Over a week and a half later...

My final thoughts on the book was that it was amazing! I love how Charlie felt like he could trust a stranger with how he feels. He wrote to us as his journal friend. Even though his life was fictional, it is a good representation of many lives of kids in our society today. Hundreds of kids struggle with their own problems with no conducive way to handle them, and Charlie's fictional life represents just one life that could actually be real for someone. It is depressing to think that someone could have such a crummy life because nobody deserves it. We all need love, but we only accept the love we think we deserve.

Charlie has some heart-felt moments where I love what he writes like, "I just want you to know that you're very special and the only reason I'm telling you is I don't know if anyone else ever has." That just makes me sad but happy at the same time. I feel sad because it is true for some. They may have felt neglected and unappreciated, but I feel happy because Charlie is now acknowledging that they are special. His is giving them a light to bask in for the first time.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. Every moment in Charlie's life is captivating. So many struggles and moments where things seem like nothing could be worse.. but then things turn out alright in the end. Everything happens for a reason.

Final thoughts?

I will try to look at this book from a non bias point of view at first. I do think the set up of the book , the structure, (written as letters) was amazing. The author was really talented in the way he could get across so many feelings, ideas, and inputs on life through one persons perspective in a series of letters. The plot over all was interesting and kept you always wondering and thinking about peoples thoughts and decisions. I personally do not like realistic fiction, love stories, or stories about depression so it was not my favorite book or even close, but I highly respect the writing.

The Stranger

I found it interesting to see the types of books that Charlie was reading because  they always show a connection to how he is feeling bout his life. He seems to read books that he can connect with based on the events going on in his life. A prime example of this is during his "pothead" phase. During this time charlie was reading a book called The Stranger. I looked into the book a little bit to see how Charlie could have been connecting. This book focuses on the idea of absurdism, or the idea that the world is meaningless or irrational. Charlie was interested on this view because he was beginning to feel that there was less meaning in the world, trying to escape through marijuana, and giving up on trying to be successful in anything.

Later, when the school year  was coming to an end, Charlies teacher recommends that Charlie  reads The Fountainheads. This book tells the story about three boys who live in New York with the dream of being great architects. Two of the boys have amazing work and barely get recognized while the other boy becomes extremely successful. Bill giving this book to Charlie is a great way to wrap up the school year and the book as a whole. It was Bill's way of telling him that he has plenty of potential, even if other people do not see it yet. It is a way of trying to defeat Charlies insecurities.

Even just from the book covers you an tell the difference between how dark, hopeless and confusing the first book is while the ending book loos inspirational and strong.

Final thoughts

This book was great!  I feel like it gave me a new perspective on people who are suffering with depression and addiction.  I am not always around those who are suffering, so I was not able to understand.  Charlie let me into his brain and I could begin to understand his struggles and problems.  Though there were some dark moments for Charlie, he never lost his passion for life or his love for his families and friends.  I think that people who suffer from addiction are prone to have the stereotype that they do not care about their loved ones and are selfish because they are not thinking about the consequences of their actions.  But Charlie made me realize that he was still compassionate for the people around him and that depression and suffering cannot mask love and faith.  My favorite quote is, " And we went into the tunnel, I didn't hold up my arms like I was flying.  I just let the wind rush over my face.  And I started crying and smiling at the same time.  Because I could't help feeling just how much I loved my aunt Helen for buying me two presents.  And how much I wanted the present I bought for my mom for my birthday to be really special.  And how much I wanted my sister and brother and Sam and Patrick and everyone else to be happy" (213).   I am thankful that this book is set up like the reader is set up in Charlie's mind because it gave me a new perspective on addiction and depression.

  

Overall of the book

Tbh, I loved this book unlike most books I read. Being told from Charlie's point of view really increased my understanding and interest to what was going on. Also, I loved learning about a (somewhat outcast's) high school life in the late 1900s. The one negative comment I would say is that it started so many new possible things that could have been written about in a continuation or sequel. The things he mentioned (such as his college life) would have been really interesting to read about for me. Overall though I really liked it!

"Dear friend"

Aahh, kinda annoyed/in shock that we never found out who the friend was! After Charlie's little direct message to the friend at the very end, any ideas on who it was? I totally thought we would have specifically known who it was.

I was so surprised when I read the part about Brad's father beating him when he found out about his boyfriend. I don't know why it surprised me so much. It just seems so extreme! But this book was witten in 1999, so was that behavior like kind of typical? Or was it an extreme?