Response to inquiry

     Books hold so much more meaning then they appear to. In The Perks of a Being a Wallflower, by Steven Chbosky, stronger meaning is found by reading between the lines. The critically acclaimed novel tells it's story through a mock compilation of letters from main character Charlie to an unknown recipient. Through these letters, we experiance growing up along with Charlie, as he morphs from a naive child to a more experianced young adult. Charlie grows into a worldly and brilliant young man as he finds out more about himself through his new friend group, who allow him to "participate" in life, as he describes it . The real story of The Perks of Being a Wallflower however, lies much deeper then simple words on a page. Books like The Perks of Being a Wallflower are much deeper then they present themselves to be.

     From the very beginning of the story, Charlie seems different. The language of his letters are basic and he often overused words. Although many readers would disregard this as a simple device used by the author to show Charlie's naïveté, it is much, much more. Looking deeper into the story, it is evident that Charlie may have somewhat of a learning disability, and the quality of his writing is a reflection of this. Charlie states: "I told this [referring to a conversation with his friends at "The Big Boy" diner] to my psychiatrist, but he said it was too soon to draw any conclusions. References to Charlie's therapist are commonplace throughout the novel and it is made clear that he has seen a psychiatrist for a while. This evidence relates back to Charlie's basic writing craft and how it relates to mental disability, it strengthens the arguement that there may be something different about Charlie. Readers that take note of the subliminal points made in between the lines, such as this are able to catch on to Charlie's supposed mental disorder and gain a better perspective of Charlie's character.

     Looking closer into the text such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower can reveal that stories are much deeper then they seem to be. This technique can be used in other novels and stories as well because it is a great way to see books in a whole new light. Rereading books with the mindset that there is always something deeper to find can reveal entirely new plot points. This technique has the potential to strengthen the reading lives of all teens and even adults. Searching for deeper plot points can add excitement into the life of a reader and it is something that I do often . I would definitely recommend this strategy to all readers, as it truly does improve most books.