The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I first read ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ four years ago and can safely say that I wasn’t disappointed. I instantly felt a connection to the novel, I believe this was through the way Chbosky uses epistolary form to narrate Charlie’s story. I felt like this provided a more personal touch to the novel, allowing for a relationship to form between the reader and Charlie, the protagonist. Or at least, this was the case for me. It was almost as if I was the recipient of the letters and Charlie was writing directly to me.

The basic idea of the novel follows Charlie, an introverted wallflower, a nervous and shy adolescent boy who is terrified about his freshman year of high school. Charlie feels lost, he is completely different to his older brother and sister and his one and only true friend killed himself – leaving Charlie feeling completely lonely. Charlie dives into his reading, finding comfort and ultimately making a friend out of his English teacher, Bill. However, when Charlie overcomes his chronic shyness and approaches Patrick and step-sister Sam, the pair take Charlie under their wing and we see their friendship develop and Charlie’s character blossom. Charlie learns about drugs, sex, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, literature, friendship, love and ultimately himself. He encounters his first date, his first kiss, stands up to bullies, experiments with drinking, makes friends, loses them and gains them back. When a horrifying family secret that Charlie has been repressing for years surfaces, he has a severe mental break down and is hospitalised. In Charlie’s final letter there is a sense of hope and forgiveness: Charlie is being released from the hospital and has forgiven his aunt Helen for what she did to him. Charlie hopes to get out of his head into the real world, and wants to participate in life more, instead of using thought as an excuse not to.

Chbosky writes this novel beautifully and it is most definitely a modern classic. The narration is easy to get into, and although the plot of the novel is basic, the characters created are complex, particularly Charlie. His character is extremely relatable and I myself found I was experiencing emotions when Charlie was, his triumphs and downfalls became my own. I felt his joy, his happiness, his sadness, everything. I cried with him and I cried for him. I have never felt more connected to a literary character as I do with Charlie’s and that is the reason why I am so protective over this novel, the reason why it is my favourite novel. It is by no means a “feel good” novel, although there are “feel good” moments included, but when you read it you certainly get a lot out of it.

“Please believe things are good with me, and even when they’re not, they will be soon enough. And I will believe the same about you”

So the only thing I have left to say is: are you ready to do some soul searching of your own?

Reviewed by Brogan Wilson