Perks of being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Perhaps, Stephan Chbosky chose a letter format to break that barrier with the reader by structuring the book to where the author is talking directly to the reader. It felt as though Charlie was writing to me personally. Someone who is real, just a person very far writing to me, and it made the story real. The book, being one sided and all, doesn’t give anyone else’s perspective or feedback to what is happening. There is no he said she said, it’s just Charlie’s thought and Charlie’s opinions. If Chbosky would have chosen a different narrative we wouldn’t all be feeling Charlie, we would have all these exterior factors.

Initially, I thought it was probably an old friend or maybe a distant acquaintance who Charlie shared an experience with. However, I don’t believe it was anyone specific, he mentions how he overheard someone mention this person, but maybe it’s not a person.  I thought about how it could be Aunt Helen. Just for the reason that she had passed, and the way Charlie writes these letters, doesn’t seem like he expects a response. I came to the conclusion it wasn’t Aunt Helen after the epilogue. He writes another later, the last letter, but there’s another one, where Charlie talks about his realization and kind of really begins his life journey. I think it was important to Charlie to just write about things going on. Some people go to therapy others write in journals, Charlie wrote letters and sent them away. Far away to where they wouldn’t return. I think it was important for it to remain anonymous.

I don’t think I see myself in any character but there are certain things about certain characters that I could probably identify with. Like with Charlie I would say I could relate to wanting to write to an outside friend who you could just sort of tell your life to and it wouldn’t matter because they’re not around so you could be honest and open about your opinions and emotions. For Sam, well I’m not sure how I feel about Sam, I like her. She just wanted what was best for Charlie. I just want to be Patrick’s friend. His character is just a bit too relevant to our social issues now. Mabe it just makes me realize how long social issues could go on for and unacknowledged.

Charlie, you either loved him or hated him. I would definitely say I do … just because he seems like he just needs a person. So, I guess he is relatable. He doesn’t really know why he feels the way he feels. People tend to mistreat things they don’t understand. I mean all I would really offer is understanding. Not that he was mistreated I don’t think, but it does come off that he feels misunderstood. Not that he ever tries to reach out to anyone about how he was feeling but maybe he thought no one would understand. I usually feel like my emotions would be disregarded or brushed off as unimportant.

I assume that transitioning into high school after one of the only people he considered a friend, passed away. I don’t have the words to describe how Charlie must have been so confused and probably didn’t even process certain situation.

Charlie gets influenced by Patrick and Sam, however I think his greatest ally, would be Bill, Charlies English teacher. I know his relationship with Bill seams insignificant because it wasn’t like Bill was his friend, he would just assign him books to read and make him write essays about the book, but Bill gave Charlie a real example of what a mentor is: someone to help guide you through tough times. I think that Charlie felt very attached to Bill because he felt heard and noticed by Bill. Maybe Charlie expressed something in his writing that Bill noticed. I suppose his worse influence would have to be Aunt Helen, for not so obvious reasons. The relationship that Charlie had established with his aunt was so manipulated. How can he know the difference in peoples intentions.

Well, all of these references helped set the mood, of not only the story but it was in a way how Charlie expressed himself. Maybe, that is how he makes sense of his emotions; by connecting it to something he could relate to.

When Charlie, mentions Bill “talking for real”, I think what he meant to say was he was saying something important to him. The last person to say he was special was his Aunt Helen; so it makes total sense why he thought it was strange or off putting.

INSERT TRIGGER WARNING

Charlie explains the bond he had with his Aunt Helen by remembering all the good memories they experienced together before her passing on his seventh birthday. That on it’s own is already pretty damaging to a child. We learn, alongside with Charlie, how Aunt Helen molested his throughout his childhood. Learning that at the very end of the book really put the book into a different perspective. Realizing that he was basically being groomed by someone he considered to be his only person to understand him must have made him feel so deflated. Was it all a lie ? What were her intentions? This all affected Charlie self consciously.