A wallflower is someone who prefers to stand out from the crowd; someone who hears, sees and understands things that no one else does. Stephen Chbosky writes a powerful and intriguing novel that shows that “…even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel good about them. (Chbosky 211). The Perks of Being a Wallflower, published in 1999 by Gallery Books, is simply extraordinary. Stephen Chbosky is a screenwriter, director and novelist. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was also made into a major motion picture starring Logan Lerman and Emma Watson; Stephen Chbosky was also the writer and director of this film. The Perks of Being a Wallflower will show the reader what it means to be a wallflower. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a novel about a boy named Charlie, a freshman in high school, who suffers from rape, depression, suicide of his children. only friend Michael and the death of his aunt Helen. Charlie is nervous about his first day of high school; writes letters to an unknown friend. Charlie is not a social butterfly, but a wallflower. On the first day of school Charlie gets along immediately with his English teacher Bill; Bill gives Charlie the prerogative to read and write about Bill's favorite books outside of class. During shop class Charlie recognizes a senior, Patrick, who is good-humoredly teasing their shop teacher, making the freshman feel happier. Patrick is secretly gay and dates the quarterback of the football team, his name is Brad. One night Charlie decides to go to a football game but isn't sure why. Charlie and Michael went to football games on middle school nights... halfway through the paper... they tell Brad not to come out and start beating him up. Charlie comes in to defend Patrick and knocks out one of the people. The group starts talking to him again since he atoned for Sam's kiss by saving Patrick's life. Towards the end of the year, Sam breaks up with Craig because he truly loves Charlie. Sam and Charlie are kissing and Sam touches the inside of his leg. Charlie stops and starts thinking about his Aunt Helen. When Sam and Patrick leave for college, Charlie begins to have flashbacks of Aunt Helen. He calls his sister Candice and says he is the reason Aunt Helen died. Charlie was taken to the hospital where the reader finds out what traumatizing event happened to Charlie. Charlie stops writing letters so he can participate in life. Works Cited Chbosky, Stephen. The perks of Being a Wallflower. New York: Gallery Books, 1999. Print.