Perks Of Being A Wallflower Speech Essay
English Speech – “The only journey is the one within”
The internal journey; the journey within has been the subject of great cogitation and contemplation throughout academic discussion. Through scrutiny of Ivan Sen’s film ‘Beneath Clouds’ and Stephen Chbosky’s ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’ we begin to see aspects of the affiliation between the internal journey and alternate journeys. Today, ladies and gentlemen I argue that the inner journey is the central and pinnacle of all conceived journeys, that all other journeys, work to shape and determine the fundamental and paramount internal journey.
The idea of the inner journey being moulded by other journeys is immediately noticeable through the lead male characters in both Beneath Clouds and the Perks of Being a Wallflower. Vaughn portrays himself as a being that lacks emotion and disregards a relationship with his family, however throughout the film we realise that he is a highly emotional character that attempts to uphold an external image of a hoodlum. Evidence …show more content…
of this can be seen through his carving in the tree, and his instinctive denial of his sensitive actions when asked by a fellow inmate. The close up of the ‘Country Meats’ sign and the caged horse as Vaughn observes is also symbolic and is a metaphor for Vaughn’s life and how he views his predestined future. He feels trapped and predetermined for death. As the character of Vaughn develops we realise that he faces an intense conflicting internal journey, which he seeks to resolve through a physical journey to visit his mother.
Charlie’s character from the Perks of Being a Wallflower is also unique, in the nature that he is strongly defined and characterised by his inner journey and personal conflict.
While extremely intelligent, Charlie is described as a “shy, introspective” child and serves as the epitome of the teenager who struggles to express and convey emotion. The format of the text is set in letters Charlie writes to an imaginary friend as seen with the repetition in “Dear friend” and “Love always, Charlie”. This symbolises Charlie’s isolation and social awkwardness, and signifies the notion that the inner journey is undertaken in solitude. This is also evident in Beneath Clouds, with repetitive long shots of an open barren space, showing a bland and desolated landscape – further symbolism of the detached internal journey. Ultimately, Charlie’s inner journey is personalised and shaped by his physical and emotional journey with Sam, through adolescence and
school.
The inner conflictions the two female protagonists face is also indicative of the internal journey being determined by the physical and emotional journeys. In Beneath Clouds, Lena faces an identity crisis. Lena contemplates her racial ancestry and struggles between her Aboriginal and Irish heritage. Evidence of this can be seen from the quote to her mother “You’re a disgrace”, clearly showing her disgust to not only to her mother, but to her Aboriginal descent, through the use of an emphatic sentence with expletives. The close up of the dead butterfly on the gravel is also a symbolic metaphor for Lena’s life, and how she perceives herself as lifeless and ravaged. Conclusively, she longs and proceeds to undertake a physical journey in an attempt to resolve her internal hardship. Similar to Sam in Perks of Being a Wallflower, Lena’s journey with love is arduous. Through her claddagh ring, we deduce that she is looking for love, specifically from her father and what she sees as her homeland Ireland. Sam’s quest for love is slightly antithetical; however both constitute an intense inner journey. “Why do I, and everyone I love, pick people that treat us like we’re nothing”. In this quote we can see Sam’s frustration in her choices in life; however a relationship blossoms between her and Charlie when he replies “We accept the love we think we deserve”. This shows their empathetic relationship with each other and sparks growth as the inner journey begins to become a shared emotional journey.
Can a consensus be made that the inner journey is determined and constructed through substitute journeys? Is the inner journey contingent to the mercy of alternate journeys? Or is the internal journey autonomous and intrinsic in nature that it exists as the sole and only journey. I leave you ladies and gentlemen, with that deliberation.
The internal journey; the journey within has been the subject of great cogitation and contemplation throughout academic discussion. Through scrutiny of Ivan Sen’s film ‘Beneath Clouds’ and Stephen Chbosky’s ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’ we begin to see aspects of the affiliation between the internal journey and alternate journeys. Today, ladies and gentlemen I argue that the inner journey is the central and pinnacle of all conceived journeys, that all other journeys, work to shape and determine the fundamental and paramount internal journey.
The idea of the inner journey being moulded by other journeys is immediately noticeable through the lead male characters in both Beneath Clouds and the Perks of Being a Wallflower. Vaughn portrays himself as a being that lacks emotion and disregards a relationship with his family, however throughout the film we realise that he is a highly emotional character that attempts to uphold an external image of a hoodlum. Evidence …show more content…
of this can be seen through his carving in the tree, and his instinctive denial of his sensitive actions when asked by a fellow inmate. The close up of the ‘Country Meats’ sign and the caged horse as Vaughn observes is also symbolic and is a metaphor for Vaughn’s life and how he views his predestined future. He feels trapped and predetermined for death. As the character of Vaughn develops we realise that he faces an intense conflicting internal journey, which he seeks to resolve through a physical journey to visit his mother.
Charlie’s character from the Perks of Being a Wallflower is also unique, in the nature that he is strongly defined and characterised by his inner journey and personal conflict.
While extremely intelligent, Charlie is described as a “shy, introspective” child and serves as the epitome of the teenager who struggles to express and convey emotion. The format of the text is set in letters Charlie writes to an imaginary friend as seen with the repetition in “Dear friend” and “Love always, Charlie”. This symbolises Charlie’s isolation and social awkwardness, and signifies the notion that the inner journey is undertaken in solitude. This is also evident in Beneath Clouds, with repetitive long shots of an open barren space, showing a bland and desolated landscape – further symbolism of the detached internal journey. Ultimately, Charlie’s inner journey is personalised and shaped by his physical and emotional journey with Sam, through adolescence and
school.
The inner conflictions the two female protagonists face is also indicative of the internal journey being determined by the physical and emotional journeys. In Beneath Clouds, Lena faces an identity crisis. Lena contemplates her racial ancestry and struggles between her Aboriginal and Irish heritage. Evidence of this can be seen from the quote to her mother “You’re a disgrace”, clearly showing her disgust to not only to her mother, but to her Aboriginal descent, through the use of an emphatic sentence with expletives. The close up of the dead butterfly on the gravel is also a symbolic metaphor for Lena’s life, and how she perceives herself as lifeless and ravaged. Conclusively, she longs and proceeds to undertake a physical journey in an attempt to resolve her internal hardship. Similar to Sam in Perks of Being a Wallflower, Lena’s journey with love is arduous. Through her claddagh ring, we deduce that she is looking for love, specifically from her father and what she sees as her homeland Ireland. Sam’s quest for love is slightly antithetical; however both constitute an intense inner journey. “Why do I, and everyone I love, pick people that treat us like we’re nothing”. In this quote we can see Sam’s frustration in her choices in life; however a relationship blossoms between her and Charlie when he replies “We accept the love we think we deserve”. This shows their empathetic relationship with each other and sparks growth as the inner journey begins to become a shared emotional journey.
Can a consensus be made that the inner journey is determined and constructed through substitute journeys? Is the inner journey contingent to the mercy of alternate journeys? Or is the internal journey autonomous and intrinsic in nature that it exists as the sole and only journey. I leave you ladies and gentlemen, with that deliberation.