The narrative is written through a series of letters by the main character Charlie, a high school freshman, to a correspondent only known as 'friend'.
Not only does Chbosky combine the turbulent emotions which encapsulate adolescence, but he also brings lighter moments and humour into play; Although I found the vein of darkness running through the book rather clear from the start, the language Chbosky uses is rather humorous.
It is a 'coming-of-age' story, which portrays the roller-coaster of teenage life; Making new friends, going to parties, falling in love, abuse, romance, sex, drugs, alcohol, abortion and the struggle to try and find your own identity, to name a few.
I believe anyone who reads this book will relate in some way to the issues raised; It is well worth a read!
Warning: Spoilers!
I must admit that I struggled to put this book down; I read it on the bus to work, in my breaks at work, on the way back from work and when I arrived home. It is a very relatable book as I found myself comparing my past and present feelings and thoughts to those of the characters and their struggles. I would especially recommend this book for a teenage audience as it is filled with teenage angst and confusion, something which we have all felt at one time in our lives.
I have noticed that the book has been labelled an 'easy read', and in some ways I can see why as the language is easier to digest than some novels, however, there is an array of contrasting themes which often overlap and intertwine in various instances throughout the novel some which you may not even recognise at first.
Overall, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', was a very enjoyable read and I'm extremely glad that my younger sister suggested that I read this book and I hope that you enjoy it to!
I have noticed that the book has been labelled an 'easy read', and in some ways I can see why as the language is easier to digest than some novels, however, there is an array of contrasting themes which often overlap and intertwine in various instances throughout the novel some which you may not even recognise at first.
Overall, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', was a very enjoyable read and I'm extremely glad that my younger sister suggested that I read this book and I hope that you enjoy it to!
Here are a few key elements within the novel I found most intriguing:
Family:
“Do you enjoy holidays with your family? I don't mean your mom and dad family, but your uncle and aunt and cousin family? Personally, I do. There are several reasons for this. First, I am very interested and fascinated by how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other. Second, the fights are always the same.”
“But my dad said it was no excuse.
"But I love him!" I had never seen my sister cry that much.
"No, you don't."
"I hate you!"
"No, you don't." My dad can be very calm sometimes.
"He's my whole world."
"Don't ever say that about anyone again. Not even me." That was my mom.”
“I hate you.'
My sister said it different than she said it to my dad. She meant it with me. She really did.
'I love you,' was all I could say in return.”
I found Charlie's narration surrounding his family at times blunt, hilarious and straight to the point, but also melancholy with feelings of guilt and confusion. One aspect I loved within the book is the way Charlie describes everything that is happening around him, even if it is something which most people would not say out loud. His description of his family gatherings are especially hilarious; The way in which his grandad gets 'too drunk' and begins to talk about 'all of the family's secrets', which leads Charlie's mother to replace his drink with sparkling apple juice so he'doesn't make a scene'; Despite this, his grandad still says 'the same thing as he did last year' that 'This is good champagne'.
The more serious notes within the novel are highlighted fairly quickly; That his sister Candace is in an abusive relationship; She asks Charlie not to 'tell Mom and Dad what happened' when he sees 'ponytail' Derek hitting her, to which Charlie exclaims that 'the weird part' was that his sister 'Didn't do anything' 'She just looked at him very quietly. It was so weird'. Candace also finds out that she is pregnant, Derek denies that the baby is his and they break up, which leads her to decide to have an abortion.
Another dark vein running through the story is the death of his aunt Helen and the impact it has upon his life, "Despite everything my mom and doctor and dad have said to be about blame, I can't stop thinking what I know. And I know that my aunt Helen would still be alive today if she bought me one present like everybody else. She would be alive if I were born on a day that didn't snow", this thread of guilt runs throughout the whole of the novel, as Charlie blames himself for the death of his aunt. Christmas Day used to remind him of his Aunt's death as she died in a car accident when she left to buy Charlie a birthday present and as a result his birthday and Christmas holidays become tarnished with these painful memories as he begins to experience breakdowns stating that he can already feel himself going into a 'bad place'.
There is also an underlying theme of sexual abuse surrounding Charlie's aunt as she was abused by a family friend when she was a young girl. Her father 'didn't believe her because of who it was' and her mother 'didn't say anything either' so 'the man kept coming over for visits'; They did nothing to stop the sexual abuse from continuing until his aunt grew up and left, but the childhood trauma stayed with her. She began to self-medicate as a method of coping, 'My aunt Helen drank a lot. My aunt Helen took drugs a lot', this element is also mirrored later on in the novel when Charlie starts to use drugs and alcohol as a way of coping with what is happening around him.
