unapologetic, you're hearing whispers of pain from those who have come before you. It’s confusing, and it’s scary, because you don’t fully understand why they’re there or what they’re trying to tell you.
The first step is to quiet down and really listen. Create the space to hear and feel. It might be painful, but it’s worth it. This is the essence of #BratTherapy — using your untameable spirit to not only confront the world, but to confront and heal the deeper parts of yourself. By doing so, you’re not just living your best life, you’re transforming your future.
Brat Summer and the Uncharted Territory of Emotions
Brat Summer is about more than just being bold and defiant. It’s about getting to know them. Defy the status quo of Insta-Therapising, which focuses on progress and self-improvement at all costs. Defy the narrative that there is something wrong with you. It's about facing the messiness of your emotions head-on. It's about recognising that the anger, sadness, or confusion you feel might not just be about the here and now — it might be about something deeper, something buried in the generations before you. It’s always easier to get to know the ghost than to let it go unacknowledged, roaming the halls.
When Charli XCX sings about the apple that's rotten to the core, she's not just talking about herself, she's tapping into something universal. The apple could be any of us, carrying the weight of what’s been passed down. It's worth taking a moment to recognise this. To understand that the emotions you're feeling might be tangled up in a web of stories that started long before you were born.
#BratTherapy: Healing Through Understanding
So, what do you do with this knowledge? How do you navigate the complexities of intergenerational trauma while staying true to your Brat Summer vibes? The key lies in embracing #BratTherapy. Using this time to not just rebel against the world, but to rebel against the patterns that have been handed down to you. Could that inexplicable feeling of unease you sometimes experience, even in moments of joy, be the lingering shadows of past traumas?
This is an invitation to reflect: What parts of your current self might be echoes of someone else’s pain? Take a moment to explore these connections. Healing not just yourself, but also the generational threads that bind you.
Start by acknowledging that the heaviness you feel isn’t just yours to carry. It’s shared by those who came before you, and by recognising this, you take the first step in breaking the cycle. Allow yourself to feel, to cry, to get angry. Let those emotions out, but don't let them control you. Instead, use them as a tool to understand yourself better, to peel back the layers of that rotten apple and get to the core of who you are.
Embrace the Freedom, Embrace the Healing
As you continue to live out your Brat Summer, remember that healing and rebellion go hand in hand. Embrace the freedom of being yourself, but also embrace the journey of understanding your emotions, your history, and the way they intersect. This is #BratTherapy — where you not only take on the world, but you take on yourself, diving deep into the complexities of who you are and where you came from.
Maybe when you finally get to the core of that apple, you'll find something beautiful. A seed of truth, resilience, and the power to grow into something new.
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