Banned Books Week By: Karen Garcia

The Perks of Being a Wallflower  Stephen Chbosky writes about a teenager named Charlie that goes on a quest to find out who he is and his identity.  The narrator, Charlie, describes his experiences in form of letters addressed to an anonymous stranger (the reader).  Charlie is shy and unpopular yet is a unconventional thinker.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming of age story that has been described as a content that is “pornographic, unsuitable, and vulgar.”

Banning the Book  This book has been banned from several high schools because it contains sensitive content that have sexual scenes, the use of drugs, thoughts on suicide, and the use of foul language.  “Do you know what masturbation is? I think you probably do because you are older than me. But just in case, I will tell you. Masturbation is when you…” (Chbosky 21).  The controversy of this book can be relevant however, I disagree with the reasons. The reasons are disagreeable because most teenagers go through a sex education class that know about the human body and its capabilities.

Point of View  I feel that this book is suitable for teenagers to read even though it does contain sensitive situations.  This book should not be banned because some teenagers might go through related situations that the protagonists goes through and might not know how to deal with it.  I would let my child read any book even though it’s been banned because if I didn’t, it would be a form of taking education away from them.