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What Is the Family Secret in the Perks of Being a Wallflower

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1999 novel by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Perksofbeingwallflower1.jpg
Author Stephen Chbosky
Country United States
Linguistic communication English language
Genre Young adult/Epistolary
Publisher Pocket Books (original encompass)
MTV Books (movie cover version)

Publication appointment

 Feb ane, 1999
Media type Print (Paperback) and Audiobook
Pages 256 (first edition paperback)
224 (regular edition paperback)
ISBN 0-671-02734-iv
OCLC 40813072

Dewey Decimal

 813/.54 21+++++
LC Class PS3553.H3469 P47 1999

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-historic period epistolary novel by American writer Stephen Chbosky, which was get-go published on February 1, 1999, by Pocket Books. Set in the early 1990s, the novel follows Charlie, an introverted and observant teenager, through his freshman twelvemonth of high schoolhouse in a Pittsburgh suburb. The novel details Charlie's unconventional style of thinking as he navigates between the worlds of adolescence and adulthood, and attempts to bargain with poignant questions spurred by his interactions with both his friends and family.

Chbosky took five years to develop and publish The Perks of Being a Wallflower,[i] creating the characters and other aspects of the story from his ain memories. The novel addresses themes permeating adolescence, including sexuality, drug employ, rape, and mental health, while also making several references to other literary works, films, and pop civilisation in general. Considering of the mentioned themes, it was banned in some American schools for its content.[2]

In 2012, Chbosky adapted and directed a film version starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller. The film additional the novel's sales, and the book reached The New York Times Best Seller list.

Plot [edit]

Throughout the 1991–1992 school yr, Charlie, the 15-year-onetime protagonist, begins writing messages nearly his own life to an unknown recipient addressed, "dear friend". In these letters, he discusses his first year at high school and his struggles with two traumatic experiences: the suicide of his but middle-school friend, Michael Dobson, and the death of his favorite aunt, Helen.

His caring English instructor, who encourages Charlie to call him Nib, notices Charlie's passion for reading and writing, and acts equally a mentor by assigning him extracurricular books and reports. Although he is a wallflower, Charlie is befriended by two seniors: Patrick and Sam. Patrick is secretly dating Brad, a football game player, and Sam is Patrick's stepsister. Charlie chop-chop develops a consuming crush on Sam and afterward admits this to her. It is revealed that Sam was sexually driveling as a child, and she kisses Charlie to ensure that his first kiss is from someone who truly loves him.

Similar to his own experience, Charlie witnesses his sister's swain hit her beyond the face, but she forbids him from telling their parents. He eventually mentions the occurrence to Nib, who tells Charlie'southward parents about it. Charlie's relationship with his sis chop-chop deteriorates and she continues to run into her boyfriend against her parents' wishes. Eventually, he discovers that his sis is pregnant and agrees to bring her to an ballgame clinic without telling anyone. His sister breaks up with her beau, subsequently which her relationship with Charlie begins to improve significantly.

Charlie is accepted by Sam and Patrick'southward group of friends and begins experimenting with tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. At a party, Charlie trips on LSD. He cannot command his flashbacks of Aunt Helen, who died in a car crash on her manner to buy him a birthday gift. He ends up in the hospital after falling asleep in the snowfall. At a Rocky Horror Flick performance, Charlie is asked to fill up in as Rocky for Sam's boyfriend Craig, who was unable to nourish the prove that night. Their friend Mary Elizabeth is impressed and asks Charlie to the Sadie Hawkins dance and they enter into a desultory relationship. The relationship ends, however, during a game of truth or dare when Charlie is dared to kiss the prettiest daughter in the room. He kisses Sam, and Mary Elizabeth storms out of the room in response. Following this, Patrick suggests that Charlie stay away from Sam for a while, and the rest of his friendship grouping shuns him. Without friends to distract Charlie from his thoughts and struggles, his flashbacks of Aunt Helen return.

Patrick and Brad's relationship is discovered by Brad's abusive begetter, and Brad disappears from school for a few days. Upon returning, Brad is common cold and mean toward Patrick, while Patrick attempts to reconnect with him. Yet, when Brad derogatorily attacks Patrick'due south sexuality in public, Patrick physically attacks Brad until other football game players join in and gang upwardly on Patrick. Charlie joins in the fight to defend Patrick, and breaks information technology up, regaining the respect of Sam and her friends. Patrick begins spending most of his time with Charlie, and Patrick kisses Charlie impulsively but and so apologizes. Charlie is sympathetic considering he understands that Patrick is still recovering from his romance with Brad. Soon Patrick sees Brad engaging with a stranger in the park and Patrick is able to move on from the relationship.

