Avery-Perks of Being A Wallflower

The film adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s Perks of Being a Wallflower changes Charlie’s relationship with Sam from dependence into an actual romantic relationship. Although Charlie’s letters in the book mention a few stories about his life outside of Sam, the focus is obsessively on her, almost in a compulsive way.

Both the novel and the film portray Charlie to be subtly peculiar, but the film version does a better job at making viewers feel for Charlie and view his idiosyncrasies as endearing. This is because viewers were shown Charlie’s life through the 3^rd person omniscient perspective as things happen, instead of through Charlie’s first person reflective letters in the book. Viewers see more of Charlie’s outside life, which takes needed focus off of his fixation on Sam.

The visual aspect of the film allowed viewers to see these outside interactions, like Charlie fighting the football players in the cafeteria, in a way that empower Charlie’s character. Viewers see Charlie get more and more angry until the camera blacks out, just as Charlie mentally blacks out, and then resumes for viewers to see the immediate aftermath of the fight. This is when Charlie’s starts talking with Sam again, which is a defining moment, as Charlie proves himself to be not only loyal to the group, but as someone who can defend himself and his friends. More importantly, it proved that Charlie is good enough to be with Sam, even if it was just to himself. After the fight, Charlie has an understated confidence that he doesn’t have at this point in the book.

Charlie still loves Sam in the film, but he is less dependent on her emotionally and as a character. One particular scene change is the addition of Charlie tutoring Sam for the SATs. This adaptation reverses the roles of dependency and allows Charlie to be in control and contribute in some way to the relationship, which is sometimes rare. Sam also has her own moments, separate from Charlie, in the film that shows viewers her vulnerability, like the scene when Sam tells Charlie about her Dad’s friend when she was 11. The perspective of the movie allows viewers into this moment, and see Sam isn’t positioned as being more in control than Charlie.

All of these adaptations contributed to validating Charlie‘s position as Sam’s boyfriend at the end of the film. He is emotionally in-control and has proved that he can handle the relationship. The end of the book suggests that the two continue their lives as friends. This cemented Charlie’s position as Sam’s semi-secret admirer.