Reading Response # 3: Synthesis Page on The Perks of Being A Wallflower

Yousef Abou Areda                                                                        Class 811                                                           

 Synthesis Page on the Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chobosky

Quick summary: The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chobosky is about a young man named Charlie and his adolescent journey through high school. Charlie is writing letters to this unknown person throughout the book about every experience he has. We don’t know where he lives or whom he’s writing to, but he certainly trusts this person a lot if he entrusts them with all of his secrets and intimate snap shots of his personal life. Charlie is conflicted between trying to run away from his life and living it. He eventually befriends Sam and Patrick, and they become his best friends, providing him with the care, support, and guidance that  he needs throughout his years in high school.

Claim/Big Idea: Charlie is having a rough time adapting to this new world of high school and it's difficult growing up while constantly torn between trying to live his life and running from it.

Charlie is a wallflower

-       Charlie is soft-spoken, likes to keep to himself and observe the world from his own point of view

-       The term “wallflower” means a person who, because of their shyness, unpopularity, or lack of a partner, remains at the side of a party or a dance. This description fits his personality.

-       Charlie is very insightful, and has a very innocent and kind personality.          
       Supporting Quotes

       Michael, Charlie’s best friend in middle school, committed suicide the previous year. Charlie didn’t have any other friends aside Michael, and when he died, Charlie made it a habit for him to start doing a lot of things on his own. For example, he goes to the first football game of the season by himself and decided to just sit down and observe people’s reactions to the games instead of watching the game itself. In the text, it says, “ I feel very ashamed. I went to the high school football game the other day, and I don’t know why exactly. In middle school, Michael and I would go to games sometimes even though neither of us were popular enough to go. But this time, I went alone because Michael is gone. I was just kind of watching people, seeing who was in love and who was just joking around” (page 16). Based on this quote, readers can deduce how Charlie is viewed as a wallflower. He’s going to the football game alone. He doesn’t try to ask anyone if they would like to join him, and he doesn’t attempt or try bond with any of the other people on the bleachers. He just observes people’s actions and thinks quietly to himself. The term wallflower means a person who, because of their shyness, unpopularity, or lack of a partner, remains at the side of a party or a dance. Charlie is remaining at the side of the football game because of his shyness, unpopularity, and lack of a partner. Charlie doesn’t try to bond with others though. His thoughts are good enough to keep him company all by himself.

2.    Charlie also has a very innocent and kind personality. This can be displayed when Charlie was picking out his father’s Christmas present on his birthday. First, his mother suggested that Charlie get his dad some plain sweater, but he refuses because he believes that his father deserves something better. She then suggested that Charlie buy his father music, but he again refused as his father doesn’t really listen to music and already has all the mix-tapes he likes. His mother then suggested Charlie buy him a book, movie, etc., but Charlie refused everything because he wanted to get him something that really mattered to his father. He went to four other stores before he bought his father the last episode of MASH, his favorite show (page 76-77). It is subsequent to the reader that he has a loving and caring personality. Instead of focusing on his own birthday present, Charlie selflessly chooses to put his father before himself. He truly took the time to pick out something that meant a lot to his father, no matter how long it took. Most people would just get their father a plain shirt, but Charlie takes his gift further than it being some material object, and gives it meaning.

Charlie’s Older Bother – The Mentor

-       Charlie’s older brother is Charlie’s mentor. He’s always there for him when Charlie needs him

-       He truly cares about Charlie, and put’s Charlie’s needs before his own. He comforts him and gives Charlie somebody to look up to.

