Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Structure and Style of the Book 

"The Perks of the being Flower" was written by Stephen Chbosky in 1991. The story revolves around the life of Charlie, a first-year high school student. The book talks about mental health, the social structure of society, substance abuse and other issues seen in the lives of young people.

The book is written in the form of a series of letters that Charlie wrote to someone he believed to be credible. He talks about all the events of every day life, how they influence him and how he feels about it. 

About the Book 

 
From the very beginning it has been mentioned that he finds it difficult to fit in, has little or no friends and looks extremely lonely. He occasionally mentions the best friend who committed suicide. Although his best friend has not been mentioned many times, it can be said that the incident had a great impact on Charlie and made him lonely.

Subsequently, he meets two seniors, Patrick and his stepsister Sam, and becomes friends with them. They introduce him to their friends, making Charlie feel better and much more included. One of his teachers, Mr. Bill, realizes that Charlie has excellent writing skills and gives him assignments with the aim of helping him improve his writing skills. 

His sister is also introduced in the book. She is described as a beautiful girl with a long-term boyfriend, who everyone seemed to think was not tough enough. This always led to her making fun of him by asking him to toughen up. However, once, when she’s making fun of him, he hits her. There’s a sudden change in his behavior and attitude. 

His late aunt Helen, with whom Charlie shared an extremely close relationship, plays a big role in the story. The book tells you that Charlie has flashbacks of his own childhood and he remembers the times when his aunt Helen was alive. 

As we approach Christmas, he has episodes of anxiety and panic that gradually worsen because it was around the same time when his aunt Helen died in a car accident.

Analysing the Main Characters 

Through the characters throughout the book, the author seeks to answer some of the questions we often face in our lives. The writer tries to find a plausible explanation as to why good people choose to love bad people. 

This question is raised by Charlie to Bill, and the answer he gives seems to be the core idea of ​​the book, "We accept the love we think we deserve."

This can be seen in various characters. Sam is in a relationship with a boy, who seems to consider that everything that is good about her is good because of his presence. She is shown to have been through difficult times in her life, and the fact that she thinks she is unworthy also plays a pivotal role in it. 

Charlie develops a liking towards Sam, since the first day he sees her, although he’s afraid to act upon his feelings. At the end of the school year, when Sam and Patrick are about to depart for college, Sam and Charlie talk about their feelings, and they start making out. 

However, Charlie starts remembering incidents from his childhood which leads to him panicking and leaving soon after that. 

We later find out that it happened because he had experienced sexual abuse by his aunt Helen. It happened long back when he was a kid and all these experiences were embedded in his unconscious mind. 

Reviewing the Book and its Inherent Message 

The whole book’s main motive is most likely to urge the reader to love themselves. The author, by writing a series of letters, seems to be trying to speak to a friend, a friend he sees in regard, no matter how he feels about himself. 

The book shows all the sides of being a teenager and isn’t afraid to cover mature situations so that it’s more relatable for teenagers. Many teenagers have experienced these hardships either themselves or by hearing about them. The character participates in activities that may be considered reckless, resembling the general teenage attitude. 

Charlie's story has a very real feel to it, which is why so many people can resonate with it, whether they are adults or teenagers. Although some of the themes discussed in the story can be considered ‘delicate’. 

What one can love about the story is that Charlie went from a geek with no friends, repelled by his peers, to a geek with supportive friends. This story is not about changing who you are or adapting, but about finding your own person and being accepted for who you are.

"The Perks of being a Wallflower" is a book filled with emotions. It is the epitome of a youth's life because problems such as harassment, abuse, influence, and drugs occur subtly but seriously. 

It's the passion, not the personality and surprising quotes that intrigues you and makes the book special, what makes the book more engaging is that it gives you a strong sense of how the character was coping with life's trials and tribulations. It encourages you to ponder over what life is truly about.  

“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.”

Written by- Tanvi Mohanty 

Edited by- Isha Singh