Student Shares Opinion About Assigned Book
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Dear Editor,
R.E:
To Mr. Mike Dunn and others concerned and those concerned about Mrs. Koshenina’s past and present English III students.
As a 17-year-old Christian, I find the uproar caused by this book rudimentary and ignorant. I do not mean to come off as disrespectful in any way, but to say that “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is “sexually oriented material” and that it has “poorly written literature content” is enough evidence to prove you did not thoroughly comprehend it. I also find it quite strange that you stated we were “forced to read” this book, when Mrs. Koshenina warned us of the novel’s semi-graphical nature beforehand and offered alternative assignments that we could work on elsewhere if we were uncomfortable.
The novel “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky portrays the life of a freshman with PTSD, written as a series of letters. The novel touches on topics that are considered inappropriate, and can go against Christian values, but in no way are they glorified. The novel shows how troubled the characters are, and we even had multiple class discussions last year (when I took the class) about many different topics such as: how certain situations make people who they are; how some characters show signs of mental illness; how we can help those in need; and even more deep conversations that could be held with adults- which is what the class is supposed to train us for. The book has given myself and many of my peers a different perspective on life. It has shown us that even though we may not agree with someone, we should accept them for who they are anyway.
Even though we high schoolers are not true adults with significant responsibilities, we still know life is difficult. Many high schoolers that I know (previous and current) have been through abuse and other, even more, atrocious events. Life is not always pretty, no matter if you are gay, straight, Christian, atheist, poor, or rich. Conversely, there are many things to be happy and content about, which is one of the main themes of the novel. Despite all the “immoral acts” in the book, it teaches students about inclusivity, tolerance, and the real world; if you find an issue with that, bless your heart. Thank you, and love always,
Anika M. Olson
