I fell for the wallflower

“Even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn’t really change the fact that you have what you have.” This line from Stephen Chbosky’s novel ‘Perks of being a wallflower’ has been stuck in my mind. I read this novel a long time ago but, it has kept its imprint on my mind. I go back to it all the time to feel the same things, differently each time.

I like reading novels. I will not shy away from saying I like simple, non-historical, fictional novels. I have read many such novels and forgotten about them. Only a few novels have the power to hold you from within. I am not going to write a review about the Perks of being a wallflower. There are experts out there to do this job. I am just going to pour my thoughts about the novel.

The novel is written in a very different fashion. Unlike other novels with chapters, it is in the form of letters. Charlie writes letters to an unknown person and talks about everything around him. While reading I felt as if all those letters were written to me. I felt an instant connection with Charlie. I felt like being a wallflower, I felt like watching the life from sidewalks.

Charlie is a teenager with past traumatic experiences. It gets revealed slowly and steadily. The letters took me on a complex, emotional journey. I wondered how a single novel can touch upon so many problems teenagers face. It speaks about suicide, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, gay relationships, toxic masculinity, teen romance, love affairs, fights, drug abuse, domestic violence, and whatnot. It blew my mind just reading about it.

Another important aspect of the novel, according to me, is the characters. Although I love them all, I love some characters more than others, like Professor Anderson. I admired his character throughout. He was Charlie’s guide and biggest supporter. That character made me realize how a teacher can impact a student’s life beyond the classroom. Professor Anderson was my the most favourite character. Charlie wouldn’t have survived and thrived without him.

I watched the movie based on the novel. It is directed by the author of the novel only. I wouldn’t say I did not like the movie. I somehow felt that novel carries much more depth. Some issues discussed in the novel are completely ignored in the movie. The casting, dialogues, and direction are on point, but I still liked the book more than the movie. I like the attention to detail in the book over the movie. It can be a topic of debate whether the movie was better or novel. I am just putting forward my perspective.

I am not an expert on novels but I am a fan of novels. I like to believe each novel gives you something. It might be a short quote or a big lesson. This novel in particular gave me a perspective on how big or small your issues are, they are yours and you are the one facing them. Don’t shy away or shoo away your problems because someone has bigger problems. You have to respect your circumstances and mental health while respecting others’.