The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Belonging Analysis

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An identity is who or what a person or thing is. Your identity defines who you are, a self-representation of your interests, relationships, personality and social activity. A sense of belonging comes from a sense of identity. Our sense of identity and belonging is impacted by various elements, including our relationships, experiences, and our environment. This can be seen throughout the novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky. The book followed the experiences of Charlie, a ‘wallflower,’ discovering himself, making friends and recalling woeful memories. Charlie, is going through his teenage years, and as you progress through the story, it becomes clear that the way he acts is heavily influenced by his peers, his relationships…show more content…
After Michael died, Charlie's brother was there for him, distracting him from his grief, and helping him to develop and form his identity “I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands and doesn’t try to sleep with people even if they could have. I need to know that these people exist.”(pg.8) Friends help shape your identity, and Sam and Patrick, Charlie's friends, help him become a stronger individual. Friends are important in high-school, because they build your self-esteem, and give you a sense of belonging. Patrick affirms Charlie's position in society: the introverted and reserved Charlie is able to sit back and listen, nonetheless he still understands and is valuable to his friends. "He's a wallflower...You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.”(pg.61) From this point in the book, after Patrick says this, Charlie finds it easier to value himself. He finally has the confidence to act and feel as if he belongs, thus drawing into the point that relationships and experiences shape your identity and sense of belonging. “And this guy got really red-faced. And he
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    Then after some years he completed writing the book entitled ‘the perks of being a wallflower’, and was an immediate success amongst teenage readers. Stephen Chbosky has acclaimed that he connects with ‘Charlie’, and understands his state of mind, even though Charlie’s high-school life was somewhat different than his. One can notice

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