The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is a coming of age book written by Stephen Chbosky. Chbosky is an American novelist, screenwriter, and film director. He is most famous for writing The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He came up with the idea of writing The Perks of Being a Wallflower, when he was writing a completely different book and wrote the line "I guess that's just one of the perks of being a wallflower." When he wrote that line, he realized that this could be something more. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming of age book which deals with the uncharted territories in high school, such as first dates, family dramas, new friends, sex, drugs, and well, being a wallflower. You may be wondering what a wallflower is to be exact. A wallflower is a shy and unpopular individual. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is the journal entries of a boy named Charlie. Charlie is the wallflower of the story. Before the start of his freshman year, Charlie discovers that his friend Michael has committed suicide. Charlie doesn't take the discovery very well and begins to scream at the counselors who are trying to help him. We later find out that Charlie has always had issues with certain things such as loneliness and odd cases that have taken him to the hospital. Charlie is also very studious and understanding of somethings. He is in an advanced English class and his teacher treats him differently than others. For example, he'll give Charlie an extra or different book to read apart from the class. Charlie is also in a shop class with a boy named Patrick. Charlie goes to the school football game and sees Patrick there. As he approaches Patrick and introduces himself, Patrick introduces his stepsister Sam to Charlie who is not aware of the fact that they are related. Charlie is awestruck at Sam's beauty and begins to fall for her. After the football game, all three of them go to Big Boy and they talk about themselves as more of an introduction. Charlie asks Sam and Patrick how long they have been together and they laugh at him and begin to explain that they are siblings. Charlie has a dream about Sam that night which is very descriptive and he tells her the next day. Charlie begins to cry while telling her, because he feels bad. Charlie breaks down like this throughout the story. A few weeks after he meets Sam and tells her about the dream, Charlie tells his English teacher Bill about everything that he has been thinking about. In this point in the story, is where an amazing and well known quote from the book stands out. Bill tells Charlie, "Charlie, we accept the love we think we deserve." This quote stands out among the others, because it is a really true and beautiful quote. The thing is, we do accept the love we think we deserve. if we look down upon ourselves, we usually date jerks or worthless people. If we have confidence in ourselves and love the way we are, then we choose the right people. We choose the kind, caring, and loving people. The ones who are like ourselves. A few weeks after Charlie talked to Bill, Sam, Patrick, and Charlie all went to a party at Sam and Patrick's friends house. This is where Charlie experiences drugs for the first time. He ends up being stoned and walks in on Patrick and Brad, the quarterback, in a bedroom making out. Patrick explains to Charlie that Brad doesn't want anyone to know what's going on between them, and Charlie keeps the secret. After the party, this is where another amazing and beautiful quote takes place. Sam is standing in the back of her pickup truck, Patrick is driving, and Charlie is staring at Sam. They are driving rather fast through a tunnel and Sam lets out a joyous scream. Charlie then writes "And in that moment, I swear we were infinite." It's amazing! To just feel so infinite and complete that there's nothing in the world that can stop you. It's a beautiful feeling. In December, Charlie writes about participating in Secret Santa with Sam, Patrick, and all of their friends. Charlie received a suit from Patrick who was his Secret Santa. He also receives a typewriter from Sam that she has in her room and that is when Charlie has his first kiss in his life, and it's from Sam. At the start of the next year, Charlie begins to smoke with Sam and Patrick. Halfway through the book, Charlie begins to see a psychiatrist to help him with his problems. Charlie later finds out that his sister is pregnant, and a few days later, he takes her to get an abortion. Charlie begins to date his friend Mary Elizabeth, but he doesn't really have any feelings for her considering he loves Sam. Charlie loses his virginity to her and a few weeks later they break up after a game of truth or dare. Charlie was dared to kiss the prettiest girl in the room and he kissed Sam, not Mary Elizabeth. Charlie didn't speak with anyone for about a month after the incident. He became slightly depressed. Towards the end of the story, Patrick and Charlie began to talk again, but it was about things that were different than usual. Brad and Patrick never spoke again after Brad's dad caught them together, mind you that this took place during the early 90's and being gay was frowned upon. A few weeks after Brad and Patrick were caught, Brad calls Patrick "a faggot" in the cafeteria. Patrick hits Brad and Brad's friends begin to hit Patrick. Charlie gets involved and hurts Brad's friends. They all got in trouble, but Charlie got the least of it and only had detention. After his last day of detention, Sam was waiting for him afterwards. After they talked things through, everyone was friends again. Patrick and Charlie begin to hang out more than often and eventually Patrick kisses Charlie because he is drunk. Charlie lets him, because he says "That's what friends are for." It is now the beginning of June, and Sam, Patrick, Charlie's sister, and all of their friends are graduating soon. After the prom, Sam and her boyfriend, Craig ended up breaking up and Charlie wasn't exactly happy although you'd think he would be. He was actually rather sad, cause she wasn't as happy as she usually was. After the graduation, Charlie met up with all of his friends at a club. Sam was talking to Charlie about how she was leaving in a week to attend the summer program at the college she was attending. The night before Sam left, all of their friends were together at Sam and Patrick's house. After everyone left and it was only Charlie, Sam, and Patrick, Patrick went up to his room and Sam and Charlie were left alone. Sam and Charlie end up kissing and almost 'doing it' until Charlie all of a sudden loses himself and they stop. The next day Sam leaves and they all say their goodbyes. As the book comes to a close, Charlie is in the hospital and his parents, sister, Sam, and Patrick are there. A few days later, Charlie is released and Charlie is in the back of Sam's pickup truck as they drive through the tunnel. The book ends with him about to stat his Sophomore year and how he is finally becoming himself again.
