What Are The Similarities Between The Perks Of Being A Wallflower And A Long Way Gone

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The novels, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and A Long Way Gone, both contain different settings, plots, resolutions, etc., yet Charlie, from The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Ishmael, from A Long Way Gone, are different. Although they both have different motives for doing drugs, and they both have significant loved ones that pass away, they are similar because they both have loved ones that pass away and they are very caring. Loved ones who passed away also play a noteworthy part in both stories. Charlie’s best friend, Michael commits suicide and his aunt, Helen dies from a car accident. At the beginning of the novel, Charlie feels guilt-ridden, lonely, and angry because he is aware that Michael could have talked to him about his problems instead of committing suicide.This left him with a large amount of guilt. His aunt, Helen, dies in a car accident while going to get Charlie a gift. Charlie …show more content…

They have different motives for abusing the drugs. While Ishmael relies on drugs to keep him sane because he suffers from PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. Past images of destruction and agony through his mind and through nightmares. Granted, he is a lonely child soldier. He witnessed mass murder, destruction, and other types of gruesome violence. These experiences are adult like experiences that a child cannot handle. As a result, drugs transform Ishmael into a killer. Post war, he was very passive and would not kill anyone without a reason, but being in the war while taking drugs, causes him to transform into a killing machine. Charlie also abuses drugs, but for a different reason. Charlie uses drugs for his own free will. He doesn't have a definite reason for abusing drugs. He did it because it gave him pleasure; this led to his drug addiction. Charlie gets help from a therapist and goes through rehab, yet Ishmael gets sent to a rehabilitation center to get

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