Being Perky

Stephen Chubosky's first novel, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, has been often compared to J.D. Salinger's Catcher In the Rye for its approach to explaining teenagers and their issues throughout maturation.

This book is set up a little differently, as it is more of a diary or journal of letters that Charlie, the main character, has mailed off to someone, someone he says he was recommended to write to because he/she "listens". Charlie has several good experiences combined with some bad ones. He has disagreements with kids in school for being nerdy and different. On the other hand, he has an interesting relationship with his english teacher, Bill, who allos Charlie to call him by his first name and tells Charlie that he has a lot of potential.

I chose this novel particularly because of its unique outlook on teenagers learning a lesson or two the hard way. It may be a shorter text, however, it will still serve its purpose as I look at what the author really has to say about adolescence.

That's the Ticket

With the chocolate sale over, Brother Leon and the school are thrilled. The relief is amazing for the kids, but Archie seems unsatisfied. Oddly enough, in the final tally, 50 boxes of chocolate remain unsold – Jerry’s 50. Archie decides to give Jerry a chance to be ‘part of society’ and at the same time, giver Jerry a chance to get back at Janza for his attack on Jerry. This will prove the toughest test for Jerry.

The fight goes all wrong for Jerry and perfect for Archie. Janza gets hit a few times but Jerry gets the worst of it. At one point, Jerry sees an opportunity to strike Janza and end the fight, but when the chance arrives, he comes to a huge realization. As he hears the crowd booing him, he glances around to see Archie smiling with Carter at his side. Off in the distance, far enough away, Brother Leon watches from a hill and does nothing to stop the scene. Jerry realizes he has lost his real fight. He had become just as bad as all of them. He bought into exactly what he resisted. He desire for revenge made him no better than Archie, Leon, or anyone. As he learns this, he adds that he did not ‘disturb the universe’, he ‘damaged’ it. In doing so, he damaged himself too.

Janza’s final, wild attack on Jerry ends the fight. Only Goober runs to Jerry’s side as he lay punched out. Jerry became a symbol, just like he has wanted to be, but it was all wrong. He was the symbol of what happens when you dare to be different in the face of a corrupt society run by cheaters. For Jerry, it is defeat. For those that understand his fight, it may be a victory. For even though Jerry failed, he teaches the rest of us that one must at least try to be victorious and not just accept what the world hands you. Jerry teaches us all that we have a voice and that voice should be heard, even if it is small, weaker than the rest, and falls on deaf ears.

Interesting Facts

As I was surfing the world wide web looking for some background information on the author, Robert Cormier, of The Chocolate War, I found that this book comes up as The American Library Association's list of "The Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books in 1999-2000", coming in the top 5. With many mixed reviews, it is commonly recognized as "one of the best young adult novels of all time" (Wikipedia). However, critics also took notice the novel's crude language and obscene teen-age gestures. Regardless of the critics point of view, the story brings to surface several of the modern day problems that teenagers encounter on a daily basis, therefore, the story's themes are found to be important to adolescents growing to be adults.

Solitary Man

Jerry is now the laughing stock of the school, being physically abused and constantly on the butt-end of the jokes. Jerry seems to have a hold of what is being done by not allowing any of it to bother him. However, it is getting to him; he's starting to feel the mental anguish more then the physical. With this, Jerry begins to receive prank phone calls in the middle of the night that say nothing but a little chuckle. He is starting to feel the heat.

Jerry's 'Do I dare to disturb the universe poster' serves as an essential symbol in this novel. Once it was something to be admired, there in his locker. It reminded him of his quest - his mission to be an individual. Now, that poster is a mess - vandalized with ink smeared across it so that the words are hardly visible. He begins to question himself on the decisions he has made earlier when he was determined to "be different", by not selling the chocolates. Now, with all this abuse, Jerry starts to wonder if it is even worth the battle asking himself, "Do I dare disturb the universe?" and then quickly replies, "Yes I do, I do. I think." It is this point in the story that he is unsure of what position he wants to take, whether to give in to the abuse and get messed up, or be the "solitary man on the beach standing upright and alone and unafraid, poised at the moment of making himself heard and known in the world, the universe."(143)