Another interpretation is that Charlie's aunt took advantage of him and sexually abused him. Victims of abuse often become abusers themselves and I believe that Charlie may have repressed this negative memory of sexual abuse in his childhood. He doesn't like to talk about 'bad memories' with his Psychiatrist, he freaks out when Sam touches him, 'I can't do this any more sorry', and he goes on to say, 'But I wasn't talking to Sam any more. I was talking to someone else'. Chbosky deliberately leaves this element rather vague, perhaps to suggest that this is an underlying issue Charlie is not willing to discuss or maybe to highlight that sexual abuse is something that can be easily overlooked.
The more serious notes within the novel are highlighted fairly quickly; That his sister Candace is in an abusive relationship; She asks Charlie not to 'tell Mom and Dad what happened' when he sees 'ponytail' Derek hitting her, to which Charlie exclaims that 'the weird part' was that his sister 'Didn't do anything' 'She just looked at him very quietly. It was so weird'. Candace also finds out that she is pregnant, Derek denies that the baby is his and they break up, which leads her to decide to have an abortion.
Another dark vein running through the story is the death of his aunt Helen and the impact it has upon his life, "Despite everything my mom and doctor and dad have said to be about blame, I can't stop thinking what I know. And I know that my aunt Helen would still be alive today if she bought me one present like everybody else. She would be alive if I were born on a day that didn't snow", this thread of guilt runs throughout the whole of the novel, as Charlie blames himself for the death of his aunt. Christmas Day used to remind him of his Aunt's death as she died in a car accident when she left to buy Charlie a birthday present and as a result his birthday and Christmas holidays become tarnished with these painful memories as he begins to experience breakdowns stating that he can already feel himself going into a 'bad place'.
There is also an underlying theme of sexual abuse surrounding Charlie's aunt as she was abused by a family friend when she was a young girl. Her father 'didn't believe her because of who it was' and her mother 'didn't say anything either' so 'the man kept coming over for visits'; They did nothing to stop the sexual abuse from continuing until his aunt grew up and left, but the childhood trauma stayed with her. She began to self-medicate as a method of coping, 'My aunt Helen drank a lot. My aunt Helen took drugs a lot', this element is also mirrored later on in the novel when Charlie starts to use drugs and alcohol as a way of coping with what is happening around him.
Another interpretation is that Charlie's aunt took advantage of him and sexually abused him. Victims of abuse often become abusers themselves and I believe that Charlie may have repressed this negative memory of sexual abuse in his childhood. He doesn't like to talk about 'bad memories' with his Psychiatrist, he freaks out when Sam touches him, 'I can't do this any more sorry', and he goes on to say, 'But I wasn't talking to Sam any more. I was talking to someone else'. Chbosky deliberately leaves this element rather vague, perhaps to suggest that this is an underlying issue Charlie is not willing to discuss or maybe to highlight that sexual abuse is something that can be easily overlooked.
Literature:
"It's strange because sometimes, I read a book, and I think I am the people in the book".
"I have decided that maybe I want to write when I grow up. I just don't know what I would write".
“I have finished To Kill a Mockingbird. It is now my favorite book of all time, but then again, I always think that until I read another book.”
Here are the list of the books Charlie reads in 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' :
One aspect I absolutely loved about the book was the fact that Charlie, the main character, had a passion for literature. I made a note of all the books he had read in the novel, as there are some such as 'Naked Lunch',WIlliam S. Burroughs, 'The Stranger', by Albert Camus and 'The Fountainhead', by Ayn Rand, which I have never read before.
Chbosky introduces these pieces of literature at various stages of his turbulent year and as his friendship with his teacher Bill grows, he asks Charlie to write additional essays on various novels which stimulates his developing literary talents, stating "You're one of the most gifted people I've ever known. And I don't mean in terms of my other students. I mean in terms of anyone I've ever met".
One aspect I absolutely loved about the book was the fact that Charlie, the main character, had a passion for literature. I made a note of all the books he had read in the novel, as there are some such as 'Naked Lunch',WIlliam S. Burroughs, 'The Stranger', by Albert Camus and 'The Fountainhead', by Ayn Rand, which I have never read before.
