Perks Of Being A Wallflower Identity Essay

“Maturity is the ability to think, speak and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity. The measure of your maturity is how spiritual you become during the midst of your frustrations” ~ Samuel Ullman. In the novel, Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, the main character, Charlie develops through many of his endeavours, as he uncovers the true meaning behind identity, becoming more social and teaching himself how to move onward, consequently leaving him better off at the end of the novel. First, identity plays a very big role in this novel, as it draws the fine line between someone who is a conformist and a non-conformist. Discovering identity is shown on many occasions, but it is best shown within Charlie’s group of friends and his

At this point, Charlie stands up for his friend Patrick, shown in the part of the novel where Sam is speaking to him, “You ever think, Charlie, that our group is the same as any other group like the football team? And the only real difference between us is what we wear and why we wear it?” (Chbosky 155). The group of friends may be a couple of party goers, Punk Rocky actors, and misfits, but they all share the general goal of fitting in and discovering their own respective identities. Patrick grows to be a very influential person towards Charlie, as he learns to be more patient with others. Within the novel, Patrick is a homosexual who likes Brad, but it becomes difficult for him to express his love. At this point in the novel, Patrick is speaking to Charlie about his relationship with Brad, stating: “I asked Patrick if he felt sad that he had to keep it a secret, and Patrick just said that he