Friday, September 6, 2013

The Perks Of Being A Walllflower by Stephen Chbosky

Having never read The Perks of Being A Wallflower led me to add it to my library queue. I heard so many good things about it. Unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype for me but I could see how others would love it. 
The Perks of Being A Wallflower are a series of letters that Charlie writes to anonymous person for about a year. Charlie is anxious to start high school and someone recommends writing this anonymous person. Charlie doesn't want this person to know who he is but still shares a lot about what Charlie thinks and feels. Charlie is an outsider. He has few friends, one of them just committed suicide. Charlie doesn't relate to others well and finds it hard to relate to his peers. I think should have understood Charlie. I felt similarly to him in high school. But I didn't. Charlie does meet Sam and Patrick, a sister and brother, who befriend him and try to help meet other people. 
It's been years since I was in Charlie's position and I struggled with trying remember those awkward moments. I kept thinking would I have wanted to read about Charlie when I was in the midst of my own turmoil or would have I wanted to know about people like Charlie, like myself before I was in it? I would have a hard time recommending this to younger children. Plenty of sex, suicide, drugs, and abortion in The Perks of Being A Wallflower. And if I were in the middle of all it, I don't think I would feel for Charlie at all. I could see that others might have identified with Charlie and he could help them. 
Overall, The Perks of Being A Wallflower will make you think about your own teenaged self and how messed up that time was or could have been. I do need to watch this movie too. Others who have shared their thoughts on The Perks Of Being A Wallflower: The Unexpected Book Blog, All In Good Time, Book Whales, The Book Girl, and Reading At Dawn.

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