As the schoolhouse year ends, Charlie is anxious well-nigh losing his older friends—especially Sam, who is leaving for a summertime college-preparatory program and has learned that her boyfriend cheated on her. When Charlie helps her pack, they talk nearly his feelings for her; she is angry that he never acted on them. They brainstorm to engage sexually, only Charlie all of a sudden grows inexplicably uncomfortable and stops Sam. Charlie begins to realize that his sexual contact with Sam has stirred upwardly repressed memories of him being molested by his Aunt Helen as a little boy. Charlie shows signs of PTSD from the incident and the revelation of his corruption helps the reader understand his views of relationships and love.

In an epilogue, Charlie is discovered by his parents in a catatonic state and does non show any movement despite being hit reluctantly by his father. Subsequently existence admitted to a mental hospital, it is revealed that Helen actually sexually driveling him when he was young—memories he had unconsciously repressed. This psychological damage explains his flashbacks and derealization phases throughout the book. In two months, Charlie is released, and Sam and Patrick visit him. In the epilogue, Sam, Patrick, and Charlie go through the tunnel again and Charlie stands upwards and exclaims that he feels space.

Charlie eventually comes to terms with his past: "Even if we don't have the ability to choose where we come from, we can even so cull where we become from there". Charlie decides to "participate" in life, and his letter-writing ends.

Background and writing [edit]

Smiling man, seated at a table

Chbosky incorporated both fictional ideas and personal experiences to the novel, making it semi-autobiographical.[3] Afterwards v years with these elements in mind,[3] he had the thought of writing the novel during a difficult period in his life.[four] He was experiencing an unpleasant breakdown of his own,[4] which led him to inquire why "good people permit themselves get treated so badly."[5] The author tried to reply the question with the sentence "nosotros take the dear we recollect nosotros deserve". This quote references the struggle of finding self love, encompassing one'south life and hope for the time to come, and not but romantic love.[6]

The story began when Chbosky was in school, evolving from another book on which he was working.[3] In that book he wrote the sentence, "I guess that's simply one of the perks of being a wallflower", which led him to realize "that somewhere in that ... was the kid I was really trying to find."[3] Chbosky began writing the novel in the summer of 1996 while he was in higher,[7] and inside ten weeks he completed the story.[3] He rewrote it into two more than drafts, concluding the published version in the summer of 1998.[vii]

Charlie was loosely based on Chbosky himself. In the novel, Chbosky included much of his own memories from the time he lived in Pittsburgh.[8] The other characters were manifestations of people Chbosky had known throughout his life;[9] Chbosky focused on people's struggles and what they are passionate near, attempting to pin down the very nature of each of the characters.[x] The characters of Sam and Patrick were an "anneal and commemoration" of several people Chbosky has met; Sam was based on girls who confided in him, and Patrick was "all the kids I knew who were gay and finding their way to their own identity."[8]

Style and themes [edit]

The idea of anonymous letters came from a existent experience; during his senior year in high school, Chbosky wrote an anonymous letter to Stewart Stern about how Insubordinate Without a Cause had influenced him. A year and a one-half later, Stern found Chbosky and became his mentor.[11] Past using a series of letters from Charlie to an anonymous character, Chbosky institute "the most intimate fashion" to talk direct to the reader.[viii] He thought the letters would help him keep the story cohesive, "to convey the highs and lows of existence young—one twenty-four hours, you're on acme of the world and yous've had the greatest of times".[8]

Critics accept identified primary themes of teenage reality and nostalgia. According to David Edelstein of the New York Magazine, Chbosky captures the "feeling you belong when among friends, yet yous'd soon be alone" and notes that "the pain of loss ... [is] almost as intense every bit the bliss ... it's nostalgia with an accent on nostos, pain [sic]."[12] Marty Beckerman of Discussion Riot said that The Perks of Existence a Wallflower connects with young people because its scenes are "then universal and happen to and so many teenagers."[13] Chbosky wanted to convey respect for teenagers, to "validate and respect and celebrate what [teenagers] are going through every twenty-four hours",[9] and said the novel is for "anyone who's felt like an outcast."[fourteen]

