The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Discussion)

Both Lisa and I wanted an easy book for July, so we picked The Perks of Being a Wallflower. To be honest, I didn’t even read it. I have read it and seen the movie multiple times but could not fit it in my schedule with the move. It is a 5/5 read for me though! It’s formatted to be letters from a 15-year-old boy, Charlie, to an unknown recipient. Charlie doesn’t hold anything back from these letters.

I have 3 questions below, and Lisa’s got 3 over on her blog. Feel free to discuss any or all of the questions in the comment section or link-up your post at the bottom. Lisa and I are sharing the same link-up, so you don’t have to enter on both blogs. The linky will close in a week. Alright, let’s get started!

And now, for the discussion. Before I begin, I’ll remind you that there will be spoilers ahead.

1. Describe the book in one word. I would describe The Perks of Being a Wallflower with the word ‘confusing’. In the book, these high schoolers are so confused. Charlie has been confused with his feelings since a young boy regarding his Aunt’s abuse as well as his feelings on her death. Sam has had self-esteem issues and Patrick has been confused about his sexuality and keeping it a secret.

2. Do you agree with Charlie’s friends for completely shutting him out for what he did to Mary Elizabeth? I do not agree with them shutting him out for that long but I think it’s partially because we can see Charlie’s side so clearly. We also know how troubled he is and how much their friendship meant to his stability. We’ve all overreacted with a friend or loved one and treated them too harshly. Hopefully in our situations, nothing bad came of the event. I’ve never felt as completely lost as Charlie did when his friends were upset with him but I can understand his feelings.

3. Were you surprised when you found out why Charlie had such issues with his Aunt?  I was completely shocked and saddened for Charlie and his family. Throughout the book I thought Charlie was so sad about losing his Aunt because he thought it was his fault that she died going to pick up his present. I thought that was the sole reason for him having his mental issues. I thought he had a soft spot for her specifically because of her kindness towards him as well as wanting to protect her from her abusive relationships. I can’t imagine the unresolved frustration his mom will now have towards her sister.

Now, it’s your turn! Answer my questions, ask your own, or start your own discussions. I’ll be responding to comments in the comment section, and you’ll get an email when I (or anyone else) does so. Or, link-up a blog post with your review and/or the answers to these questions. Also be sure to check out Lisa’s discussion questions on her blog. We’re sharing the same linky, so no need to link-up on both blogs.

Remember our August selection is The Princess Bride. We’ll be discussing it on August 28th.