Chbosky introduces these pieces of literature at various stages of his turbulent year and as his friendship with his teacher Bill grows, he asks Charlie to write additional essays on various novels which stimulates his developing literary talents, stating "You're one of the most gifted people I've ever known. And I don't mean in terms of my other students. I mean in terms of anyone I've ever met".
Friendship:
“I remembered this one time that I never told anybody about. The time we were walking. Just the three of us. I was in the middle. I don't remember where we were walking to or where we were walking from. I just remember the season. I just remember walking between them and feeling for the first time that I belonged somewhere”
Friendship plays a huge part within the book, initially Charlie spends his time alone at the mall observing other people, until he attends a game at school and sits next to Patrick who is shortly accompanied by Sam. One part of the novel I found rather amusing was when Charlie stated that Sam and Patrick looked 'So happy together' and asked, 'How long have you been boyfriend and girlfriend?', he, along with the reader at this point, is an outsider in this situation; They both laugh at this comment and explain that they are step-brother and step-sister. He then becomes a part of their friendship group, attending parties, smoking with them outside the 'Big boy' restaurant and even forming sexual relationships with certain individuals within the group.
Charlie begins a relationship with the 'girl with the tattoo and belly button ring', Mary Elizabeth, it is rather evident that their relationship was not built to last from the start as Charlie was still interested in Sam; Not only that but they both seem like very different people. Mary Elizabeth would talk about 'objectification' and how she 'hates high school and wants to explore lesbian relationships.'; Charlie would retort that 'the only thing she asked me the whole time was whether or not I wanted to kiss her good night' and that 'most of all, [he] learnt about Mary Elizabeth', this leads the reader to believe that these two individuals quite clearly do not work as a couple and that Mary Elizabeth seems to be rather pretentious.
The relationship comes to an abrupt halt during a game of 'Truth or Dare', in which Charlie chooses the 'Dare'; Patrick dares him to 'kiss the prettiest girl in the room on the lips', which leads Charlie to be 'honest' as he kneels down in front of Sam and kisses her. The atmosphere in the room immediately changs as his friends all know that he is in a relationship with Mary Elizabeth and expected him to kiss her, not Sam. This not only causes friction between Mary Elizabeth and Sam's friendship, but also Charlie's friendship with the entire group as Patrick asks him to stay away until things cool off.
Charlie begins a relationship with the 'girl with the tattoo and belly button ring', Mary Elizabeth, it is rather evident that their relationship was not built to last from the start as Charlie was still interested in Sam; Not only that but they both seem like very different people. Mary Elizabeth would talk about 'objectification' and how she 'hates high school and wants to explore lesbian relationships.'; Charlie would retort that 'the only thing she asked me the whole time was whether or not I wanted to kiss her good night' and that 'most of all, [he] learnt about Mary Elizabeth', this leads the reader to believe that these two individuals quite clearly do not work as a couple and that Mary Elizabeth seems to be rather pretentious.
The relationship comes to an abrupt halt during a game of 'Truth or Dare', in which Charlie chooses the 'Dare'; Patrick dares him to 'kiss the prettiest girl in the room on the lips', which leads Charlie to be 'honest' as he kneels down in front of Sam and kisses her. The atmosphere in the room immediately changs as his friends all know that he is in a relationship with Mary Elizabeth and expected him to kiss her, not Sam. This not only causes friction between Mary Elizabeth and Sam's friendship, but also Charlie's friendship with the entire group as Patrick asks him to stay away until things cool off.
Love and sexuality:
"Masturbation, I forgot to tell you how often I do it now, which is alot."
“Girls are weird, and I don't mean that offensively. I just can't put it any other way.”
“I am really in love with Sam, and it hurts very much.”
"I want to make sure that the first person you kiss loves you. Okay?"
Okay." She was crying harder now. And I was, too, because when I hear something like that I just can't help it.
"I just want to make sure of that. Okay?"
"Okay."
And she kissed me. It was the kind of kiss that I could never tell my friends about out loud. It was the kind of kiss that made me know that I was never so happy in my whole life.”
