The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky was my second quarter book. This novel told a story through Charlie a socially awkward teen's eyes in a series of letters. Charlie very quickly became my favorite character because a lot of the things he's felt I've also felt before. Charlie is going through a lot of changes in his life having lost certain people in his life, such as his aunt and a recent loss of a friend and his first year of high school. Change can be very stressful for a teenager. I know this as I've gone through dramatic or difficult changes that can take some time to adjust to. Even though Charlie is the main character he's not usually the type of character that is focused in any other scenario. Most scenarios such as TV shows, movies, high school, life, the main person everyone is interested in is the popular outgoing kid that falls in love easily. So its nice to hear from a more low key perspective, a perspective from a wallflower. A wallflower is someone who "sees things, and keeps quiet about them". Charlie is exactly that he sees a many things that he shouldn't but hes not the type to go around and tell everyone. Being able to connect with a main character gives you a sense that you're not alone, and its comforting. Charlie went through a rough time in his life when he was younger and he's still dealing with it everyday it holds a burden on him. Charlie isn't the happy outgoing kid he's the kid who's quiet and has a lot going on in his mind. Throughout the novel you can view Charlie's character progress due to the new experiences he encounters, such as as new group of friends, and high school in general. You will see Charlie go through phases of happiness and acceptance to sadness and loneliness which every teenager can relate too. Charlie always tries to find that escape that can help him through life. Whether its reading, music, writing, or friends, he's always looking for a way to distract his mind which I tend to do a lot.