Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Stephen Chbosky

Quote by Stephen Chbosky

Work

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Charlie, the protagonist, navigates the complexities of high school life, dealing with issues such as bullying, family dynamics, and the onset of first love. The story is told through a series of letters, offering a candid and introspective look into Charlie's journey as he discovers the world around him and his own place within it. more

Author

Stephen Chbosky
Stephen Chbosky

Stephen Chbosky, born on January 25, 1970, is an acclaimed American novelist known for his profound psychological portrayals and unique narrative style. His works, such as 'Wonder', have gained widespread popularity and critical acclaim. more

You May Also Like

“The process of categorisation is as old as men, yet as old as man alone, for no other animal species categorises itself so neatly. Yet the ultimate, most vulnerable and weakest victim of categorisation is empathy. Categorisation is a process that destroys the very empathy that enlivens communities: the empathy that traditionally binds diverse communities together.”

“There’s a larger point to be made here than my own obtuseness, which is the fragility, beauty, and at the same time resilience of any communication. An inchoate impulse forms into a feeling that resembles but can never match the dreamy intensity of the original impulse. This feeling then articulates itself, but the words at best approximate a shadow of the feeling. I speak or write these words, and of course the person who receives them brings to that receiving his or her own connotations: Cinnamon, for example, may conjure different memories and may mean something different for you than for me. These words may then settle into feelings, leading finally, perhaps, to some impulse on your part. With so many layers of interpretation, it's no wonder we so often misunderstand each other. And this is between two people who speak the same language. How much more difficult understanding can be, then, when the people do not share a common cultural background, or native tongue? How much more than this may we misunderstand when we then hear a dog speak, or a tree or stone?”

“From the first day I met her, she was the only woman to me. Every day of that voyage I loved her more, and many a time since have I kneeled down in the darkness of the night watch and kissed the deck of that ship because I knew her dear feet had trod it. She was never engaged to me. She treated me as fairly as ever a woman treated a man. I have no complaint to make. It was all love on my side, and all good comradeship and friendship on hers. When we parted she was a free woman, but I could never again be a free man.”