English Essay
Perks of Being a Wallflower
Charlie’s Loss of Innocence
The book Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is about a boy named Charlie in his first year of high school. Charlie makes new friends who are different than any people he has ever met, Sam and Patrick. They introduce him to new things like alcohol and drugs, but they also introduce him to new amazing feelings, those of friendship and love. These are told through the epistolary structure through his “Dear Friend” letters, showing how Charlie struggles to find his way through new relationships and experiences. This book as a whole is the story of Charlie’s “Marigold Moment” or in other words his loss of innocence.
This book is a clear portrayal of Charlie’s loss of innocence through the new things he is experiencing, some of these things happen to be drugs and alcohol. When Charlie’s sister catches Charlie smoking in the car outside the clinic, she cannot believe it. “Charlie, smoking. I can’t believe it.” (pg.119) The sister’s surprised reaction shows just how much Charlie has changed. In the beginning of the novel no one would ever peg Charlie for a smoker, instead he was the boy who cried constantly and had practically no friends. But as Charlie gains more friends he also matures and experiences new things, he continues to shed his innocence. He sees the reality of his world for the first time when his brother jokingly asks him if he is high. Charlie realizes that he might be the “only person in [his] family who’s ever been high.” (pg.82) This shows how much Charlie has developed; he has now taken on the role of a less innocent and more knowledgeable person.
Charlie begins to experience new feelings, which contribute to his loss of innocence. When Charlie meets Sam and Patrick it leads to him feeling real love for the first time, and as Charlie puts it “feeling infinite”. It leads to some difficult feelings, which were a result of Sam and Patrick. Charlie always strives to be accepted, when he first begins hanging out with his new friend Sam she categorized something Charlie said as “Charlie-esque” this to Charlie meant a great deal. He “was so happy when she said “Charlie-esque” since it felt like and inside joke of sorts.” (pg.27) This brought Charlie lots of happiness; Sam and Patrick also made Charlie feel “infinite”. They would often ride through a tunnel while Patrick was driving, Sam would stand in the back of the truck laughing and screaming of joy. When they took Charlie along, Charlie experiences a feeling he has never felt before he swears at that moment “[they] were infinite.” (pg.39) As mentioned earlier not all these feelings bring joy, happiness, and love. The feelings Charlie feels for everyone also lead him into some of his darkest times. Towards the beginning of the book Charlie reads a dark poem that shows a boy progressing from childhood into a depressing time. The poem ends when the boy tries to kill himself with “a slash on each damned wrist”. (pg.73) From the beginning of the book Charlie has always loved Sam but she dates a boy named Craig who Charlie feels is not good to Sam. When he hears them having sex Charlie’s emotions for Sam overcome him and he is deeply depressed. This event evokes some extremely dark feelings in Charlie confesses, “for the first time in my life, I understood the end of that poem. And I never wanted to. You have to believe me.” (pg.96) The emotions Charlie feels when he is with his friends have both positive and negative effects on him, because it opens his eyes to new feelings.
The third contribution to Charlie’s loss of innocence in the book was when he steps out of his comfort zone and begins to experience new things. For example when he plays Rocky in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, when Mary Elizabeth shows him new things, and when he meets his first gay friend Patrick. When Craig cannot come to the show Charlie is designated to play Rocky, Charlie goes on in his place stepping out of his comfort zone in a pair of swim trunks. Then when Charlie begins dating Mary Elizabeth, she continues to tell Charlie “that she is going to expose [him] to all these great things.” (pg.129) When Charlie dates Mary Elizabeth he experiences all kinds of new things from new music to almost having sex with her. Perhaps one of the most significant times when Charlie really realizes he has grown up and become a new person, was when his brother calls his sister gay, Charlie realizes he is “probably the only one in the family with a friend who is gay” (pg. 81) These new experiences leading Charlie to step outside his comfort zone and really mature all contribute to his loss of innocence.
The emotions, experiences, and drugs and alcohol all lead up to Charlie’s loss of innocence. This book is a portrayal of a boy whose new friends lead him to face a new side of himself. Charlie makes a major transition in the novel. He goes from being a shy and weak boy, who cried at practically everything. Charlie undergoes a major transition when he meets Sam and Patrick. Charlie loses his innocence and has his “Marigold moment” through new experiences, emotions, and substances.
Perks of Being a Wallflower
Charlie’s Loss of Innocence
The book Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is about a boy named Charlie in his first year of high school. Charlie makes new friends who are different than any people he has ever met, Sam and Patrick. They introduce him to new things like alcohol and drugs, but they also introduce him to new amazing feelings, those of friendship and love. These are told through the epistolary structure through his “Dear Friend” letters, showing how Charlie struggles to find his way through new relationships and experiences. This book as a whole is the story of Charlie’s “Marigold Moment” or in other words his loss of innocence.
This book is a clear portrayal of Charlie’s loss of innocence through the new things he is experiencing, some of these things happen to be drugs and alcohol. When Charlie’s sister catches Charlie smoking in the car outside the clinic, she cannot believe it. “Charlie, smoking. I can’t believe it.” (pg.119) The sister’s surprised reaction shows just how much Charlie has changed. In the beginning of the novel no one would ever peg Charlie for a smoker, instead he was the boy who cried constantly and had practically no friends. But as Charlie gains more friends he also matures and experiences new things, he continues to shed his innocence. He sees the reality of his world for the first time when his brother jokingly asks him if he is high. Charlie realizes that he might be the “only person in [his] family who’s ever been high.” (pg.82) This shows how much Charlie has developed; he has now taken on the role of a less innocent and more knowledgeable person.
Charlie begins to experience new feelings, which contribute to his loss of innocence. When Charlie meets Sam and Patrick it leads to him feeling real love for the first time, and as Charlie puts it “feeling infinite”. It leads to some difficult feelings, which were a result of Sam and Patrick. Charlie always strives to be accepted, when he first begins hanging out with his new friend Sam she categorized something Charlie said as “Charlie-esque” this to Charlie meant a great deal. He “was so happy when she said “Charlie-esque” since it felt like and inside joke of sorts.” (pg.27) This brought Charlie lots of happiness; Sam and Patrick also made Charlie feel “infinite”. They would often ride through a tunnel while Patrick was driving, Sam would stand in the back of the truck laughing and screaming of joy. When they took Charlie along, Charlie experiences a feeling he has never felt before he swears at that moment “[they] were infinite.” (pg.39) As mentioned earlier not all these feelings bring joy, happiness, and love. The feelings Charlie feels for everyone also lead him into some of his darkest times. Towards the beginning of the book Charlie reads a dark poem that shows a boy progressing from childhood into a depressing time. The poem ends when the boy tries to kill himself with “a slash on each damned wrist”. (pg.73) From the beginning of the book Charlie has always loved Sam but she dates a boy named Craig who Charlie feels is not good to Sam. When he hears them having sex Charlie’s emotions for Sam overcome him and he is deeply depressed. This event evokes some extremely dark feelings in Charlie confesses, “for the first time in my life, I understood the end of that poem. And I never wanted to. You have to believe me.” (pg.96) The emotions Charlie feels when he is with his friends have both positive and negative effects on him, because it opens his eyes to new feelings.
The third contribution to Charlie’s loss of innocence in the book was when he steps out of his comfort zone and begins to experience new things. For example when he plays Rocky in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, when Mary Elizabeth shows him new things, and when he meets his first gay friend Patrick. When Craig cannot come to the show Charlie is designated to play Rocky, Charlie goes on in his place stepping out of his comfort zone in a pair of swim trunks. Then when Charlie begins dating Mary Elizabeth, she continues to tell Charlie “that she is going to expose [him] to all these great things.” (pg.129) When Charlie dates Mary Elizabeth he experiences all kinds of new things from new music to almost having sex with her. Perhaps one of the most significant times when Charlie really realizes he has grown up and become a new person, was when his brother calls his sister gay, Charlie realizes he is “probably the only one in the family with a friend who is gay” (pg. 81) These new experiences leading Charlie to step outside his comfort zone and really mature all contribute to his loss of innocence.
The emotions, experiences, and drugs and alcohol all lead up to Charlie’s loss of innocence. This book is a portrayal of a boy whose new friends lead him to face a new side of himself. Charlie makes a major transition in the novel. He goes from being a shy and weak boy, who cried at practically everything. Charlie undergoes a major transition when he meets Sam and Patrick. Charlie loses his innocence and has his “Marigold moment” through new experiences, emotions, and substances.