Perks of Being a Wallflower : Stephen Chbosky’s Creations

By Shreya Banerjee,3rd year BA Hons English

Edited and Designed by Mannat, 3rd year BA Hons Psychology

Not many stories have the heart and soul of a teenager like The Perks of Being a Wallflower.Published in 1999 by Stephen Chbosky, the novel became a cult favourite. And when the 2012 film adaptation hit the theatres, it had one very important ace up its sleeve. As the author of thebook, Chbosky was also the director of the film adaptation. So how did he fare in adapting hisown novel?

In the book, all of the action takes place within the framework of the letters written by the main character, Charlie, to a mysterious "friend." In terms of the book, it is its biggest strength, giving us direct access to the inner monologues of the protagonist and an opportunity to share in his inner turmoil and secrecy.The film follows the structure of the book but replaces the letters with voiceover narration.

It works very well, and much credit should go to Logan Lerman for his excellent acting as Charlie.But still, while in the book, the readers become Charlie; in the film, they only observe him.One of the most significant aspects of the film is the cast itself. Emma Watson brings to life Sam,the warm and restless girl, while Ezra Miller delivers a great performance as Patrick – an eccentric yet vulnerable person. Moreover, Mr. Anderson, the English teacher who discovers Charlie's talents and tries to help him is played by Paul Rudd in a convincing manner.However, the novel gives the story more freedom to breathe.

Minor characters, such as Charlie'ssister, his brother, and his friends, give readers a chance to develop themselves fully, while in the movie they appear quite briefly. Patrick's secret affair becomes even more intense when described in the novel, and some of the relationships that the movie shows seem to be less developed due to limited time.When adapting a complex and rich novel into a two-hour movie, a number of choices should be made.

In particular, some of the subplots and the dark tone of the novel are not represented in the movie to the fullest extent, including Charlie's family history and some issues connected with the loss of his friend Michael.The film is a bit more refined and more optimistic in its approach to the story, which isn't necessarily bad. It might just be harder to notice if you've already seen what the story has to offer in print.Both stories revolve around Charlie's hidden trauma, and both deliver it in an emotional way.

The book builds the story by using small and subtle hints until you finally understand why yougot upset reading all those paragraphs before. The movie hints at the truth through flashbacks,and although it was a nice touch to see it there, the book was more powerful in terms of emotions. Here is where the movie takes off. Music is a key element of the story, and hearing it isextremely important for that matter. The iconic scene with Sam standing in the back of the pickup truck while city lights shine everywhere is probably one of the best things in this film.Couple that with the mix tape scenes, Rocky Horror references, and perfectly recreated early-'90sPittsburgh environment, and you get a unique experience.

The book tells you about the playlist. The movie makes your hair stand on end.In this regard, the novel is also a door into more books, as Charlie completes assignments provided by Mr Anderson. It is an endearing element that makes one feel good when indulged insuch an activity. The movie pays attention to it, but it cannot dwell on it; therefore, it loses some bookish charm.If you want the full emotional journey with its intense inner life, building up the horror gradually,and touching clumsiness, read the book. But if you need a warm and beautifully cast picture ofthe story with a beautiful soundtrack, go for the movie.

The best way out of this dilemma is to doboth – read the book first, and then see the movie, like watching the band perform your favourite song live.No matter which way you take, the core of the story survives the transition from page to screen.We are all sometimes wallflowers, waiting for someone to dance with us.