I
read this book recently so that I could go see Stephen Chbosky speak at the
Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference and it is one of the best contemporary YA
books I’ve read. Only John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars” can compete with
it. I’m glad Mr. Chbosky came or else I might have not ever read Charlie’s (the
MC) story. I was also fortunate enough to meet Mr. Chbosky and he is as great a
person as he is a writer. I hope he stops by “Page by Paige” to read the posts
this week. The Q&A with him at the SBWC was great, but unfortunately, I did
not understand a lot. The interpreter the conference hired was honestly not
that good so I think I understood somewhere between 50-75% of what was said.
Oh, how I miss the D.C. and its wonderful interpreters! I think I got the
general message of what he was trying to say for each question though,
thankfully. I will write about what little I understood on Wednesday, but now
I’m going to focus on the book itself. I have a lot to say, so hang in there!
“The
Perks of Being a Wallflower” is an epistolary (Yay! Fancy English major word!)
novel composed of Charlie’s letters to an unnamed “friend”. Mr. Chbosky
explained in the Q&A that Charlie was not really writing to just his
friend, he was writing to the world, so knowing the person Charlie is writing
to is not that important, but I think everyone’s curious as to who the friend
is.
It’s
also clear that J.D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye” influenced this book.
Holden and Charlie have a lot in common, but Charlie does not say “goddamn” as
much as Holden, haha. J They are both
coping with mental health issues and the loss of innocence. They also are trying
to figure out how the world works and how they can “participate” in life. I am
not saying that Charlie is exactly the same as Holden though. Charlie and
Holden are both unique and real characters in different ways.
When
reading “Perks…”, I did see a little of myself in Charlie, but I feel
like I’m going through what Charlie went through in college and not in high
school. I went to a very small deaf school and I was the hard-of-hearing nerd that everyone avoided. It’s hard to find an
intelligent deaf person (because many deaf kids are exposed to language much
later than hearing kids) so I just focused on school, Academic Bowl, and
writing. Me and my few friends observed life around us and I lived
in my own little world. I have never had a boyfriend. I’ve
never been kissed. I’ve never did drugs (and I don’t plan on doing so). I had a hell of a
Peter Pan complex, but otherwise, I was a good kid. I still am. I have a full-ride
scholarship to Gallaudet University. I don’t regret (most) of my choices in
high school.
In
college, I have friends that have gone through similar experiences in high
school. Drugs, sex, and parties are all around me and my friends and I help
each other cope with the craziness. You need someone to talk to when college life gets a little overwhelming. I still don’t
have a boyfriend, I still have never been kissed, and I have still never
touched drugs or alcohol. I now have what I call a “Sisyphus complex” instead
of a Peter Pan complex. I have professors that help me participate in life more,
and I’m starting to understand what “the real world” is like.
So
I guess I understand some of what Charlie is going through. I know what feeling
“infinite” is like. Just the other day, I went open-water swimming with my
group and the water was so clear and beautiful. I stayed in the ocean a little
longer just flipping and twirling in the water because I was happy. In that
moment, I felt infinite. I don’t know if I have ever loved someone the way
Charlie loves Sam, but I do know what it’s like to love someone who does not love
you the way you love them. I understand that it’s okay and that sometimes
people don’t love you back, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop loving them.
You just have to be careful about what you do with that love and that you don’t
hurt yourself or that person with it. I’m not sure if Bill the teacher would agree with me
here, but I agree with me. Charlie and I also needed the courage to find our own
way to participate in life instead of just thinking away our years.
“Perks…”
really is an important book. Charlie is wise and intelligent beyond his years
and has a lot to teach people about. The book is extremely well-written with an
authentic voice that rings clear throughout the book so writers can also learn
a lot from this book.
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