The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

"You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand."

I was circling the bookstore to find this book. I promised myself I would buy this book as I decided to get back to reading again regularly. And so I finally lay my hands on the book entitled "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. As you see the book has a very interesting cover and deeply amazing plot. I am just scared that I might put this book down and I might not find the time to read it but I am glad I did not.

As I turned the pages I found that it is perfect for me. The story revolves around Charlie who opens up to a "friend" about his life by writing letters. So we get to know Charlie who is described by his Aunt Helen as "special". His teacher Bill believed is special too and is exceptionally intelligent. Bill gives him special assignments by giving him bokOps }yntmaking an essay out of it. His mother said he has a talent on telling stories. His father trusted him to keep a secret on how he caught his Dad crying after watching the last episode of Mash. His sister also made him keep a promise on not telling anyone about her accidental pregnancy. And how his brother shared stories with him about football and girls. And how Charlie was not afraid to cry and be emotional and say his "I love you's" to those people close to him.

Charlie was not the biggest geek or even popular. He is trying to blend in and trying to be noticed. Indeed he is a wallflower trying to test the waters of being a teenage but trying to swim on it and hoping not to get drowned. He eventually met friends, seniors Patrick and Sam. With them he was welcomed to the world of sex,drugs, dating, alcohol, gay relationships and love. As he go through exploring his world with them, they expect him to blend in, as a true wallflower; he see things,keep quiet about them and just have to learn to understand it for himself. Charlie learned that loving the beautiful Sam but nothing to gain in return is what true love is. Charlie saw that gay relationships might be so complicated but as long as the two people involved are in unity, he learned to be happy for his friends Patrick and Brad.

I was in this book as I was reading it. I was blending in the crowd like a perfect wallflower. Going on like I never really did care but deep inside there is a kaleidoscope of thoughts and emotions. And because unnoticed nobody really cared what you think or feel. And I was Charlie. I guess in this sea of people, there should always be a wallflower or maybe a bunch of wallflower. Trying t go unnoticed but would like to have a chance of a spotlight. Always the one being quiet but trying to get heard someday. And the real perk of being a wallflower is the ability to understand. It might seem pathetic because they immediately expect you to understand but I think it is the trust of people to judge you as being an understandable person. To accept things without questions. To see the reasons behind people's drastic choices or even their non-sense decisions.

A lot of friends saw me reading this book. One said, that the title itself tells it has a deep story. Another said, it is an emotional one. Then there is another who laughed at the title and asked if there would really be some perks of being a wallflower. And I was quick to answer that there is. The thought of being invisible without even having the real power of it is amazing. It might be strange and boring life of being unnoticed but the fact of being able to understand when no one would is a gift.

"We accept the Love that we think we Deserve."