I feel that the entire meaning of the book is finding yourself - discovering who you are, where you're going, what you want to be, and coping with life. I think that that is what it's all about. The characters are struggling to do this. They're learning. They're accepting themselves and their lives and going on with it, toward who and what they want to be.
I think the movie both emphasizes this and shifts the meaning a little bit, at the same time. It highlights very well the fact that the characters are finding themselves and learning to live. It emphasizes that aspect extremely well. The movie also hits upon life as a whole and how much it can suck and how much it can hurt. It pretty much shows the ups and downs, and that life can be horrible and awful, and that it can be wonderful.
Letter Response - (Part 4 April 29, 1992)
Dear Charlie,
I understand what you're going through. I really understand, even if the thought of someone being able to understand seems appalling to you. I've been where you are; I know what it's like when it feels like nothing is the same, or nothing will ever be the same again. It hurts.
Avoiding life is not the answer, Charlie. I wish I could tell you that shoving it all away would fix things, but distance always seems to make everything worse. I know that from personal experience. You can only hide from your problems for so long...
People are a mystery, Charlie. Most of them you will never understand. In very rare cases, some of them will let you in just enough to really know them, to really see how they think and feel about their lives. Everyone feels pain, too. It's unavoidable. There's so much of it, but most of us just don't see it all the time like you do. Sometimes I feel like my life is horrible, but if it wasn't the way it is, I wouldn't know my friends. I wouldn't know these wonderful people, and I wouldn't have some of the good experiences that I have. It's bittersweet. You have to put up with the pain to get the little bits of good that are hidden in life.
You are a wallflower, Charlie. You're watching and noticing everything, even the tiny little details that other people seem to miss, and it's hitting you hard. You're too observant for your own good, but there's nothing you can do to change that. Life... is life. Bad things happen to good people, and those who deserve the good rarely ever get it. It's twisted and scary to think about, but it's the truth. It rains most on the people who deserve to see the sun. It's raining on you, Charlie, but your sun is right around the corner, I promise.
I wish I could tell you that everyone is good deep down, or that everyone is capable of being your friend, but I would be lying if I told you that. In all honesty, people can really suck sometimes, especially the ones you seem to keep meeting. They judge what they don't understand, and you're something they don't understand. They bully you. They harass you. But you're not alone; I've been there, too. I wish I could tell you that it gets better overnight, but that's a lie, too. It takes a lot of time and patience and acceptance, but better times do come. Just hang in there.
I guess what I'm trying to tell you is that pain is everywhere. Everyone feels it, and everyone feels it differently. You notice more of it than others do, and it's getting to you, Charlie. It's eating away at you, but it shouldn't. I believe you're avoiding your own life and focusing on the bad things in others' lives. That's no way to live - believe me, I've tried. I've tried so hard.
Stop letting them walk all over you. Stop letting their judgements rule you. They are not you. They don't know you. They don't know your story, or what you've went through, or the hell you deal with inside your own head. They. Don't. Know. They. Are. Wrong. Believe me. It took me forever to understand that (honestly, I still can't process it completely...), but it's the truth, Charlie. It's going to take time, but you will learn eventually. It might be bad now, things might be getting bad again, but they eventually have to get better, don't they? Things can't stay bad forever, can they? I think I'm trying to assure myself of this as much as I'm trying to assure you of it. I think we both need to know this, really know it. Maybe then we'll be okay.
I just want you to know that I care, Charlie. And your friends care. And even though they don't show it, your family cares, too. You are not alone. You are not a lost cause. You will be okay. Promise.
Love,
Your Friend
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