"Study as if you were to live forever, live as if you were to die tomorrow." (Maria Mitchell)

(For some reason my comment wouldn't show up so I posted it here....)

Ryan,

I am intrigued by the idea that you had to write back to Charlie from the perspective of the "dear reader."
First of all, I really like the fact that you discourage Charlie from using LSD, especially when his school friends aren't exactly positive role models in that aspect. Also, your entry seems very personal and attentive to what is going on in Charlie's life, which is exactly what he needed. I also like that fact that you give Charlie advice about what to do such as talking to his brother. Maybe it never occured to him, or maybe he needed to hear it from someone else that it would be okay.

I also agree that there may be something more to Charlie and Aunt Helen. Charlie does seem to drift in and out of his writing in a way that readers may sense that there is something deeper involved with what happened to Aunt Helen, and how Charlie feels about it. The issue with Aunt Helen is so apparent in his life that there must be more to the story than he lets on in his letters.

Also, it is great that you wrote back to Charlie in a perspective of someone who is around the same age as Charlie. Even though Charlie had friends, Charlie needed more of a mentor such as the character you created.

Moreover, it is interesting that you elude to the notion of "participating in life." Charlie seems to sit back a lot of times and observe others more than he participates. Great connection to the text.

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky.

I found this picture and immediately thought of Charlie. Charlie seems to be in this world of confusion and chaos, but yet order and stability. Throughout the book we get the sense that his parents love him, and his family, even though there are imperfections within the structure, is a supportive family. Yet, Charlie's entries are sort of chaotic and random at times.

For Christmas, Charlie desperately searches for the "right" presents for his family. He knows his brother has many posters in his room. What if Charlie were to buy his own Christmas present and decided he also wanted a poster? I think that his choice might be a poster with a similiar image as above--a picture that leaves room for his own interpretations. Even if others call him a freak.

Also, as Ryan Ryden eludes to in his entry, Charlie's thoughts in his letters are all over the place--like playing “hopscotch” (Chbosky, 98). Can this image be a suggestive image of Charlie's imaginations? There are different squares within it that seemingly have a pattern but haven't quite reached the point of realizing what they are there for....

I think if Charlie had encouragement to find support online, this site is one that may have helped him through his times of lonliness and confusion. Charlie loved to read, and perhaps reading texts online would have been a different and unique way for him to sort out his thoughts as well. The following points are included on the homepage of the site:

*you're alone and you don't feel you have a choice not to be;
*you feel that you're lacking attachments you had in the past;
*you are facing changes in your life--a new school, town, job, or other changes;
*you feel there's no one in your life with whom you can share your feelings and experiences;
*your self-perceptions are that you're unacceptable, unlovable, not worthwhile even if others don't share those perceptions.

These statements, I think, would really have really hit home with Charlie. Charlie should know that he is not the only one that had to deal with struggles. When Sam and Patrick left for college, Charlie especially felt a loss of attachment, even though he didn't lose them as friends. It would have been fortunate if Charlie could have had someone consistent in his life that told him that he was loved, even if his mom said it twice.

When Charlie was happy and riding with Sam and Patrick in the truck, he felt as if his life were infinite. At that moment, he wasn't thinking about being lonely or unaccepted. Perhaps a poster like the image above could have reminded him of this feeling every time he entered his room.

September 13, 1992

Dear Friend,

I guess that last letter wasn't really going to be my last letter. I knew it wasn't, so I don't know why I wrote "if this does end up being my last letter."

So far this school year is lonely. I thought maybe the skinny kid that lockered next to me last year might say hi to me this year, but so far he has not. Sam and Patrick would say hi, I know they would. I really wish they were here this year. My sister, too--I miss her a lot. There aren't any new boyfriends around the house anymore to observe or wish that I could watch TV with. It is really cloudy today too, I think it might thunderstorm.

I just finished the book The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. Guess how I picked the book? My new advanced English teacher (whom I call Mr. Talsted, not by his first name like Bill) suggested it to me. Seems that Bill and Mr. Talsted had a talk about me, and that I'll probably be doing a lot of essays and stuff like last year. That's okay though. I'll still visit Bill.

The Sun Also Rises has made think of some things that I don't know what to do about. Maybe nothing. But I often wonder whether I hide my own emotions instead of dealing with them. Like missing Sam and Patrick. I try to forget that they're gone and just pretend that they'll be in school tomorrow. They're just playing hooky today.

But since I wonder if I'm burying my emotions away, what do I do if I have no place left to bury them? Maybe the place that I bury them will get too full and I won't be allowed to ever even think that I have emotions. Or maybe I should just face my emotions?

My mind is running too fast right now. I'm not sure if I'm going to like all the books Mr. Talsted wants me to read. It's thundering out now. What a gloomy day.

Love always,
Charlie