The Perks of Being a Wallflower

 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a book that you will either love, or hate. Personally I love it, although it took a lot of patience for me to begin and understand the novel. The book is about a teen boy in his freshman and sophomore years of high school who has a lot going on in his life and decides to write letters to an anonymous person to share his story. He goes by the name of Charlie, and lives a somewhat typical teenage life. Perfect grades, loving parents, and friends who are always by his side, his life seems absolutely wonderful. Charlie doesn't think like an average person. His mind is so complex and intelligent, and he treats everyday life with pure respect and honesty. He tries to figure out the way things work and why they happen, and is very sensitive towards many things. His new friends Sam and Patrick, who are both seniors in high school, and happen to be step siblings, help him understand the world around him and they accept his tend to over think. His friends introduce him to high school life like parties, relationships, drugs, and most of all how to have fun and be carefree. Charlie experiences all kinds of things he never thought he would, and even falls in love for the first time. He may not be mentally stable, but that doesn't stop him from going though the journeys he has.

The protagonist in this novel is Charlie, as the book is in his point of view. The book never made a very clear description of what he lookes like, but in the movie he is played by Logan Lerman so it is easier to picture him in the novel. Charlie's personality is kind of all over the place. You can tell that he has a mental disorder of some sort, but you never find out exactly what it is. He has a dicfferent view on things, and he is extraordinarily smart. His language and comprehending skills are what make him able to explain his life so well to the friend he decides to write to. He is a difficult over thinker and is very sensitive. Charlie is very strong with an opinion and is not afraid to share it or ask questions about another, but he tends to go with the flow and ask for help and advice from Sam and Patrick. He is not afraid to share an emotion, he even tells Sam how madly in love with her he is while he is in another relationship and he is always 100% honest. His modes are a little bipolar, but that's what make him so special and easily liked.

This novel takes place in the 1990's in Pittsburgh, U.S.A.. The slightly old fashioned talk in this novel is what made it a little more interesting and had me do a little research of some of their conversation topics. It seems to be in a suburb area where everyone knows everyone and reputations spread fast.
The town is very simple with there only being one or two high schools, one shopping mall, and limited recreation areas, but that doesn't stop Charlie and his friends from always looking for new things to do. His house seems very cozy, but not really updated, as for when he goes to Sam and Patrick's house he finds it really high end and put together. The town gets a variety of weather, lots of snow in the winter and very warm temperatures in the spring and summer. The weather seems to always be at an acceptable climate, because Charlie and his group. The setting reminds me of how my mom explained her situation growing up to me. In a small suburb just outside of Winnipeg, with her family of 5 (Charlie lives in a family of 5 as well) and not enough technology invented to keep kids and teenagers inside all day.