Read past all ages, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is targeted at a teenage audience.[fifteen] The book addresses a range of themes dispassionately.[thirteen] These themes include drugs,[13] friendship, body image, first honey, suicide, eating disorders and sexuality.[5] Chbosky appreciates the importance of entertainment in adolescence: "Books, songs, and movies are more than entertainment when we're young. They help all of us detect who we are, what we believe, and what we promise our life can exist."[sixteen] Every bit such, the volume contains several cultural references beyond all mediums: musically the book references The Smiths and Fleetwood Mac,[12] [17] literarily the book references This Side of Paradise, On the Road, Peter Pan, To Impale a Mockingbird,[three] [18] Hamlet, The Stranger and Walden, and theatrically the book references The Rocky Horror Picture Bear witness.[18]

Publication and reception [edit]

The Perks of Being a Wallflower was first published on February 1, 1999[xix] by Pocket Books through its MTV Books banner.[xx] It became the subsidiary's best-selling book with 100,000 copies in print as of 2000,[xx] and was included on schoolhouse reading lists and gathered a cult following.[21] By 2012, the novel had been published in 16 countries in 13 languages,[22] and that same year it placed at number xvi on NPR'due south list of the "100 Best-E'er Teen Novels".[23]

Disquisitional response was mixed; Publishers Weekly called the novel "trite", dealing with "standard teenage bug" in which "Chbosky infuses a droning insistence on Charlie's supersensitive disposition."[24] Although Kirkus Reviews said information technology had "the right combination of realism and uplift", the reviewer criticized Chbosky'southward "rip-off" of J. D. Salinger'south The Catcher in the Rye.[25] Although other reviewers made like comparisons, Chbosky said he "was not trying to mimic [Salinger's] way as a writer";[3] he saw "how readers could compare Charlie to [Salinger's] Holden Caulfield", but "they are very different people with unique problems and perspectives".[3] More positive was Francisca Goldsmith of the School Library Journal, who said the novel "cleverly" makes the readers the recipients of Charlie'due south messages, and it "will engage teen readers for years to come."[26] Common Sense Media'southward Kate Pavao praised its relevant themes for teenagers: "Readers will discover themselves quickly feeling sorry for the protagonist and worrying about him throughout his transformative journey."[19] For The A.Five. Order, Marah Eakin wrote that although for an adult "Perks suffers from an overabundance of pure, raw malaise ... dissimilar some more arrested development-friendly young developed fare like Harry Potter, Perks speaks to a more specific age range and does it well."[27]

The Perks of Being a Wallflower has appeared six times on the American Library Association'south list of 10 most-ofttimes-challenged books for its content.[13] [28] A Wisconsin school board refused to ban the book, angering local parents. The Glen Ellyn District 41 school board in suburban Chicago unanimously voted to reinstate the novel subsequently it was removed from eighth-form classrooms at Hadley Junior High School because of a parent'south objection to its sexual content.[29] Groups like PABBIS (Parents Against Bad Books in Schoolhouse) piece of work to restrict literature considered "controversial" from beingness accessed by younger children. The group believes these "bad books" should be moved to the developed section.[30] In 2009, Perks was repeatedly challenged for descriptions of masturbation, sexually explicit acquit, drug utilise, and talk of suicide, and there accept been multiple pushes across the Us to move this literary work from the children and immature adults section to the adult section.[31] Parents take raised bug with the novel for its "pornographic" content and "vulgarity," but others have argued that the volume deals with real and mutual teen bug concerned with growing up, so it presents a true viewpoint.[32] Issues are also raised surrounding the volume's themes of homosexuality, as well equally a "glorification" of the use of drugs and alcohol.[33] In an interview, Chbosky said that he knew of two schoolhouse boards which have banned the book (in Massachusetts and on Long Island).[13] Since he "didn't write information technology to be a controversial book,"[13] he was "surprised"[34] by the bans.

