The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I found this book's cover what my design and technology teacher would comment as 'aesthetically pleasing'. A nice fresh cover of grassy green that I could almost smell! But something else had also caught my attention, it's title. And the first thing that came to mind came in the form of a question: "What is a wallflower?"I had an idea it must not be anything too glorious for the title included the word 'perks' and did not fail to suggest 'a wallflower' is something that lacks anything good in the first place. So I did what any rational person would do and looked it up in my Oxford study dictionary. I didn't expect to find the word deep down, it sounded new and 'slangish' but I found it on page 783. But I'm not very logical or rational to be honest with you. I actually read the book before looking up the word. I suppose I hoped the book might explain its title better than a dictionary but we all know that not many books explain their titles. They just base themselves around the titles. And this book wasn't much different to my great and satisfactory relief, when I finally realised that if it had then it would have been one very boring book. Charlie is your average 'Adrian Mole' except he's just a little more of a 'Charlie' than he is 'Adrian'. And of course very intelligent (that's what his English teacher said, he got straight A's all through the year he wrote the letters so I really don't have anything to say to the fact I didn't feel he was completely interllectual). This book is about "Growing Up" and goes on for a year whilst lacking two days. At fifteen years old, Charlie has few friends, generally close family members and a painful past of losing his closest friend: Aunt Helen. Basically, Charlie just has a life. That is until he gets into high school. After Aunt Helen died on his seventh birthday he probably didn't think anything worse could happen. He was right, nothing worse happened. A catch though, things happened that were just as bad. His friend Michael, commits suicide and Susan who was a friend too decides to become popular. The lights go out and Charlie is alone. But he meets new friends older than him and grabs his English teacher's attention. His family has their crisis' and become closer and everything that seemed as if it was going to make things worse make life better. He falls in love, he breaks hearts, he breaks his own and he starts to understand and learn how to be a true friend. That he must give as much as he is giving now but also speak for himself and have a voice, that he decides later is a true friend. And he realises that his life from the moment of Michael's death or maybe even earlier from the moment of his Aunt's death had become one of those very old and slow, ancient records. By the last letter he sends he throws away the record and starts living again. This is the clearest pocket encyclopedia of high school divided into four parts and decorated with a soothing epilogue. Maybe it's because I read ANTHEM by AYN RAND before this book but Mr. Chbosky's book seemed almost relaxing. I felt I was reading from a regular diary belonging to a friend and as time passed I felt that I was reading real letters. By the end of the book Charlie becomes a true human being in reality. And yet you don't grow too fond of him that by the time you finish you feel that empty surge of lonliness cover you steadily. But if you do as I did then Charlie writes something at the end that relaxes you. Relaxes you because he assures you he'll be OK and that he'll make it through in one piece and make living worth it and most of all that he knows you will too. And somehow you know he's right-because he's Charlie. Oh..by the way, I looked it up and this is what it said:wallflower n.1 a garden plant blooming in spring, with clusters of fragrant flowers. 2 (informal) a woman sitting out dances for lack of partners.but I didn't bother to ask anyone for the real meaning that I was looking for. I already knew it without the book having to explain it to me. I had Charlie explain it to me instead. Of course I didn't really need one, I don't think you will either.

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great book and movie

This is a must read for people who works closely with children. Sometimes their pain and shame are pushed so deep within themselves, they don’t know how to share.

It’s a classic! Every high schooler should read this one.

I actually really like this book watched the movie right after and liked the book better but the movie was still good