The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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So, I have some questions for you. Well first off, what do you think the ‘theme’ is of this book?
There are two themes to this novel, in my opinion: coming of age and loss of innocence. I think that this book is a really good interpretation of coming of age and loss of innocence because this novel focuses on the changes in Charlie’s life when he meets new people and experiences new things. Coming of age and loss of innocence go hand in hand. Through coming of age, one learns more and more and gains more understanding, ultimately resulting in loss of their ignorance connecting to loss of their innocence. The Perks of Being a Wallflower has a straightforward path from innocence to loss of innocence. Charlie is a perfect example of one who loses their innocence because of knowledge. For as long as he knew Sam, he loved her. Throughout the novel, he learns about sexuality, through his friend Patrick, relationships, through his entire group of newfound friends, and about love, through pain and hardships he experienced.

Tell me a little bit about Charlie and how his character explores the themes coming of age and loss of innocence.
The novel begins with the protagonist, Charlie, beginning high school and not having any friends. As the year starts, the only ‘friend’ he meets is his AP English teacher, Bill. Once Bill explains to Charlie that he needs to ‘participate’ in life more, Charlie befriends step-siblings Sam and Patrick. Sam and Patrick then introduce Charlie to their group of friends, and in no time at all Charlie is welcomed into the group like the others. As the year continues, Charlie has new experiences and gains new knowledge about life. Charlie is exposed to many social issues such as, sexual discrimination, violence, rape and communal drug use. He realizes there is a fine line between selfish and selfless. Aside from maturing in all aspects, Charlie ultimately learns to live life for himself, not for others.

Do you think that Charlie had an average ‘coming-of-age’ experience?
Well, really, everyone’s life is different. Everyone has different experiences growing up. In the end, most people end up gaining most of the same knowledge. Everyone has their own confrontations with the good and bad of coming of age, just in their own way. In my opinion, high school is the main point in life where you ‘lose your innocence’. Being surrounded by friends that can be good or bad influences really affects your innocence. Not saying that you become a bad person, you just change and have a greater understanding of childhood mysteries.

In Charlie’s instance, he began grade 9 innocent, alone and lived in books. He got his first life-changing experience when he realized that one of his friends committed suicide. That was the beginning of his own ‘loss of innocence’. From that point on, he witnessed or ‘participated’ in new experiences, both good and bad that taught him. Throughout the story, he learns about drugs, sex, friendship, homosexuality, dating, alcohol and personal identity. All of this relates to ‘loss of innocence’ because after he experienced everything in the story, he was a new person. He had gained new knowledge about life and coming of age, and he was no longer that little boy who drowned himself in books and had no true friends.

What do you think was the turning point for Charlie’s life? When did he begin to gain this ‘life-changing” knowledge?
There are many remote instances that don’t have a great connection to the main plot, but all show that knowledge really is the catalyst for ‘loss of innocence’. The first obvious display of coming of age and loss of innocence is when Charlie uses his knowledge of self-defence to retaliate at another student who starts a fight with Charlie. In the novel, Charlie says: “I keep quiet most of the time, and only one kid named Sean really seemed to notice me. He seemed pretty unhappy as well, and I told him so. Then he got mad and started hitting me, and I just did the things my brother taught me to do. “Go for the knees, throat and eyes.”And I did. And I really hurt Sean.” Knowledge is the catalyst of loss of innocence. Charlie learned how to fight from his brother, and because of what he knew, he really hurt someone; another first for Charlie.

But his life really started developing once met step-siblings, Sam and Patrick. They exposed him to a different world; one that didn’t involve reading, loneliness and innocence. They taught him so much about the side of life Charlie had no knowledge about. He was introduced to new things and experienced many ‘firsts’. Such as, his first cigarette, his first party, his first crush, his first girlfriend, his first kiss, his first encounter with drugs, his first sip of alcohol, and mainly, his first real friends.

Do you think Charlie’s life changed for better or for worse?
I think that his life did change for the better. Charlie was a ‘bookworm’ whose only ‘friend’ was his AP English teacher. Even though meeting Sam and Patrick exposed Charlie to drugs, smoking and alcohol, he got to experience the worst in everything so he knows what not to do. ‘Cause you know, if you have a bad experience with something, you won’t do it again, right? So since he experienced the worst, he knows the good. He was an innocent high school freshman who met friends who showed him the world. Before his friendship with Sam and Patrick, he would just stare at surprising situations since he didn’t know what to think of them and he didn’t fully understand. Then, through his new experiences and knowledge in his ‘new life’, he knew more, understood more, experienced more so he knew how to deal with more situations based on his history, logic and understanding. He learned when to be selfless opposed to selfish, and to live life for himself, not for others.

In general, what is the main cause of loss of innocence?
Knowledge. Knowledge is the catalyst of loss of innocence. One may ‘lose their innocence’ depending on what they do with their new found knowledge. Coming of age connects to loss of innocence. When we were children, we did things that we now would consider ignorant and we didn’t have half the knowledge we have now. Our minds were open to all possibilities, we had such an imagination. As we grow up, we gain have experience and gain knowledge, both good and bad. Once we learn more and more, we are no longer innocent. Through meeting new friends, getting caught up in bad experiences and being exposed to a new side of life, we all learn about life, all at different paces.