The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
 "Charlie" is the alias of the adolescent narrator of the novel, who is about to begin his first year of high school. The novel is presented through letters that Charlie writes to an anonymous friend, whom he hears girls at school talk about fondly. Charlie begins his freshman year apprehensive due to the death of his only good friend Michael, who committed suicide several months before. He does not feel that he can lean on his parents or older siblings for support, because they never truly understood him. He also explains that the only relative that he ever felt close to was his Aunt Helen, but she was killed in a car accident on his seventh birthday. Charlie soon befriends two seniors, Sam and her step-brother Patrick. Throughout the story, Sam, Patrick, and Charlie's English teacher Bill introduce him to many new experiences and the letters he writes show his growth. In the end, he learns that he can go on life without being scared because he is a wallflower. Charlie writes about situations he gets into with his new friends including going to parties, seeing and performing in Rocky Horror Picture Show and going on his first date. Charlie also falls in love with Sam during the novel. He writes to his anonymous friend a lot about love. Besides his feelings for Sam, he also briefly dates Mary Elizabeth, another girl in their group of friends. In addition, Charlie writes about Patrick's relationship with Brad, the quarterback of the football team, who is gay but still "in the closet". Another relationship discussed is his sister's, who is dating a boy who Charlie witnessed hitting her, which Charlie is especially sensitive to as his Aunt Helen was abused. Charlie grows a lot during the story and learns how to participate in life. At the end of the summer, Patrick and Sam take Charlie through the tunnel again, this time, with Charlie standing in the truck bed.