Charlie is a teenager and inevitably becomes aware of his sexual desires, even assuming the role of a voyeur in certain parts of the book. As Charlie opens the door to the basement he sees his sister and 'this boy' naked, leading his sister to 'scream at [him] in a whisper', 'Get out. You pervert.' Another example of this is at a party his family are holding in his house; A couple stumble into his room and ask Charlie if '[he] minded them using it', to which Charlie replies, 'I [don't] see why not'. He begins to witness the couple engaging in a sexual act as he stands watching; 'The boy kept working up the girls shirt', as he 'Put her hands down his pants' and 'She grabbed his penis with her hands and started moving it'. His sister asks Charlie why he did not stop this from continuing, to which Charlie replies that he 'didn't know what they were doing'. 'He raped her, didn't he?', he asks Sam, to which she just nods.
Charlie also narrates the way in which Patrick and Brad (the quarterback on the high school football team) engage in a stolen kiss as he 'heard a noise in the room where [they] had left [their] coats'. He later goes to describe the way in which they have sex as 'Brad assumed the role of the girl in terms of where you put things' but he 'wouldn't even let Patrick hold him'.
It is clear from the beginning that Charlie takes an interest in Sam exclaiming that he not only wants to date her, but'hold her forever'. Tell tells Sam that he 'dreamt she and I were naked on the sofa' to which she laughs; 'Not a mean laugh' but a'nice, warm laugh' and she states that she thinks Charlie is being 'cute'. Charlie experiences insecurities when Sam begins to date Craig and retorts that he wanted 'Sam to stop liking Craig'.
'The Rocky Horror Picture Show', is a central element which runs throughout the novel; A play which explores politics, gender, taboo and sexuality, to name a few, which are some elements that arise in Charlie's own life. Patrick plays the role of 'Frank-N-Furter', a bisexual transvestite from another planet, whilst Sam takes the role of 'Janet', a young girl engaged to 'Brad'. One night, Craig doesn't show up on the night of the performance so Charlie is asked if he would like to take up the role of 'Rocky'. He nervously agrees and takes part in a particular scene in the play in which 'Rocky' is touching 'Janet'; Charlie explains that 'the best part was the scene with Janet where we had to touch each other. I did get an erection, though, but not until later'.
Charlie then begins to recount his first sexual encounter with Mary Elizabeth 'She leaned down and started kissing my neck and ears. Then my cheeks. Then my lips. She took my hand and slid it up her sweater, and I couldn't believe what was happening to me. Or what breasts felt like. Or later, how they looked like. Or how difficult bras are'.
Furthermore, Charlie becomes a shoulder to cry on when Patrick and Brad split up, this leads to a sexual encounter with Patrick as he passionately kisses Charlie and then breaks down crying. Charlie's inability to solve his close friends despair leads him to just be there for him.
Later on in the novel Sam questions Charlie as to why he didn't stop Patrick from kissing him,'So why did you let him [kiss you]?', to which Charlie replies, 'I was just trying to be a friend'. She goes on to talk about how Charlie was being dishonest with Patrick, 'At those times you weren't being his friend at all.' and that the reason she rejected his affection months ago was because she wanted someone to like the 'real' her, exclaiming that she didn't 'want to be somebody's crush'.
Charlie also narrates the way in which Patrick and Brad (the quarterback on the high school football team) engage in a stolen kiss as he 'heard a noise in the room where [they] had left [their] coats'. He later goes to describe the way in which they have sex as 'Brad assumed the role of the girl in terms of where you put things' but he 'wouldn't even let Patrick hold him'.
It is clear from the beginning that Charlie takes an interest in Sam exclaiming that he not only wants to date her, but'hold her forever'. Tell tells Sam that he 'dreamt she and I were naked on the sofa' to which she laughs; 'Not a mean laugh' but a'nice, warm laugh' and she states that she thinks Charlie is being 'cute'. Charlie experiences insecurities when Sam begins to date Craig and retorts that he wanted 'Sam to stop liking Craig'.
'The Rocky Horror Picture Show', is a central element which runs throughout the novel; A play which explores politics, gender, taboo and sexuality, to name a few, which are some elements that arise in Charlie's own life. Patrick plays the role of 'Frank-N-Furter', a bisexual transvestite from another planet, whilst Sam takes the role of 'Janet', a young girl engaged to 'Brad'. One night, Craig doesn't show up on the night of the performance so Charlie is asked if he would like to take up the role of 'Rocky'. He nervously agrees and takes part in a particular scene in the play in which 'Rocky' is touching 'Janet'; Charlie explains that 'the best part was the scene with Janet where we had to touch each other. I did get an erection, though, but not until later'.
