Charlie Finds Himself...

I had heard about THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER from a student/friend last year when the movie was coming out.  We were both excited about its release because Emma Watson was in it!  (You know; the young woman who played Hermoine in all the HARRY POTTER movies!!!)  I didn't get a chance to see it in theaters nor have I had a chance to watch it since it came out on video....until last week.  We were on a Humanities (English and Spanish) school trip to Florida and someone had the movie put in the bus' DVD player.  At first, I wasn't too terribly interested in watching it because I hadn't read the book yet--I knew the movie was based on a book.  But of course, I was quickly and easily drawn into the movie.

I loved it.

And not because it made me cry, but because it really is a very good story of a young man "finding himself."  The story has some scenes/parts in it that can be considered questionable, so be forewarned.  (In reading the book, I always do research on any book I read, so I found out that the book is on the list of "most challenged" recent books.  I think it's even been "banned" in some schools/areas.) 

So within an hour of the movie being over (it was really a lot sooner than that), I had downloaded to book to my Nook. 

I couldn't put the book down.  There are quite a few parts that are very difficult to read, but this boy is 15/16 years old and dealing with things no young man should have to deal with--but, sadly, more young men (and women) deal with than statistics can possibly reveal since most boys (and girls) don't/won't tell anyone.  Or, as in Charlie's case, they've repressed/blocked the memory(ies).  Charlie's story is one of love, friendship, brokenness, healing, sadness and depression, family, and so much more. 

It's written in epistolary format--Charlie writes letter addressed to "Dear friend."  We never find out who this mysterious friend is.  I thought that this friend was like Anne Frank's way of calling her diary "Kitty," but apparently, according to one of Charlie's letters, the "friend" is someone real he'd heard about being a good person, so he just chose him/her to share his thoughts/feelings with.  He actually mails the letters to this friend.....

I am considering the possibility of using THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER in my English 111 classroom.  I would love to know what you all think of that idea.  I'd also love to hear any ideas you might have for:  1.  how I should handle the more "sensitive" parts of the story--I don't want to offend anyone and 2.  any ideas you might have for writing topics I could use with this book as the base.

If you haven't read the book, you really should read it.  Please wait to watch the movie until after you've read the book, but regardless, the movie is pretty good, too and follows the book quite well.  In other words, yes, the movie does the book justice.