The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
I picked up The Perks of Being a Wallflower out of boredom. I continued reading out of concern; concern for the main character, Charlie. From the onset of the novel the reader has a bond with Charlie. Perhaps this has to do with the format the novel is presented in, or maybe it’s his eccentric yet sweet demeanor that draws us in. Whatever it was I wanted to know what happened to Charlie and even more I wanted to know good things were going to happen to Charlie.
This novel is written in a peculiar way, it is written as letters. Unlike other books I have read in this form, Charlie never identifies who he is writing to, merely referring to him as Friend. This gives the feeling that he could be talking directly to you, or me, or the milkman. All we know is that Charlie trusts this person to keep his secrets and understand his feelings. I, for one, hope that someone could confide in me that way, so why not Charlie? It is this bond between the reader and the character that makes this novel so interesting, it’s this concern for Charlie and his friend’s welfare that kept me reading through all the twists and turns of plot.
As Charlie grows the plot grows with him. New characters also drive the story, but, as in real life, many of these people have a tendency to fade from the spotlight leaving only the effect they had on Charlie. However, the people who have the greatest effect on Charlie are those who we never get to meet. It is through some of these past players in Charlie’s life that great changes come about in his life. As Charlie’s confidante we give him the ability to be himself and grow. I believe this is what makes the story so gripping, because we are a part of it. I would recommend this to any of my friends, so that they too may meet Charlie and understand The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
-Katherine