Charlie then begins to recount his first sexual encounter with Mary Elizabeth 'She leaned down and started kissing my neck and ears. Then my cheeks. Then my lips. She took my hand and slid it up her sweater, and I couldn't believe what was happening to me. Or what breasts felt like. Or later, how they looked like. Or how difficult bras are'.
Furthermore, Charlie becomes a shoulder to cry on when Patrick and Brad split up, this leads to a sexual encounter with Patrick as he passionately kisses Charlie and then breaks down crying. Charlie's inability to solve his close friends despair leads him to just be there for him.
Later on in the novel Sam questions Charlie as to why he didn't stop Patrick from kissing him,'So why did you let him [kiss you]?', to which Charlie replies, 'I was just trying to be a friend'. She goes on to talk about how Charlie was being dishonest with Patrick, 'At those times you weren't being his friend at all.' and that the reason she rejected his affection months ago was because she wanted someone to like the 'real' her, exclaiming that she didn't 'want to be somebody's crush'.
Anxiety and depression:
“It's kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and you say your name. And it gets to a point where none of it seems real. Well, sometimes I can do that, but I don't need an hour in front of a mirror. It just happens very fast, and things start to slip away. And I just open my eyes, and I see nothing. And then I start to breathe really hard trying to see something, but I can't. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, it scares me.”
“Despite everything my mom and doctor and dad have said to
me about blame, I can't stop thinking what I know. And I know
that my aunt Helen would still be alive today if she just bought me
one present like everybody else. She would be alive if I were born
on a day that didn't snow.”
“I don't know if you've ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for thousands of years. Or just not exist..”
“I know that I brought this all on myself. I know that I deserve this. I'd do anything not to be this way. I'd do anything to make it up to everyone. And to not have to see a psychiatrist, who explains to me about being "passive aggressive.”
“I just wish that God or my parents or Sam or my sister or someone would just tell me what's wrong with me. Just tell me how to be different in a way that makes sense. To make this all go away. And disappear. I know that's wrong because it's my responsibility, and I know that things get worse before they get better because that's what my psychiatrist says, but this is a worse that feels too big.”
The doctor told me that my mother and father found me sitting on the couch in the family room. I was completely naked, just watching the television, which wasn’t on. I wouldn’t speak or snap out of it, they said.
The reader becomes aware that Charlie appears to have a dysfunctional personality, which appears to stem from trauma in his childhood. The theme of death and loss is made clear from the start as he has to cope with the demise of two important figures in his life; His best friend Michael and his aunt Helen. Charlie's aunt seems to be the only person in his life who he had a connection with as he recalls that she 'is like his one and only best friend', something which he could not find from his parents or siblings.
At the beginning of the book, Charlie explains how the loss of his best friend has left an impact upon his life; He begins to wonder what Michaels home life was like to attempt to understand why he committed suicide, 'Maybe it was problems at home. I wish I knew', which only adds to his increasing guilt and anxiety.
Charlie begins to use drugs and alcohol as a method of coping with his overwhelming feelings. His first encounter with drugs occurs at a party which Sam and Patrick invited him to, he exclaims that he is hungry and is given a brownie which 'tasted a little weird', he goes on to say 'Since you are older, I think you know what kind of brownie it is'.
When his friendship with the group is brought to an abrupt halt, he asks 'Bob', 'if he had anything [he] could buy'. Charlie acquires a 'quarter ounce of pot' with his Easter money and smokes 'it all the time since'. He not only experiments with marijuana but also LSD and smokes cigarettes which affect Charlie's perceptions of life. Even before his fall out with the group, Charlie began to mimic Sam and Patrick's behaviour, from previously being a non-smoker, to 'Chain-smoking cigarettes' with them.
He also begins to see a Psychiatrist, who encourages him to be honest about his feelings towards Mary Elizabeth, 'I asked my sister what I should do, and she said the best thing to do is be honest about my feelings. My Psychiatrist said the same thing'.However, Charlie is not quite on the same wavelength as his Psychiatrist, 'I'd do anything to make it up to everyone. And not have to see a Psychiatrist, who explains to me about being "passive aggressive". And not have to take the medication he gives me, which is too expensive for my dad. And not have to talk about bad memories with him. Or be nostalgic about bad things.', Charlie is racked with feelings of guilt, denial and confusion throughout this extract; If his aunt did not go out in the car to buy him a birthday present then she wouldn't of died, therefore, he may not have needed to see a Psychiatrist and would've saved his dad money which he can't afford to pay out in the first place. This extract also links back to my previous explanation, that Charlie is repressing his trauma in childhood as he may be in a state of denial and is reluctant to talk about the sexual abuse he suffered in the past.
