Perks of Being a Wallflower Deconstruction
Perks Deconstruction and Quotes
QUOTE
TECHNIQUE
BELONGING/EFFECT
“Dear friend…”
“…Love always, Charlie.”
Epistolary
Directly addressing the responder
First person
Emotive language
Ritual and routine creates belonging
Emotive belonging with no physical connection
“I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands… I need to know that these people exist”
Repetition of “I need to know”
Cumulative detail
Isolation
Emotional impact of isolation and connection
Sense of longing created
“At the school dances, I sit in the background, and I tap my toe, and I wonder how many couples will dance to ‘their song’… And I wonder if anyone is really happy. I hope they are. I really hope they are.”
Cumulative detail
Anaphora – several sentences that start with the same wording – “And I wonder”
Amplification and repetition
Voyeuristic imagery
Stream of consciousness
Simultaneously connects and doesn’t connects
Reinforces the motif of the “wallflower” – someone who observes but does not participate or belongs
“Charlie, we accept the love we think we deserve”.
Aphorism – short statement of general truth
Inclusive pronouns
Implications of think – what we think is not necessarily true
Past experiences affecting belonging
How perceptions of self can block connections
Connecting to self and others
“And I remembered that Sam had introduced me as her friend to Bob. And I remembered that Patrick had done the same for Brad. And I started to cry…”
Anaphora
Cumulative detail
Emotional language
Amplification and repetition
Polysyndeton – overuse of conjunctions in a sentence
Reflects how connection and belonging effects the individual’s emotions
Positive connections create feelings of relief and joy
“I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they’re here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder how smart they were when they were fifteen”.
Imagery
Amplification
Stream of
QUOTE
TECHNIQUE
BELONGING/EFFECT
“Dear friend…”
“…Love always, Charlie.”
Epistolary
Directly addressing the responder
First person
Emotive language
Ritual and routine creates belonging
Emotive belonging with no physical connection
“I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands… I need to know that these people exist”
Repetition of “I need to know”
Cumulative detail
Isolation
Emotional impact of isolation and connection
Sense of longing created
“At the school dances, I sit in the background, and I tap my toe, and I wonder how many couples will dance to ‘their song’… And I wonder if anyone is really happy. I hope they are. I really hope they are.”
Cumulative detail
Anaphora – several sentences that start with the same wording – “And I wonder”
Amplification and repetition
Voyeuristic imagery
Stream of consciousness
Simultaneously connects and doesn’t connects
Reinforces the motif of the “wallflower” – someone who observes but does not participate or belongs
“Charlie, we accept the love we think we deserve”.
Aphorism – short statement of general truth
Inclusive pronouns
Implications of think – what we think is not necessarily true
Past experiences affecting belonging
How perceptions of self can block connections
Connecting to self and others
“And I remembered that Sam had introduced me as her friend to Bob. And I remembered that Patrick had done the same for Brad. And I started to cry…”
Anaphora
Cumulative detail
Emotional language
Amplification and repetition
Polysyndeton – overuse of conjunctions in a sentence
Reflects how connection and belonging effects the individual’s emotions
Positive connections create feelings of relief and joy
“I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they’re here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder how smart they were when they were fifteen”.
Imagery
Amplification
Stream of