BOOK REVIEW: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

 The Perks of Being a Wallflower filled my goal of a banned book every month for 2024.  Triggers: sexual content, drugs, alcohol, suicide

My childhood must have been very sheltered.  I think it was due to mainly my families economic standing.  My mother did not drive, so I spent a lot of time at home during my school years.  I say this to explain my lack of connection with this story’s characters.  

I did relate to Charlie’s inner-voice that at times overwhelmed his conscience.  In adolescence we all have weird thoughts and ideas and tons of questions.  These thoughts need to be shared with a trusted caring adult who will listen.  Charlie was exposed to so much: death, suicide, homosexuality, sex, which created an “seen can’t unsee” mental picture along with alcohol and drugs. This exposure formed in his mind as “norms”.  This is what I have heard of  as “growing up” too fast.  Charlie is a gifted kid, facing the conflicts of his life unprepared because of his immaturity adds to his struggles. . He befriends older high schoolers who introduce him to a much more mature way of experiencing life aka having fun.  He was receiving counseling, but for naught.  He was quite possibly unsure of exactly what to share.  His home life was by no means perfect, but he loved his parents, older brother and sister, and they loved him, even though their arguments were numerous, which is normal.  Charlie loved his friends, whom he considered to be his true friends.  This is evident when he gave them very gifts that were very individualized and personal.  

The book’s format was clever.  Charlie’s inner most thoughts and questions about his life were posed in a letter with the greeting, “Dear friend,” who is the reader.  My heart went out to Charlie.  As a retired teacher, I feel I knew several “Charlie’s” over my teaching career.  A teacher’s impact can make a huge difference in a child’s life.  I am thankful for the teacher who recognized Charlie and “saw” him for who he was, a confused, bright child, who was trying to fit in and belong.  This one teacher was his English teacher who offered him book after book to read, understanding Charlie’s level of understanding and possibly helping him make sense of life as he knew it.  I LOVED this!  One of the last books Charlie’s teacher gave to him was The Fountainhead… along with this advice, “Be skeptical about this one.  It’s a great book. But try to be a filter, not a sponge.”  Advice that Charlie quotes a couple of times as he deals with his life.

Charlie is the “Wallflower”, observing and registering life around him.  A synonym of “Perks” is benefits.  Were there “Perks” from being a “Wallflower”?  Read this book and derive your own answer. 

3.5/5