Literature Analysis #1

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 1) In the story, the main character is Charlie, a freshman in high school who is very curious but quiet. Charlie’s best and only friend, Michael, committed suicide sometime in the year before hand. His aunt had also passed away on his seventh birthday when she was out buying him a Christmas and birthday present and he makes reference to him missing her often. He has trouble making friends and letting go of Michael and the fact that many people have changed over the summer. He does however find a companion in his English teacher, Bill. He ends up making friends with two seniors, Patrick and Sam, who introduce him to the world of sex and drugs. Charlie begins to fall in love with Sam, who teaches him how it feels to be "infinite".When the holidays come around he seems uncomfortable with the thought of spending so much time with family. His dad and his aunt were beat as children and his Aunt Helen had been molested by a family friend. The grandpa is a drunk and the only reason why they even get along this year is because they're all so proud of Charlie's brother playing football on tv. For Christmas Charlie gets a type writer from his secret santa in his group of friends and he aspires even more to become a writer. Charlie's sister who was secretly dating a boy that hits her gets pregnant. When the boy argues that it's not his kid, she talks Charlie into taking her to get an abortion and from there on out their friendship strengthens.Charlie starts dating a girl in their group of friends although he is not actually interested in her. They break up when Charlie is dared to kiss the prettiest girl in the room and kisses Sam instead of Mary Elizabeth.After that Charlie is asked to keep away from the group for a while. During this break Patrick was seeing Brad, who wasn’t openly gay, and the two were caught by Brad’s father who didn't accept the two. Brad ends things with Patrick by calling him a faggot and starting a fight in the cafeteria , after Charlie steps in for Patrick they become close friends again and soon the rest of the group follows suite. All the seniors were getting ready for prom and graduation and Charlie was beginning to let it sink in that all his friends were leaving. While Sam is packing for college Charlie and her admit their feelings towards each other and when they start getting close Charlie begins feeling ill. He remembered that his Aunt Helen molested him when he was a child and ends up in the hospital. After months a mental hospital he gets better with a new perspective of life in mind. He decides it is important to participate in life and not be shy or introverted. It ends off with him on the back of Sam’s pick up truck feeling infinite.  
2) The theme seemed to be how he finds himself. Throughout the story he feels lost and knows that something is missing. Although he goes through times of happiness it slips through his fingers right when he begins feeling comfortable with it. Once he goes through his hardships and finally opens up he remembers what it was that has shut him up for so long and he can finally appreciate life and the people in it.

3) The tone seems to be loney and sometime hopeful.