The Enemy Within

The graphic novel Skim is an informative book that explores critical issues that adolescents
experience as they grow up. The school setting of the novel makes it easy for teenagers to relate
with, as almost everyone at this age is attending one form of school or another. There are many
themes that Tamaki touches on in Skim. However, I think that her primary theme in the novel is
the effect of toxic friendships and relationships on teenagers’ emotional wellbeing. I think
Tamaki is bringing out how depression, suicide, and bullying are often stimulated by those
around us. It is our relationships with those who are most close to us, and not strangers- that can
lead us to suicide and other negative thoughts. The effects of the toxic relationships with the
people close to us are what causes depression within us.
Kim, for instance, is affected by several relationships in her life. Her parents’ separation is
heartbreaking, and has caused her great pain. Her toxic friendship with Lisa is another reason for
her to feel down. In the first part of the book, she keeps trying to get Lisa’s approval but Lisa
constantly puts her down. We see Kim’s emotions spiraling downwards after her relationship
with Ms. Archer goes sour and the teacher seems to avoid Kim. Kim becomes severely
depressed, always looking gloomy and keeping to herself. Lisa tells her how everyone thinks she
is suicidal because of how withdrawn she became.

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Kim also constantly gets negative comments about her weight, even from her own mother. She
cannot open up to any of her parents or friends about the heartbreak she is experiencing, only
writing it down in her diary. If any of her relationships-with her friends or family members- was
healthy, she would be confident enough to open up and seek help. The only person who
understood her was Miss Archer and she had abandoned her. It is no wonder she felt as if a rug
had been pulled down from under her. Unfortunately these are the circumstances of very many
adolescents. Their friendships are shallow and they have no one to open up to and tell about their
issues. As a result, when they undergo challenges, they end up making wrong choices such as
experimenting with drugs, alcohol, or even suicide.
Another illustration of the effect of toxic relationships is Katie. Katie is affected by the
relationship with Julie and her late boyfriend. When her boyfriend commits suicide, she is
stigmatized by the people around her. She is labeled as the girl whose boyfriend was gay, and
committed suicide. These are very hurtful comments that could easily affect anyone. It is no
wonder she did not make it for the memorial, because she knew everyone would focus on her
and ridicule her rather than comfort her. Julie, who is her friend, uses Katie’s predicament to get
into the spotlight and gain popularity. She is not genuinely sympathetic towards Katie nor does
she try to comfort her. All these make Katie withdrawn, not wanting to talk or speak to people.
She even tears down the club’s board because she is angry at the hypocrisy it portrays of
supporting people like her while it is only used by the members to get attention.
Tamaki wants us to evaluate how we treat other people, and ask ourselves if our actions can in
any way drive them to depression or suicide. Not everyone is as strong as Kim, who despite all
the issues around her managed to pull herself together and seemingly start afresh. It is interesting
to note that most of the people who are toxic to others seem to have their own internal issues that

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they are projecting to others. Lisa, for instance, who is always looking for a chance to put Kim
down, seems to have her own issues going on that she hides inside. She has a troubled family
life, and prefers to hang out at Kim’s house most of the time. It is no wonder Kim is surprised
when she says that her family makes her happy. At one time when Kim declines to spend time,
we see her sitting at the side of the road looking gloomy. Another time she tells Kim that people
who are on anti-depressants do not look depressed-it is as if she knows this from experience.
Julie, who rides on Katie’s misery also, has issues. She badly wants to be popular and therefore
looks for any opportunity to be in the limelight even at the expense of others. Tamaki is showing
us that people who hurt others are usually hurt themselves, and try to bring others down to feel
better.
The book end on a positive note and Tamaki does this deliberately to illustrate how pulling away
from toxic relationships can be good for us. By the end of the book, Lisa and Kim are not as
close as they used to be. Kim appears more independent of her and is doing her own things, and
forming new friendships. She also seems to have healed from her heartbreak by Miss Archer and
moved on. Similarly, Katie is no longer as withdrawn as she used to be. She is happy and
enthusiastic about life in the final chapter. Her new-found friendship with Kim has made her a
better person. Their friendship is genuine and they do not put each other down. Tamaki is
showing us the power of letting go of negative friendships in transforming our mental wellbeing.
Although Kim was devastated when Miss Archer left, the relationship was toxic for her not
because of it was a homosexual relationship but because Miss Archer was her teacher. A teacher
should not have a sexual relationship with their student. It can be misleading and make the
student lose focus, just as Kim did. I think Miss Archer realized her mistake and how deep their
relationship was hence decided to pull away from Kim. Even her transfer was most likely

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motivated by their relationship. Even though Kim was hurt at first, the breakup was a positive
thing for her as she eventually emerged from depression much stronger and wiser. She will be
able to make better decisions in future.
Although this is the main theme in the book, one can argue that there are other themes which are
equally important. The theme of same-sex relationships is a major theme in Skim. Katie’s
boyfriend is alleged to have committed suicide because he was in love with a boy at school.
although few details are given about it as much of it are speculations from the rest of the
students, one can easily tell the kind of shame he must have felt for having such feelings. Even in
death, his school mates continue to stigmatize him.
The relationship between Kim and Miss Archer is the major representation of same-sex
relationships in Skim. It is important to note that unlike popular belief that there is something
wrong with those who engage in same-sex relationships, Tamaki shows that it at times happens
to the most normal of people. Kim fell in love with Miss Archer not because of physical
attraction but because of the connection she felt with her. Miss Archer seems to be the only
person in the book who gave her the attention she craved for, understood her and did not judge
her. Her intense need for such a friendship led her to fall in love with Miss Archer. People in
same-sex relationships might not be in it only sexually but because they connect emotionally. At
a time when LGBT conversations are happening more than ever, the relationship is an eye
opener and can be considered one of the main themes in the book.
Through Skim, Tamaki powerfully illustrates how indeed the enemy is within. The illustrations
given in the book using various friendships and relationships in the book demonstrate how easy
it is for toxic friends, lovers, and family members to influence others into depression and even

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suicide. During puberty especially, adolescents struggle to find their true identity. Having to
balance their inner identity crisis and fitting into the society can be too much pressure for some
of them to handle, resulting to withdrawal, depression, and suicide. Society should have deeper
conversations that increase the confidence of adolescents and let them learn how to identify toxic
friendships and relationships, and even be courageous to break them off. Like Kim, it is better
off to have a smaller circle than have a large toxic circle. Arguably, Skim explores multiple
themes that are relevant for adolescents of all generations.

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Works Cited
Tamaki, Mariko, and Jillian Tamaki. “Skim. Toronto, ON: House of Anansi Press.” (2008).