At the beginning of the book, Charlie explains how the loss of his best friend has left an impact upon his life; He begins to wonder what Michaels home life was like to attempt to understand why he committed suicide, 'Maybe it was problems at home. I wish I knew', which only adds to his increasing guilt and anxiety.
Charlie begins to use drugs and alcohol as a method of coping with his overwhelming feelings. His first encounter with drugs occurs at a party which Sam and Patrick invited him to, he exclaims that he is hungry and is given a brownie which 'tasted a little weird', he goes on to say 'Since you are older, I think you know what kind of brownie it is'.
When his friendship with the group is brought to an abrupt halt, he asks 'Bob', 'if he had anything [he] could buy'. Charlie acquires a 'quarter ounce of pot' with his Easter money and smokes 'it all the time since'. He not only experiments with marijuana but also LSD and smokes cigarettes which affect Charlie's perceptions of life. Even before his fall out with the group, Charlie began to mimic Sam and Patrick's behaviour, from previously being a non-smoker, to 'Chain-smoking cigarettes' with them.
He also begins to see a Psychiatrist, who encourages him to be honest about his feelings towards Mary Elizabeth, 'I asked my sister what I should do, and she said the best thing to do is be honest about my feelings. My Psychiatrist said the same thing'.However, Charlie is not quite on the same wavelength as his Psychiatrist, 'I'd do anything to make it up to everyone. And not have to see a Psychiatrist, who explains to me about being "passive aggressive". And not have to take the medication he gives me, which is too expensive for my dad. And not have to talk about bad memories with him. Or be nostalgic about bad things.', Charlie is racked with feelings of guilt, denial and confusion throughout this extract; If his aunt did not go out in the car to buy him a birthday present then she wouldn't of died, therefore, he may not have needed to see a Psychiatrist and would've saved his dad money which he can't afford to pay out in the first place. This extract also links back to my previous explanation, that Charlie is repressing his trauma in childhood as he may be in a state of denial and is reluctant to talk about the sexual abuse he suffered in the past.
Poetry:
Charlie presents gifts to his friends before Christmas; He gives Sam an 'old 45 record' that had 'The Beatles' song'Something' on it, which his aunt Helen gave to him and he presents Patrick with a poem.
Charlie's initial response to the poem was positive, describing it as 'a poem [he] had read a long time ago', it was a poem that Michael had made a copy of which he had read 'a thousand times since'. However, once Charlie finishes reading the poem, 'Everyone was quiet. A very sad quiet' and he goes on to say that 'Nobody knew who wrote it, but Bob said he heard it before, he had heard that it was some kid's suicide note, I really hope it wasn't because then I don't know if I like the ending'.
I believe that it is not just a coincidence that the poem concerns the element of suicide, it clearly links to Michael and could even be his suicide note; This portrays Charlie's inability to read certain situations correctly or perhaps it highlights that he is in complete denial, as he states that he 'never wanted to understand what it meant'. Michael could have given Charlie the poem and told him that he didn't know who it was written by, it could even be Michaels goodbye note to Charlie as even Bob heard that 'It was some kids suicide note'. However, Chbosky leaves the poem open for interpretation by the reader.
Charlie's initial response to the poem was positive, describing it as 'a poem [he] had read a long time ago', it was a poem that Michael had made a copy of which he had read 'a thousand times since'. However, once Charlie finishes reading the poem, 'Everyone was quiet. A very sad quiet' and he goes on to say that 'Nobody knew who wrote it, but Bob said he heard it before, he had heard that it was some kid's suicide note, I really hope it wasn't because then I don't know if I like the ending'.
I believe that it is not just a coincidence that the poem concerns the element of suicide, it clearly links to Michael and could even be his suicide note; This portrays Charlie's inability to read certain situations correctly or perhaps it highlights that he is in complete denial, as he states that he 'never wanted to understand what it meant'. Michael could have given Charlie the poem and told him that he didn't know who it was written by, it could even be Michaels goodbye note to Charlie as even Bob heard that 'It was some kids suicide note'. However, Chbosky leaves the poem open for interpretation by the reader.
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