Supporting Quotes:

1.    After Michael, Charlie’s best friend, committed suicide, his older brother is there to support him through his difficult time. He left school in order to provide his younger brother with the care, comfort, and support that he needed throughout his coping with this tragedy. In the text, it says, “ I don’t really remember much of what happened except that my older brother came to Mr. Vaughn’s office in my middle school and told me to stop crying. Then he put his arm around my shoulder and told him to get it out of my system before Dad came home. We then went to eat French fries at McDonalds’s and he taught me how to play pinball. He even made a joke that because of me, he got to skip an afternoon of school and asked me if I wanted to help him work on his Camaro. I guess I was pretty messy because he never let me work in his Camaro before” (page 3).  Based on this excerpt, readers can deduce that Charlie’s brother cares about him. He gives up school for him, and gives his brother the comfort he really needs. His brother could have simply chosen to hang out with his friends and played football after school, but he gives up the rest of his day to be with his brother and teach him how to play pinball while eating fries at McDonalds to help him escape his depression.

2.    Charlie’s brother provides love and care that he has for his brother and takes it one step further. After the first incident with Michael, the same thing happens the next day. Again, he leaves school to pick up his brother and provides him with the care he needs. This proves that he does truly care for his brother, and takes the extra step to reach out to him. He could do this for the rest of his life if he had too because of the love he has for Charlie. He is seen to constantly do whatever it takes in order to insure that his brother, Charlie is okay and feels happy.                                                                    Patrick- The Mentor      

-       Patrick is one of the only people Charlie manages to befriend in the story. He’s Charlie’s mentor for multiple reasons.

-       Patrick is very mature

-       Patrick doesn’t care about what others think of him

Supporting Quotes:

1.    Patrick cares about Charlie and what kind of person he turns out to be. For example, Charlie had a dream where he made out with Patrick’s stepsister. Instead of getting mad at Charlie, he gives Charlie a lesson about girls, and what a guy needs in order to approach the girl of his interest. In the text, it says,

“ Charlie, has anyone told you how it works?”

“ I don’t think so”

“Well, there are rules you follow here not because you want to, but because you have to. You get it?”

“I guess so”

“ I mean it’s not like in the movies where girls like jerks or anything like that. It’s not that easy. They just like somebody that can give them a purpose” (page 23). Based on this excerpt from the story, readers can subsequently deduce that Patrick cares about the person Charlie will eventually become. He doesn’t seem to be bothered that Charlie had a dream about making out with his stepsister, and gives him advice for future girl troubles. Patrick is offering Charlie guidance, and aid. Overall, he cares about the well being of Charlie.

2.    Patrick’s character is very similar to a character named Melvin from a short story called “Am I Blue”. Melvin guides Vince, a young man who’s having trouble deciphering whether or not he’s gay or straight. A big similarity between the two characters is that they both don’t care about what others think of them. For example, Patrick is gay. He was never ashamed of this. At one point of the book, Charlie walks in on Patrick making out with a guy named Brad. Patrick then explains to him the only reason why he’s keeping it a secret was because of Brad’s father. Also Brad didn’t want anyone to know because it would ruin his jock reputation. Patrick respected his wishes and kept it a secret. But if Brad didn’t care, Patrick would’ve announced to the whole world that he’s gay (page 46). This shows that Patrick doesn’t care about what other people think of him, which is a good example for Charlie.

Sam- Free Spirit

-       Sam lives life to the fullest and doesn’t let anything hold her back

-       Sam symbolizes a free spirit because she makes the best out of everything

Supporting Quotes:

1. Sam is a symbol of a free spirit. She doesn’t let things get in her way and bother her, and she lives everyday as if it were her last. This can be exemplified in the scene after a party she had went to. As Patrick, Charlie, and her were going through the tunnel and into the city, she stands up and puts her head out through the sun roof window of the car. In the text, it says, “Anyway, Patrick started to drive really fast, and just before we got into the tunnel, Sam stood up, and the wind turned her dress into ocean waves. When we got out of the tunnel, Sam screamed this really funny scream. She sat down and started laughing” (page 39). This displays the way Sam lives life to the fullest. She’s not busying herself worrying about school or boys or anything like that. She’s free and doesn’t let anyone or anything bring her down. She’s optimistic and shows Charlie how one has to let loose sometime. She lived that day as if it was her last, and that is true freedom.