Not enough people take the time to just listen to others, Charlie feels. So when he hears of a
man who does so, Charlie begins a series of anonymous
letters to his new friend, introducing himself only as Charlie, while also stating that this is not his real name. Charlie is the
wallflower that the title of the book speaks of. He watches and understands, but prefers not to get involved. During the course of his letters, we get to know a shy
young man as he faces the problems of adolescence, compounded for him by
strong feelings of guilt for burdens he insists are his to bear. Through monologues to his new listener, Charlie moves from
discussion to discussion, experiencing love, companionship, a first kiss, and all the mundane excitements of a young life. Stephen Chbosky expertly raises such questions as introversion, teenage sexuality and the awkwardness that goes with it, unconventional thinking and the search of an identity. You won't find any earthshaking climax in this book, but it would still take a strong will to put it down.
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