Film adaptation [edit]

Lerman, Watson, and Miller, the main actors in the film accommodation, portrayed Charlie, Sam, and Patrick respectively

Since he wrote The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Chbosky aspired to adapt information technology into a film, calling this a "lifelong dream of his".[seven] Afterwards the publication of the novel, the author said he received motion picture offers, refusing them because he "owed the fans a movie that was worthy of their beloved for the book".[v] In 2010 Mr. Mudd began developing a picture version,[35] and the writer was signed to write and direct the flick by producers John Malkovich, Lianne Halfon and Russell Smith.[35] The pic, shot in the Pittsburgh area from May 9 to June 29, 2011,[36] starred Logan Lerman every bit Charlie, Emma Watson as Sam, Ezra Miller as Patrick, and Nina Dobrev as Charlie's sister, Candace.[37]

With the announcement of a film accommodation, the novel received more attending; its sales increased from 88,847 copies in 2011 to 425,933 in 2012,[38] and it reached the New York Times bestseller lists.[39] Information technology entered the Children's Paperback Books category on the June 23, 2012 list,[twoscore] and had 1.v million copies in print in November 2012.[39] As of May 11, 2014 it appeared on The New York Times elevation 10 listing for the 71st non-consecutive calendar week,[41] and was in the top 15 on the November 23 list.[42]

The motion-picture show premiered on September eight, 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival,[43] and was released theatrically in the United States by Summit Entertainment on September 21.[44] According to Metacritic it has received "generally favorable reviews", with an average of 67 out of 100 based on 36 reviews.[45] Rotten Tomatoes reported an 86% approval rate, based on 153 reviews.[46] The film grossed over $33 million worldwide[44] from a $thirteen one thousand thousand production upkeep.[39]

