The Perks of Being a
Wallflower begins on a somber note when young Charlie finds out that his
closest (and only) friend has committed suicide. Charlie does not take the
death well, and he enters his first year of high school suffering from severe
depression and loneliness.
He befriends his English teacher, who gives him books to
read throughout the novel, but his loneliness is not abated until he meets stepsiblings
Sam and Patrick at a football game. The two of them are both three years older
than Charlie, but they are quick to include him in their group of friends and
to show him what it is like to be in high school. They alter his taste in
music, introduce him to cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs, and invite him to their
various social gatherings.
Charlie's home life is not dysfunctional, but it is still
somewhat strained. His family is very present in this story, particularly his
sister who is also still in high school and part of a physically abusive
relationship. Charlie struggles to cope with his sister's relationship as well
as the death of his Aunt Helen, who is the only member of his family he ever
felt connected with.
Throughout the course of the novel, Charlie goes through
varying states in his relationships with all of the other characters,
particularly with his family, Sam, and Patrick. Despite his friendships and
somewhat decent home life, his depression continues to worsen due to the
imminent separation he will undergo when all his friends leave for college. As
the departure grows near, Charlie discovers a myriad of his own hidden memories
that sends him into a rapid downward spiral. His recovery promises to be a
difficult one.
Perhaps more than any other YA novel I have read, this book
conveys what it is like to be a troubled youth with no external evidence as to why
those feelings exist. The main character is kind and likable as well as easy to
relate to. Even if the reader has not gone through Charlie's particular
experiences, he fills in the gaps so that there is no room for confusion. Also,
the overall tone of Charlie's story is very conversational and easy to follow.
Charlie himself says that he writes like he talks. This conversational writing
gives the reader a sense of being present within the story, rather than as a
bystander looking in.
The writing is both engaging and informal. It is very
intimate, like receiving a letter from a friend. Charlie does not spend much
time describing places or people, but rather leaves these elements to the
reader's imagination. He does not deviate often from what is actually going on.
This makes it difficult for the reader to lose interest, since there is always
something new occurring.
The story is extremely rich in regard to emotions. There are
new and deep emotions on every page. It is quite refreshing to see the narrator
so openly acknowledge the variety of his feelings, but, at the same time, he
sounds incredibly… indifferent. This in itself gives the story a distinction
from many others. Charlie's passivity is quite the opposite from what one would
expect, given the depths of his feelings; he is one of the least defined
characters I have ever encountered because of this passive nature. Despite
this, he is very lovable and it is easy to become attached to him.
Not much is really revealed about the side characters in a
broad sense, but rather, there are little specific things, such as Patrick's
taste in music or what kind of poetry Mary Elizabeth prefers. I initially came
away from the story thinking I didn't know the characters very well, but then,
maybe these little details make them feel more like people after all.
This book is a great example of a young man coming out of
his shell and facing his issues head on, though it takes a great deal of time
and effort as well as self-actualization. There’s just about every controversial
teen issue in existence: abortion, homosexuality, drugs, depression, loneliness, alcohol, altercations,
physical abuse, sexual abuse, and yadda yadda ya. But these are solid issues
and are very accurately portrayed.
Plus, you can sit down and read it an afternoon.
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