The Perks of Being a Wallflower

All of these online art picks were inspired by the novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which you should read if you haven't already. 

"I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons.  And maybe we'll never know most of them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there.  We can still do things. And we can feel okay about them. I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it won't change the fact that they were upset.  And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really change the fact that you have what you have.  Good and bad... Maybe it's good to put things in perspective, but sometimes, I think the only perspective is to really be there. Like Sam said.  Because it's okay to feel things. And to be who you are about them."

 

Bob's Big Boy by Raceytay and

Resembles suburbs but is not by Carey Primeau

Undulate by SlightClutter

 

The reader and Typewriter by Squidart Photography

 

Don't cry by Meganzii and Is this love? by ThePhotoZoo

 

Limited edition art print, distorted no. 2 by SacredandProfane and custom eye painting by Ashley White Jacobsen

 

Ancient Grecian woman by Jaybuckles Springs Studio 

 

Rock, paper scissors by Jobozarth and Mix tape by SureAsBlue

 

They don't know about us by LittleScotia and Music tree by Nan Lawson

The disappearing boy by WindyLaneStudio and The conquerer by Jennifer Dennis Potter

 

Infinite by Yvette Inufio and Everything is okay by RestlessThings

Choice Book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky

Summary

The novel is comprised entirely of letters written by Charlie, the protagonist, to an unknown character.  Charlie is a very intelligent but introverted high school freshman who ends up becoming friends with a group of seniors. He is a very introspective character who is prone to bouts of depression. With his new group of friends, he experiences many new things, including parties, drinking, and drugs. 

Noted Themes and Questions

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is definitely a coming-of-age novel.  It explores many of the things you might expect to see in a Young Adult novel, such as experimentation with sex and drugs.  It also examines homophobia, depression, and abuse in very realistic and complex ways. The novel also deals with death and trauma.  

Reflection

As an aspiring high school teacher, I am grateful for this novel. It is definitely a text that I would like to teach either in tandem with or even as a replacement to Catcher in the Rye, which is referenced in the novel. 

Student Reaction

I think most students would like this, but I know that it might not appeal to all readers. Certain students might be surprised by the homosexual relationship and by other sexual issues that surface in the text. 

Grade

11th-12th. Although Charlie is a freshman, I don't know that I'd teach it to 9th graders because of some of the language and content. I also feel that older students would be more likely to take Charlie and his issues seriously.