Book 43: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky's first novel, is an epistolary tale of Charlie's first year at high school in which he writes to an unknown 'friend' about his struggles. It is unsurprisingly full of the angst that is archetypal of its genre, as Charlie develops from a lonely 'wallflower' into the more confident friend of two seniors, Sam and Patrick. That said, Perks also deals with some serious issues that seem to increasingly affect young people internationally such as mental health problems, suicide, abuse and drug use. Each of these is dealt with in a highly believable fashion, and Chbosky seems to understand many of the issues that contemporary teens are facing. It is therefore unsurprising to discover that Charlie is loosely based upon a teen version of Chbosky, and that during the five year period it took him to create the novel, his aim was to respect, validate and celebrate teenagers' experiences.

One of the most interesting aspects of the novel to me was Charlie's desire for anonymity that was maintained throughout - the names of his friends had been changed to 'generic' ones and each letter was addressed 'Dear friend', even though Charlie had never met the person he was writing to. Therefore, the reader feels as though each letter is directly addressed to them, creating a personal connection with Charlie. Furthermore, by using generic names and removing identifying details, the characters can be whoever we want them to be, allowing the reader to make the story as personal or as alienating as they desire.

Due to its exploration of drug use and suicide, Perks has been banned in many schools in the US, a decision which I believe will only serve to propagate these issues - if difficult topics such as these are not discussed, even in literature, the enigma the surrounds them creates intrigue and, simultaneously, stigma. I think that everyone should read this book at some point, whether as a young person, a teacher, or the parent of a teenager, it offers a fantastic perspective into the difficulties that some young people face without condemning any of their behaviour, and for that alone, I think it should be celebrated.

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