Book Log: "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

Part A: Book Summary

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Problem Novel
Pocket Books, 1999, 213p, $12
ISBN 0-671-02734-4

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the personal memoir of a teenage boy named Charlie. The coming-of-age novel is comprised of letters from Charlie to an unnamed friend throughout his freshman year of high school. The book has been among those on the American Library Association's list of challenged or banned books due to content dealing with teenage sexuality and drug use.

Charlie has been likened to a modern day Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye. He is shy and he's a people-watcher (a wallflower), and he thinks way too much. He's an introvert and has the sweetest soul; Charlie always hopes for the well-being of others in his life. Littered with pop culture references and issues that teenagers face on a daily basis, both the book and main character are easy for young people to relate to. And while it touches upon some of the more awkward and difficult subjects that teens have to handle, Perks offers a light-hearted approach that is not typical of most modern-day problem novels.

Charlie is very close to his family, and he often talks about his relationship with his brother, sister and parents. He's a very emotional boy, and he's been battling a sort of depression ever since his mother's sister, his Aunt Helen, whom he was very close to, passed away. Charlie often refers to “problems at home,” usually when talking about his peers. He has quite a nice home life, with a very functional and supportive family. Charlie almost seems an outsider at times, not square enough for the other members in it.

In Charlie's early letters, he talks about his advanced English teacher who has instructed him to call him Bill. Bill assigns Charlie books to read outside of class, and then has him write essays on the readings. Charlie indulges in each tale, from To Kill a Mockingbird to The Great Gatsby to Naked Lunch to The Fountainhead, and as he completes each essay, his writing improves. It makes for an interesting book, because Charlie's voice, already smart to begin with, becomes more intellectual as the story proceeds. Charlie takes on these assignments modestly; it isn't until Bill tells him so that he begins to realize how intelligent he really is.

Early in the book, Charlie befriends a step-brother and sister, Patrick and Sam, both seniors at Charlie's high school. Charlie's maturity is evident at this point. He's already in a frame of mind a few steps higher than his own classmates; he must hang out with the older crowd to fit in at all. Charlie is introduced to a new and liberal lifestyle through his adventures with Patrick and Sam. He soon falls in love with Sam, although she has a boyfriend and says that Charlie is too young for her. He learns about homosexuality because Patrick is gay. He eats “special” brownies at a party and, thus, learns about marijuana, and he writes a completely confusing letter at one point, ending it with, “Regardless, I decided to never take LSD again.” (Pg. 100) Cigarettes and alcohol make their appearance, as well. Charlie also talks about darker problems such as sexual abuse and abortion (he goes with his sister to a clinic so that she can have one).

Charlie certainly goes through plenty of “problems” in this novel, but takes them in stride, altering his view of the world with each event. It's Charlie's voice that keeps the reader engaged; he is so smart, sensitive, and observant, and each letter is filled with his passion for the world and what makes it tick. Throughout his freshman year, while Charlie is engaging in this teenage turmoil, he makes his way through the metamorphosis of a child to a young adult. After he befriends Patrick and Sam, he starts to wonder how he'll ever survive without them, as they are to graduate at the end of the year. By the end of the book, he has become a stronger person thanks to the friendships he gained, and he is looking forward to “participating” in his sophomore year of high school. “Participating” as opposed to “observing.” Charlie is a wallflower no more.

Three quotes:

“The problem novel, however, is based on the philosophy that young people will have a better chance to be happy if they have realistic expectations and if they know both the bad and the good about the society in which they live.” (Pg. 114)

Perks fits this criteria because Charlie is a very realistic character. He watches the world around him very closely, and observes the good and bad in everyone and everything. A young, naïve reader will learn to analyze situations they find themselves in, and they will find that there are multiple ways to get out of a tough spot. The book deals with many problems that young adults are inclined to run into, and Perks prepares its reader for such situations.

“Many of today's authors write the way people really talk...” (Pg. 114)

Chbosky wrote this book in a very creative fashion. At first glance, Charlie is an under-developed writer, using simple sentences and an uninteresting vocabulary. He writes how you would expect any 15-year-old to speak. And since Charlie's letters are just his thoughts rolling out onto paper, it sounds very informal. However, as Bill continues assigning Charlie books to read and essays to write, Charlie becomes a very literate individual, and although his vocabulary for writing and intelligence increases, Chbosky still manages to keep the content informal and understandable.

“The difference in the books ... is that the problems are not as grave as are the ones described earlier, and there is some force or some individual in the story who helps the young person through the experience.” (Pg. 132)

When I began reading about problem novels in the text, I realized I should've picked the first book I read, Looking for Alaska, as my problem novel. Perks does fit into this category (although I would rather place it under the Pop Culture category), and even though Charlie faces some grave issues, they are not as unbearable as the major tragedies that most problem novels focus on. Even though Charlie himself is an introvert, he's not depressed about it. Somehow, his voice keeps a light-hearted tone throughout the entire story. And, of course, Charlie has good friends to help him through the issues he is facing.


