I recently read The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, and it is now one of my favorites. The young adult novel follows protagonist Charlie through his freshman year and completely new experiences. It deals with themes of trauma, mental health, abuse, self-discovery, and transformation. Chbosky writes in a way that allows readers to identify and feel empathy for characters quickly. I’m not an avid reader, but this novel intrigued me with its plot twists and complex characters.
One of the main reasons why I could not put the book down was its simple yet enticing structure. Readers follow the story through a series of letters written by Charlie as his freshman year passes by. His letters give him an outlet to write exactly what he is thinking. “So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be,” he writes in his first letter (Chbosky 2). Charlie confides in the reader. He shares his life with them assuming they will not judge his thoughts and simply be there to listen. While reading, I felt as though I was a part of Charlie’s life and had a responsibility to listen to his struggles.
While Charlie is fairly young, he is constantly in search for a deeper understanding of his family members, friends, and society. Instead of writing about himself in letters, he often writes about the people in his life, helping readers understand other characters better. He is deeply affected by the hardships of the people important to him. When one of his best friends, Patrick, is struggling, Charlie is one of his only supporters. He describes, “Patrick had this smile all over his face. It was a sick smile. Glazey and numb. He just turned up the volume. And drove faster” (Chbosy 156). Most would not notice that something was wrong with Patrick, but Charlie can sense a change simply based on his smile.
Charlie’s empathy and care for others makes you only want the best for him. I related to him more as the story developed and was eager to see how the plot unfolded. I strongly recommend The Perks of Being a Wallflower to any teenager, especially those who are struggling to find their identity. Charlie deals with love, pain, happiness, and grief, but through his letters to the reader, navigates his issues and finds confidence. I am still touched by the themes of this book, and recommend it to anyone wanting a quick but meaningful read.
I read this book for my banned book project last year and I absolutely loved this book. I love how the author chose to tell the story through letters written by the narrator. I think it provides a unique way to show exactly what the character is thinking and it makes it easy to see the development of the characters.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete