Yes, There are perks of being a wallflower

Stephen Chbosky's novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is a story written in a series of letters by the protagonist Charlie to an anonymous source. Charlie is a high school student who is shy, pensive, intelligent and stands on the periphery of the social circle. His letters document the struggles encountered in typical high school life such as relationships, family struggles, drugs and sexuality.

The novel is striking in its portrayal of sex, drugs, homosexuality and suicide. For some, this may be a red flag but, personally, it is a benefit of the novel to be championed. It is refreshing in this day and age to have a widely circulated novel deal with homosexuality for its speaks to a very real demographic present in young adults. I have written often about how novels can relate to their readers and many of my comments can be applied to the majority of the population. However, it is the minority which needs relation in novels more than anyone. These are the wallflowers of society and it is the exclusion of material that speaks to them which keeps them on the wall. More novels like this which deal with present yet possibly taboo topics aids in the blossoming of these wallflowers.

Second, and in my opinion more unique to this novel, is its use of other texts. Charlie's teacher mentions various novels which spread across all genres. Some of these example texts are Hamlet, The Great Gatsby, The Stranger, On the Road and Naked Lunch. They run the spectrum from classic to cult favorites. This is the perfect bridge between YA literature. For those readers who are unfamiliar with some of these texts, by picking up this relatively new novel they are thus introduced to the classics via the window of YA literature. What's more, the novel also introduces classic films and television shows such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Graduate and Saturday Night Live. I believe, solely on a cultural level if nothing else, that every generation of young readers should be introduced to the novels as well as these indelibly American iconic materials.

Recommendation: I highly advise young readers to read this novel because it will expand, if nothing else, their knowledge of the bricks which have built a strong cultural foundation. For adults, it could be an enjoyable read with subjects that refresh possibly some of your favorite books and films.