Some scenes were omitted from the film accommodation: In the book, Charlie'south parents are notified past Bill that Candace is being driveling past her boyfriend, to which his parents accept direct intervention in the calumniating human relationship in the book. Also omitted from the film is the side-story where Candace gets pregnant past her abusive boyfriend and is accompanied past Charlie to the ballgame clinic. In improver, the poem was deleted from the motion picture earlier its release. There is a special features section on the DVD with scenes that were shot but didn't make it into the film.[47]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "LA Youth » Interview with Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower". world wide web.layouth.com . Retrieved 2018-10-03 .
  2. ^ "Perks of Existence a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky". Banned Library . Retrieved 2018-10-03 .
  3. ^ a b c d e f one thousand h Beisch, Ann (December 2001). "Interview with Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Beingness a Wallflower". LA Youth. Archived from the original on February 15, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  4. ^ a b Stewart, Sierra (September eighteen, 2012). "Interview With Perks of Being a Wallflower'due south Stephen Chbosky". Blueprint Mag Online. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Aquino, Tara (September 22, 2012). "Interview: "The Perks of Existence A Wallflower" Managing director Stephen Chbosky Talks Finding The Perfect Cast And Changing Teens' Lives". Complex . Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  6. ^ Durling, Roger (September 26, 2012). "The Perks of Being a Wallflower Q&A". Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved Dec x, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c Douglas, Edward (September 20, 2012). "Interview: Perks of Existence a Wallflower Writer/Director Stephen Chbosky". Comingsoon.internet. CraveOnline. Retrieved September half-dozen, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d "Screenwriter and Novelist Stephen Chbosky: Rebel with a Crusade". Script Magazine. September 21, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  9. ^ a b Ratcliff, Ashley (Feb 18, 2013). "'The perks of existence' a filmmaker". Dwelling house Media Magazine . Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  10. ^ Thebigfanboy. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Interview with Stephen Chbosky (Writer/Director)". Youtube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  11. ^ Wertheimer, Linda (September 23, 2012). "'Wallflower' Flick Puts Adolescence On Screen". NPR.org. National Public Radio. Retrieved September half-dozen, 2014.
  12. ^ a b Edelstein, David (September 24, 2012). "Freshman Disorientation". New York Magazine . Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  13. ^ a b c d due east f Beckerman, Marty (2011). "An Interview with Stephen Chbosky". Word Riot. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved May xvi, 2013.
  14. ^ Buntin, Julie (December 31, 2013). "The Best Books for Your '90s Nascency Yr". Cosmopolitan . Retrieved Dec x, 2014.
  15. ^ Finn, Robin (July 8, 2007). "Summertime Reading Championship Prompts Resistance From Parents, Not Students". The New York Times . Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  16. ^ Rooney, Chandra (September 10, 2012). "A Q And A With Stephen Chbosky". Indigo Books and Music. Archived from the original on April 22, 2013. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  17. ^ Anguiano, Rosemary (September 25, 2012). "Stephen Chbosky Interview: Author Sees His Characters Come up To Life In 'Perks Of Being A Wallflower' Movie". The Huffington Post . Retrieved September seven, 2014.
  18. ^ a b "The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - review". The Guardian. July 22, 2013. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  19. ^ a b "The Perks of Being a Wallflower Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved September seven, 2014.
  20. ^ a b Bing, Jonathan (October 4, 2000). "'Perks' guy in pics; Nerve racking up deals". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  21. ^ Ryzik, Melena (October ix, 2011). "From Wizards to Wallflowers in the Suburbs". The New York Times . Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  22. ^ Brevet, Brad (September 11, 2012). "'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' (2012) Movie Review". Ropeofsilicon.com. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  23. ^ "Your Favorites: 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels". NPR.org. National Public Radio. August seven, 2012. Retrieved Dec five, 2016.
  24. ^ "Fiction Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower". Publishers Weekly. February i, 1999. Retrieved September vii, 2014.
  25. ^ "The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky". Kirkus Reviews. January fifteen, 1999. Archived from the original on Oct 6, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  26. ^ Fleishhacker, Joy (August 31, 2012). "The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Other Tales of Teen Angst and Breach". Schoolhouse Library Journal . Retrieved Dec 7, 2016.
  27. ^ Eakin, Marah (September 21, 2012). "How does the The Perks Of Beingness A Wallflower concord up to developed eyes?". The A.V. Society . Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  28. ^ "Frequently challenged books of the 21st century". American Library Association. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  29. ^ "'Perks Of Existence A Wallflower' Glen Ellyn Book Ban Disrepair Past Judy Blume's Intervention". The Huffington Post. November 6, 2013. Retrieved September six, 2014.
  30. ^ "Controversial and challenged books in schools--PABBIS". www.pabbis.com . Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  31. ^ "Spotlight on Censorship - The Perks of Beingness a Wallflower - Intellectual Freedom Web log". Intellectual Freedom Blog. Oct 1, 2010. Retrieved October v, 2017.
  32. ^ "'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower' Should Be Banned: Kamloops Dad". The Huffington Post. March 27, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  33. ^ Titus, Ron. "Marshall University Libraries - Banned Book - Stephen Chbosky'south The Perks of Being a Wallflower". www.marshall.edu. Archived from the original on 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2017-10-05 .
  34. ^ CalPoly. "Stephen Chbosky on the Perks of Being a Wallflower". Youtube. Retrieved May 19, 2013. [ expressionless YouTube link ]
  35. ^ a b McNary, Dave (May nineteen, 2010). "Watson, Lerman in talks for 'Perks'". Variety . Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  36. ^ "Movie Filming In Pittsburgh Wants To Make Your Car A Star". WPXI. April 27, 2011. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  37. ^ Wilkinson, Amy (Baronial 17, 2012). "Emma Watson, Logan Lerman Take Us Inside 'Perks Of Existence A Wallflower'". MTV. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  38. ^ Social club, Sally (December iv, 2014). "New Data on the Touch on of YA Franchises to Exist Unveiled at Nielsen Elevation". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved Dec 10, 2014.
  39. ^ a b c Olsen, Mark (November 1, 2012). "'The Perks of Existence a Wallflower' steadily blossoms". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September vi, 2014.
  40. ^ "Children's Paperpack Books Best Sellers - June 23, 2012". The New York Times . Retrieved September half-dozen, 2014.
  41. ^ "Young Adult Best Sellers - May xi, 2014". The New York Times . Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  42. ^ "Immature Developed Best Sellers - November 23, 2014". The New York Times . Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  43. ^ "Nina Dobrev on the scarlet carpet at The Perks of Being a Wallflower premiere". Tribute. September three, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  44. ^ a b "The Perks of Existence a Wallflower (2012)". Box Part Mojo. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  45. ^ "The Perks of Being a Wallflower Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  46. ^ "The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  47. ^ Gleason, Matthew (2014-12-21). "Ill Sentience : A Review of the Deleted Scenes from The Perks of Beingness a Wallflower". Sick Sentience. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09. Retrieved 2018-02-08 .

External links [edit]

  • The Perks of Existence a Wallflower official website

bakerwitswoompose.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Perks_of_Being_a_Wallflower

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