Sanvi Sinha Week 1 - Unlocking Oneself: How Language and Identity Connect in The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Week 1
Unlocking Oneself: How Language and Identity Connect in The Perks of Being a Wallflower – 08/26
Identity can be defined as a sense of self: a collection of one’s traits, beliefs, and qualities that define who a person is. Language is the fundamental tool through which we construct and understand our identity—it directs how we communicate, not only with others, but also with our inner selves. For this week's blog,
I would like to talk about a book that resonated with me when I was an upcoming high-schooler trying to figure out my own identity—Stephan Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Written as a series of journal entries or “letters” to an anonymous reader, an introverted high school freshman, Charlie finds his voice as he navigates his identity.
At the start of the novel, Charlie’s identity is defined mainly by his passiveness and silence. He is often referred to as a “wallflower”, or someone who only observes and never participates. Coping with repressed childhood trauma and the suicide of his best friend, he resorts to using silence as a shield. I recognized much of my early teenage experiences in his letters at the beginning of the novel—navigating through the little anxieties of growing up.
Charlie’s shift from an outside observer to an involved person is made almost entirely by linguistic discovery. Mr. Anderson, his English teacher, assigns him classic literature every month or so, which helps him develop his vocabulary and understanding of human experience. Reading those books provides Charlie with devices that he can use to better identify his emotions, while essays allow him to process his thoughts. Simultaneously, his new friendships with Sam and Patrick introduce him to the language of music and late-night conversations. He confides in and identifies himself through mixtapes and the people he surrounds himself with—yet another aspect that makes his character so relatable. Through literature and conversations, he realizes that words can be used to claim space in the world. Charlie's entire understanding of his self-worth is reframed when Mr. Anderson famously tells him, “We accept the love we think we deserve.”
Reading Charlie’s letters showed me how deeply our identities are connected to the words we use and surround ourselves with. This book shows that identity is not something that can be figured out all at once, but an ongoing conversation. Writing things down or reflecting on past phases is how we piece together who we are.
In his final letter, when Charlie declares, “We are infinite,” he is actually declaring his victory of self-expression. By narrating his story in his own words, Charlie claims his newfound identity and reminds the reader that to be “infinite” is to recognize that identity is an ongoing concept—that we are not just defined by our past or our present, but by our capabilities to keep evolving.
He feels infinite, I think
I love this movie as well! I think your analysis is really interesting. When I watched the movie, I actually thought Charlie’s near-death experience was the thing that inspired him to start living. As before this point, he was dealing with anxiety regarding the topic of suicide. Now that I am looking back, I can definitely see the impact Mr. Anderson’s words had on him.
ReplyDeleteI think Charlie's letters also served as symbolism throughout the movie. Before he found his identity, the letters seemed to be a sort of coping mechanism for his trauma, he would write about the bad things happening in his life to an unknown sender. Later, when he found Sam and Patrick, he gave up writing letters, or let go of the anguish that was grounding him. I think your analysis of the "we are infinite" quote also supports this, as you said the past does not define us and we are free to keep growing. Overall, I think your thoughts on this movie are incredibly interesting and they helped me gain a new perspective of the film.
It is great to hear that a powerful book like this helped you find your own identity, it reminds me of all the wonders that writing has achieved in this world. Being able to see yourself in Charlie must have given you some sort of relief, as you were able to relate to another person and watch how they blossom through their own lift to learn how to walk through your own. It is fascinating to see how his transformation was catalyzed by language, and to see how important something as simple as being able to read someone’s emotions plays in all of our lives. Your take on his use of the work infinite and identity being an continuous and everlasting concept made me think about how my own identity has changed throughout the years. Although I did not watch the movie or read the book myself, you did an excellent job summarizing and adding in your own commentary to his story, all while keeping the paragraphs very readable. His story sounds like a great watch, and I will definitely be adding it to my own watchlist!
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