Infinite Adolescence
The feeling of immortality or any form of indestructability is a shared emotion
experienced by many adolescence and youths across the globe, but what if that sense of
invulnerability was stricken from a child at a very young age. In Stephen Chbosky’s novel Perks
of Being a Wallflower, protagonist Charlie Kelmeckis suffers from many psychological and
physical travesties throughout his adolescence. The novel begins with the suicidal death of
Charlie’s best friend from Junior High, Michael Dobson, and in response to this Charlie begins
composing letters about his own particular life to an anonymous recipient. Through these letters
Charlie illustrates the events of his life to give the reader a connection and also provide clarity to
himself to help him navigate through these issues.
As the story begins, the reader finds Charlie alone in a new world, as he transitions into
high school, searching for himself or simply someone he can call a friend, after the untimely
death of his former friend and Aunt Helen. Shortly after the semester begins Charlie finds solace
in building a close relationship with his English teacher (Mr. Anderson, or “Bill,” which is the
name he asks Charlie to call him) whom pushes Charlie to strive for more, whether it is
academically or honing his craft. Charlie soon befriends two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who bring
him into a whole new world that he had never experienced before. A world of friendship and
comradery, as well as drugs and alcohol, begin engulfing Charlie as he begins to experience life
outside of his own.
As the year progresses the individuals that had befriended Charlie, and Charlie himself,
are subjected to many tragic events and attempt to survive their adolescence. Charlie’s sister
Candace has an experience with an abusive boyfriend and a decision to make regarding an
unwanted pregnancy. Patrick, whom is an openly homosexual individual, is having a closeted
relationship with the popular high school quarterback Brad. Brad’s father eventually discovers
the relationship between Patrick and Brad, which leads to a severe beating of Brad. This event in
turn creates a rift between the two former lovers causing animosity, this leads to a physical
altercation (which displays signs of a gay bashing) when Brad and a few of his teammates attack
Patrick in the cafeteria, after some harmful words were said to one another. Charlie soon finds
himself in the middle of the tussle and proceeds to defend off the attackers, and proclaims that he
had blacked-out during the entire event.
Charlie and Sam’s relationship started out with an immediate physical attraction, but only
on Charlie’s behalf. Sam did not display any form of attraction towards Charlie, and only after he
proclaimed his love for her, did she state that he should forget and try to get over those feelings
