“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky
While our kids may not be able to believe it, all of us were teenagers once, and we all went (or are going or will go through, for our younger readers) through a coming of age period. While in the moment it may have seemed quite overwhelming, and in some cases not a lot of fun, in hindsight it’s a whole different story… many adults talk about it as one of the best periods in their lives.
As such, it’s no wonder that countless books have been written around the concept of "coming of age". However, at some point it seems as if the books on the subject became quite repetitive; nevertheless, a few stood out, at least in my opinion, and one of them is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, which by the way had a feature movie released about it recently.
Just as a side note before beginning, The Perks of Being a Wallflower was first published in 1999 by Chbosky, and in 2012 a feature movie by the same name was released, starring Logan Lerman, Paul Rudd and Emma Watson. I haven’t checked out the movie, but it has a rating of 8.5 on IMDB, which is kind of a major accomplishment, so I’ll let the decision of whether or not to watch it in your hands without giving any opinion.
For those who aren’t familiar with what all the buzz is about, The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows the life of Charlie, a fifteen year-old freshman in high school. The story is narrated through Charlie’s letters which he is sending to an anonymous friend. Just so you know, the story isn’t about who Charlie is writing his letters to; it’s about the relatively painful life he is going through. Needless to say, he experiences many things for the first time, both good and bad ones, sometimes together, as is the case when he had his first beer and saw a girl being raped.
The way I see it, what makes this book truly special is the combination of brutal honesty and philosophical questioning demonstrated in Charlie’s letters. He doesn’t simply wander from one even to the next, he thinks, and it seems he has gotten quite good at it… some might say his thoughts are a bit too developed for a fifteen year-old, but I guess that’s way beside the point.
All in all, regardless of how old you are, whether you are still in high school or have retired from the workforce long ago, you will find something to keep you hooked to this novel, whether it’s being able to identify with Charlie’s feelings or the simple nostalgia of remembering your own coming of age.
As such, it’s no wonder that countless books have been written around the concept of "coming of age". However, at some point it seems as if the books on the subject became quite repetitive; nevertheless, a few stood out, at least in my opinion, and one of them is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, which by the way had a feature movie released about it recently.
Just as a side note before beginning, The Perks of Being a Wallflower was first published in 1999 by Chbosky, and in 2012 a feature movie by the same name was released, starring Logan Lerman, Paul Rudd and Emma Watson. I haven’t checked out the movie, but it has a rating of 8.5 on IMDB, which is kind of a major accomplishment, so I’ll let the decision of whether or not to watch it in your hands without giving any opinion.
For those who aren’t familiar with what all the buzz is about, The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows the life of Charlie, a fifteen year-old freshman in high school. The story is narrated through Charlie’s letters which he is sending to an anonymous friend. Just so you know, the story isn’t about who Charlie is writing his letters to; it’s about the relatively painful life he is going through. Needless to say, he experiences many things for the first time, both good and bad ones, sometimes together, as is the case when he had his first beer and saw a girl being raped.
The way I see it, what makes this book truly special is the combination of brutal honesty and philosophical questioning demonstrated in Charlie’s letters. He doesn’t simply wander from one even to the next, he thinks, and it seems he has gotten quite good at it… some might say his thoughts are a bit too developed for a fifteen year-old, but I guess that’s way beside the point.
The most interesting aspect of Charlie’s approach, in my opinion, is his tendency to question people’s true motivations for what they are doing, whether they can control them or if they are prisoners to them.
All in all, regardless of how old you are, whether you are still in high school or have retired from the workforce long ago, you will find something to keep you hooked to this novel, whether it’s being able to identify with Charlie’s feelings or the simple nostalgia of remembering your own coming of age.
 | Stephen ChboskyStephen Chbosky, born in Pittsburgh, is an American novelist who has also dabbled in cinema, being a screenwriter and even a film director, with his most famous work of writing being The Perks of Being a Wallflower, recently made into a major motion picture that was extremely well-received by all. |
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