One Sentence Summary
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, is an iconic coming-of-age novel following the turning points in the life of a young, introspective and observant high school freshman.
Book Genre
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a Young Adult (YA) contemporary fiction novel.
Main Topic of the Book
The main topic of this book is the struggles of growing up, from the perspective of a young introvert. The story follows the point of view of the teenage protagonist Charlie as he navigates the ups and downs of high school life, while also exploring themes of family, relationships, and self-discovery.
Key Ideas
Some of the key ideas presented in The Perks of Being a Wallflower are:
- Loneliness – Charlie’s struggles with loneliness and his difficulties in forming meaningful interpersonal relationships.
- Insecurity – How Charlie’s shyness and awkwardness negatively impacts the way he interacts with others.
- Friendship – The importance of having supportive and understanding friends and how friendships can help young people cope with the struggles of growing up.
- Self-Discovery – How Charlie learns to accept himself and ultimately embraces who he is.
Main Parts of the Book and a Short Summary
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is divided into three sections, each focusing on a different period in Charlie’s life. Each section includes a number of letters he writes to a stranger, detailing his experiences and innermost thoughts.
Part One follows Charlie during his freshman year of high school in Pittsburgh. He meets a group of wild and free-spirited friends, including the school’s “So-Called Prince and Princess” – Patrick and Sam.
Part Two takes place a few months later and focuses on Charlie’s struggles with his social anxiety and depression, and his experiences with drug use.
Part Three occurs the following summer, when Charlie discovers the truth about his best friend, and comes to terms with his past.
Key Takeaways
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is ultimately an inspirational and heartwarming story about overcoming loneliness, embracing who you are, and accepting difficult truths. It is a powerful story about the importance of friendship and understanding that we all have an inner-strength within us; if we can learn to connect with ourselves and others, we can face any challenge.
Author’s Background and Qualifications
Stephen Chbosky is an American novelist, screenwriter, and film director. He is best-known for writing and directing the 2012 film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He also wrote and directed the feature films, Rent (2005) and Beauty and the Beast (2017).
Target Audience
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is primarily aimed at a Young Adult (YA) audience.
Publisher and First Publication Date
The Perks of Being a Wallflower was first published in paperback by MTV Books on February 1st, 1999.