The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
Published by Pocket Books
WHEN reading a book that has been regarded as a coming-of-age classic there’s a certain level of expectation before even beginning that, with many books, could lead to some disappointment. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower however, managed to surpass all of these expectations and bring me to the side of those telling all who will listen that every young person has to read this book at some point. It builds excitement and joy for all of the character’s successes, a sympathy and understanding for their troubles whether you personally relate to them or not, and somewhere along the way on the roller coaster of emotions, leaves you feeling satisfied, uplifted and just a little bit different than you were when you started it.
The story is told through the perspective of the main character Charlie in a series of letters to an unknown person addressed simply as “Dear Friend” at the beginning of each. Due to the ambiguity of who he is writing to, more and more with each letter, the simplistic and caring style of writing makes the reader feel as though they personally are the recipient and, by extension, a valued confidant which only encourages a connection to the characters.
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Near the beginning of the book it is made clear that Charlie is an introverted teenager with an attention to detail and compassion for others to the point where his focus is very rarely on himself. He’s nervous to go into high school but is comforted first by his English teacher who gives him extra books to read and write reports on outside of class, then by making friends with a group of seniors who actually notice and care for him the way he does with others.
With the help of his new friends Charlie learns to put himself out there more and have new experiences along with the calming nature of finding something to relate to in each book he’s given and discovering his passion for writing. Throughout the book he deals on and off with his long-term mental health issues, problems with his family, what it’s like to have a girlfriend to be in love and essentially to be young. He discovers more about himself, life and the people around him over the course of the book and builds relationship with unique and well-written characters, all with carefully crafted subplots that, as well as being important in Charlie’s development as a character, don’t just feel like two-dimensional props entirely for this purpose. This is helped by the fact that the main character genuinely feels for other people and tells their stories in way that’s consistently gentle – and, where needed, almost entirely selfless.
What stands out about this book is that everything about it has a poetic and philosophical beauty that never feels like it slips into the pretentious. The way this is done is first through the word choice: Charlie, despite appreciating the place of complex words and phrases, very rarely uses them over the course of his letters so to make his writing more accessible and friendly. Another key aspect of this is that the very quotable moments come from situations that seem organic and like a sensible time to think about life or identity, which helps to avoid the discomfort that comes from feeling as though a pretty or vague quote has been brought in where it really doesn’t belong.
I would so passionately recommend this as I have yet to come across a book that better encapsulates what it means to be young and feel infinite.
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