Perks of reading “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”

It’s not only a book but a journey worth endeavouring in 2020

People look back at their year through days, weeks and months. I look back through the books I read. So, I thought to draw the light on the book with which I began my year — “Perks of Being a Wallflower”. It was a bit worn out a copy from the library, yet spoke the story loudly and clearly enough. I find it fascinating- how a single copy of a book meets hundreds of pairs of hands. sees through them, talks to them and stays with them differently. It makes me realise-I wish I were a book!

To begin with, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a simple book. But I bet, by the last page, it would leave you in tears. Giving a little idea of the plot (don’t worry, not giving you any spoilers)- It’s about a boy named Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, who enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend’s suicide and his tumultuous past. It is written by Stephen Chbosky. Also, it is now a major motion picture that stars Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller. Though I still have to watch the movie, I’m totally in love with the book.

The book is narrated through letters. The identity of the reader is not revealed and the letters are written more like a daily journal. This makes you believe that those letters are for you. And very soon, it makes you want to go through all the letters on the go. And quite simply, you’ll not be able to put the book down.

In the beginning, you’ll wonder- the book is only about the letters. You may think that there’s nothing significant about it except for the cliffhanger that gives you a vibe that something’s not right. And that will keep you going. For a while, you may even wonder, what’s the fuss about this book, but wait, don’t put it back yet and don’t even ask the Google- you’ll miss the charm.

“Why?” you may ask.

Because the main ingredient of the book is added so subtly and nicely that it makes your transition effortless. This book grows on you, literally!! With time,

you’ll reveal that it’s actually a beautiful journey of discovering, accepting, forgiving, getting over and embracing life with open arms.

The last page is all about teary eyes and hopeful life!

Moreover, this is also a book that will make you want to sit with a marker pen. That’s because it has many beautiful quotes scrambled in it. These lines will bring the book closer to your heart.

Here are a few quotes from the book that will now stay with me forever!

(Just a nudge to begin a beautiful journey through a book!)

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”

This quote is somewhere in the beginning and hits you like a truck. It will take you to the moments when you accepted less than you deserve. It will change your perception of accepting love. It is that sentence that will make you say, “It is easier said than done.” But it will ring loudly in your conscience that will eventually change the course for you (hope so).

“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn’t stop for anybody.”

This very sentence weakens yet, strengthen you. And you wouldn’t want any explanation on that!

“And in that moment, I swear we were infinite.”

This will take you the moments that you wished never ended. This is the sentence that makes you look at yourself through moments. And suddenly, you realise that life is so much more than what we make of it. It is a gentle nudge that makes you realise that life is all about the moments that makes you feel infinite and invincible.

“So, I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we’ll never know most of them. But even if we don’t have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.”

It makes you realise that life is more than what we know of it. And that we just can’t change it, but we can surely change what we make of it.

“I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won’t tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn’t change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn’t really change the fact that you have what you have.”

Okay, so for years, whenever I felt upset, I looked into sides where people were in more miserable situations than I was. But when I read this sentence, it kind of empowered me. It made me feel that I matter. And that my happiness and my sorrows are equally important as they are of others.

It made me realise that pain is pain and that however miserable condition we may be in, it is okay to address it and feel it. We should never be ashamed of feeling the way we feel. It made me more respectful towards myself and others.

“I am very interested and fascinated by how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other.”

This shows a strange melancholy of the world that is unconditionally, conditional. And of how sometimes, we may love someone a lot but not respect them. Or may respect somebody but can not love them. It’s just about love just doesn’t feel like love.

Sadly, we all have that kind of love.

“It’s just that I don’t want to be somebody’s crush. If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don’t want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it too.”

This sentence is for the hopeless romantic people who are courageous at heart. These are the kind of people who are pure and real. They are never afraid of being whatever and whoever they are. Better yet, they do it with all heart and pride. These are the people with great heart and grand gestures. And if you are one of them, this sentence brings you closer to the book and somehow, you understand the journey of Charlie a little more.

“It’s strange because sometimes, I read a book, and I think I am the people in the book.”

Well, this sentence somehow just sums up my attachment with the books.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you do exist. Or something like that. I think wanting that is very morbid, but I want it when I get like this. That’s why I’m trying not to think. I just want it all to stop spinning.”

This pretty much sums up while I’m going through anxiety and the days I spent being depressed.

It’s everyone’s “Been there, had that” moment.

“This moment will just be another story someday.”

And so will we be. So let’s just live this moment, this life to the fullest.

“Enjoy it. Because it’s happening.”

So later, you can smile and be happy because it happened.

“He’s a wallflower. You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.”

We always take this person for granted. Yet, they matter the most.

Yes, it is subtle that way.

“And I thought about how many people have loved those songs. And how many people got through a lot of bad times because of those songs. And how many people enjoyed good times with those songs. And how much those songs really mean. I think it would be great to have written one of those songs. I bet if I wrote one of them, I would be very proud. I hope the people who wrote those songs are happy. I hope they feel it’s enough. I really do because they’ve made me happy. And I’m only one person.”

It’s just how we resonate with art. And how someone’s piece of the heart pushes us through so much and takes us to places.

This world owes a lot to the artists that it made.

“We didn’t talk about anything heavy or light. We were just there together. And that was enough”

Simply says that the real connection does not mean too much effort. And that there’s always a difference between just talking and communicating.

“I just want you to know that you’re very special… and the only reason I’m telling you is that I don’t know if anyone else ever has.”

Because whoever is reading this article is special. And I have put this quote here because I don’t know if anyone else has told you the same before.

“It was the kind of kiss that made me know that I was never so happy in my whole life.”

Well, some kisses are just like that, you know?! The words are never enough to describe it.

*Blush Blush blush*

These are just a few sentences of the book. The book has a lot to offer to you than these quotes and if I could, I would put the entire book up here. But I won’t kill its charm.

So, have you read the book yet?

Is it in your reading list of 2020?

Is my article prompting you to read it?

Do let me know via email: aayushimistry19@gmail.com