Part B: Creative Response

Please see attached PDF for my creative response. Since songs and mix tapes were so important to Charlie, I decided to create a lyrical scrapbook of Charlie's freshman year in high school. The piece contains lyrics from songs Charlie mentions in Perks, as well as nostalgic images from his freshman year. I've also highlighted certain lines in the songs that I think would've been particularly important to Charlie.


Part C: Critical Response
1. March Aronson says that what makes realistic novels succeed is their level of intimacy. “Does a book have the potential to touch readers deeply so that, in the struggle with it, they begin to see and to shape themselves? (pg. 113) Explain how your book does/does not succeed in terms of this definition.

I don't see how the reader could not be touched by Charlie's intimate letters. Charlie shares his every though with his “friend,” speaking about issues that are common to all young people. When Charlie was sad, I was sad. When Charlie was witty, I was laughing. And Chbosky combines the elements beautifully. With a wide range of topics, the author constructed this book in a fashion so that the widest audience could relate to the content. Charlie's growth is inspiring as well. As he becomes an active participant in life, the reader, too, is inspired to push their own personal boundaries to the edge.

2. …in the best of the problem novels authors take the space to develop various strands of their stories and to show differing viewpoints and alternate solutions. [115] Would your book meet the standard as a “best” problem novel according to this description? Why or why not?

Cbosky offers varying viewpoints on many topics throughout the book. For example, Charlie writes about Patrick's relationship with Brad, a high school jock who doesn't want anyone to know about his homosexuality. Patrick doesn't care what others think of him; he's open about being gay. However, he can't socialize with Brad during normal hours. They only hook up at parties when Brad can pretend to get “wasted” and mess around with Patrick. This shows the reader both sides of the coin when it comes to teenage sexuality. One can choose to be honest with others, or they can choose to keep their preferences to themselves, however, the latter decision may cause just as much emotional turmoil as the first. Perks is all about conservatism verses liberalism, as well, therefore, it was necessary for Cbosky to offer alternative viewpoints for the topics included.

3. See Table 4.1, please, on page 119. How do the main characters in your book “come alive” as believable with a balance of good and negative qualities?

The characters in Perks are mostly inherently good. Charlie is a very sweet, sensitive boy, always putting others in front of himself. Patrick and Sam are good, too. I'd love to have either of them as a friend of my own. Charlie's family members were all very cookie-cutter, too. But each of these individuals possessed their own flaws. Charlie is too introverted and awkward. He fails to do or say anything that he really wants to. Patrick and Sam are both good friends, but typically put their own interests before others'. And Charlie discusses how both his mother and father came to be the people they are today – good, bad, and indifferent. Charlie discusses his own faults throughout the book. He talks about how he's too emotional (and maybe even too honest) for his own good.

4. What insights into either society or individuals or both, what worthwhile theme or “something to think about” are you left with after you’ve read your novel?

I think the theme of Perks is that you should take advantage of what life gives you, that you should actually live it. Sometimes as a passive observer, we miss out on important relationships that can actually give our lives meaning.

5. On page 122, our text states that “skilled authors can show what is going on in character’s minds…” Does your author accomplish this task? Give several specific examples.

Perks comes directly from Charlie's mind. His letters are so personal, the reader takes a tour of his most intimate thoughts, which are numerous. It's actually quite hard to summarize this book because most of it actually occurs in Charlie's head. In each letter, Charlie narrates recent events in his life, but he also interjects his opinion and desires regarding each one. Unlike most young adult novels, this book does not rely solely on dialogue to carry it. Instead, Charlie's commentary fills up the pages. It would be easier to cite external examples, such as dialogue, than to cite examples of what's going on in Charlie's mind.

6. Michael Cart says that what is needed today is helping “mainstream kids begin to comprehend—intellectually and emotionally—the dramatic differences that now define the daily lives of so many other teens. Kids need to learn empathy. They need to learn how the other can become us.” Does the book that you chose engender this kind of empathy? Explain.

Charlie is a very empathetic character. Right from the beginning, he talks about the loss of a good friend, Michael. Michael killed himself, and Charlie slips into a depressed state as he tries to figure out why he did it. “Problems at home” seem to be the cause, and Charlie talks at great length about how home lives differ from person to person. Since Charlie is a people-watcher, he is constantly talking about how different people act and why. He makes skillful observations of each of his family members, his friends, and his peers. And no matter what happens, Charlie wishes the best for each individual.

7. The acceptance of the compromised dream is an element…particularly meaningful to teenagers who are just beginning to achieve some of their goals and to discover the illusory nature of the end of the end of the rainbow…they are not sorry they have ventured, for they have indeed found something worthwhile, but it is seldom the pot of gold they had imagined. Is your novel realistic in this sense? What dream is compromised; what has been found worthwhile?
Charlie misses his opportunity to have a romantic relationship with Sam because he was too busy being an observer. She chastises him for failing to take an active role in life, for not taking her by the hand when he could have. As Patrick and Sam prepare to head off to college, Charlie falls into an emotional slump and is admitted to a psychiatric hospital for two months. When he is released, he has a new, brighter handle on life. He is ready to “participate” in his sophomore year of high school, without the friends who helped shape him in the previous year. Charlie had to let go in order to pursue greater ventures.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is Chbosky's first and only novel to date.