To begin this most daunting of tasks, in reviewing a modern classic, I’ll go out on a limb and call Perks of Being a Wallflower the modern equivalent of J.D Salinger’s 1951 novel, Catcher in the Rye. The two compare in that their characters and life-lessons resonate deeply with the writers’ original intended audiences but are also universal in their message.
Perks of Being a Wallflower is, in fact, a little more
subtle in imparting personal encouragement, but that’s perhaps due to readers
being more receptive to that kind of thing in the mid 90’s, as opposed to the
middle of the century, which probably has a lot to do with the likes of
Salinger.
Our protagonist, Charlie, narrates this archetypal
coming-of-age tale, through a series of letters in which the introverted
teenager shares every detail of his high school freshman year, from the banal
to the profound. An ostensible wallflower and unconventional thinker, Charlie
retreats into the world of literature, guided by an enthusiastic young teacher,
who fears that Charlie’s extraordinary outlook on life will limit his ‘real’
experiences. The likeably difficult teen embarks on a year of social and
personal enlightenment when two, older, students from his Pittsburgh school take him under their wing.
MTV first published Steven Chobsky’s novel in 1999-a fitting
vehicle for a story with such a conspicuous ‘soundtrack’. Chobsky himself directed Emma Watson (Harry Potter) and Ezra
Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin) in the film adaptation, due for release
this September.
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