Charlie's Themes: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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In Stephen Chobosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Chbosky wrote a coming of age story; about a fifteen year old boy named “Charlie,” and his strife to find his place in high school, and all the while trying to handle the suicide of his best friend. While learning many important lessons of life, and of its important relationships. Stephen Chbosky's purpose is to share with us, these common themes of isolationism, harsh society, participating, conflicting with emotions, and finally people treat themselves as they think they need be treated.
The first theme that “Charlie” faces is isolation, for his one true friend “Michael” committed suicide, and the rest of his middle school acquaintances either moved away, or decided just not to hang around with him, but this lack of peer communication is unbearable for “Charlie,” so one night during the high school football game; he attempts to befriend “Patrick” a funny senior from his shop class, alongside his step sister “Sam.” After the football game “Charlie” is invited to join them at a diner, where they converse and learn more of each other, and when he got home with high hopes of making friends, “Charlie” writes “It would be very nice to have a friend again.”(Chobosky, 21) Fortunately he does make these friends, and begins to tear down this barrier of confinement.
One versus society is a reoccurring theme that surfaces for “Charlie,” there are multiple incidents in which “Charlie” must protect himself, and people he cares about; meanwhile members of his family make impolite comments towards him. The first time “Charlie” is forced to defend himself, when a student speaks badly to “Charlie,” and proceeds to physically harm him. So “Charlie” hurts this kid badly, and feels really bad...

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...ally the themes that “Charlie” faces that help him develop along the way. First the misery of isolation and how terrible it is, for one to undergo without a group of common peers; secondly, that society is not always a kind place, and sometimes people will attack innocent people out of spite, and that participating is more than just being somewhere, it is to engage in the actions as well; also that sometimes people’s emotions are not always one sided, but they can be blurred and mixed. Finally that people treat themselves the way they wish to be treated, for they make the decisions in their lives, and they decide what they think they need.

Works Cited

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Ney York: MTV Books, 1999. eBook.

Ebert, Roger. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower Movie Review." Roger Ebert.com. Ebert Digital LLC, 26 Sep 2012. Web. 11 Nov 2013.

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