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Perks Of Being A Wallflower Norms Essay

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Norms in Perks of Being a Wallflower Many teenagers view a miniscule percentage of their peers participating in what they would consider ‘social norms’. These norms have disguised themselves as a way to fit in and be connect with others. Many of these things teenagers believe others partake in are not actually happening. The thought of drugs, sex, and constant partying is a myth; in fact, 84% of teenagers wear seatbelts, 70% don’t smoke, and 67% don’t drink when out with friends. This is a much larger percentage than others may perceive. These social norms are present in The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Chbosky writes of drugs, alcohol, sexuality, and more. The main character Charlie has learned to ignore many of these social norms in order to establish an individual sense of identity. Charlie, in The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, defies many basic social norms, such as: the ideal treatment towards those with non-traditional sexualities, participating in acts of drugs and alcohol willingly at parties, and more. These social norms are even present out of the story and relevant in our society today. In The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie treats his friend Patrick with the same ounce of respect as everyone else, …show more content…

By accepting his friend for his sexuality, he ignores the idea that one has to make fun of the differences in others to fit in. Though Charlie fell into the social norm of drug usage, he learned the hard way of its consequences, realizing that the negative effects outway the positive. These social norms are prevalent in highschool life today through smartphones, socialization, and more. Some norms present in society do not really exist, but are instead believed to be true through rumors and lies, thereby affecting the way individuals act. This is a prevalent theme in The Perks of Being a

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Conformity is present in every group situation with adolescents. Adolescents are always looking to be a part of a group, usually conforming to the standards of the group. Adolescents often conform because they want to have the approval of the peers that are well liked or “popular”. A great example of adolescents and conformity is in the chick flick ‘Mean Girls’ through the different cliques in high school and how it affects the peers themselves. Caty, the main character, is faced with several difficult situations where she decides to conform with her high school peers getting her in trouble that becomes hard for her to escape.

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1. The Perks of being a Wallflower is a story about a high school freshman named Charlie. Through the entire novel Charlie is writing letters addressed to an anonymous friend. In these letters, he talks about his journey throughout his first year in high school. Where he experiences everything for the first time – first dates, family drama, drugs and new friends. In other words; growing up.

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He sees things. He keeps quiet. He understands. The Perks of Being a Wallflower’s main character Charlie, is a wallflower: reserved, isolated, and observant. Like a fly on the wall, he stays in the background, and goes unnoticed by many.

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Gupta [1] Shrishti Gupta Ms.Kanika Dang English thesis paper 20th October, 2015 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stefen Chbosky ‘The perks of being a wallflower’ is a popular book read mostly among teenagers, it revolves around the life of an introverted boy called Charlie. This book is a rollercoaster of human emotions and an excellent portrayal of “misfits” as they struggle to find their place in the turbulent high school world. The readers have greeted this premise with empathy and understanding. Charlie’s haunting letters, addressed only to “Dear Friend,” bring readers straight to the heart of his struggles to fit in, to find the will to “participate” in life, and to cope with the realities of the larger world as he learns how to grow up. ‘the perks of being a wallflower’ is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Stefen Chbosky and published in 1999.

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