Am I the only one who see's no similarities between this book and Catcher In The Rye?

[Sammy]

I see so many people on Goodreads comparing the two novels, Perks of Being a Wallflower and Catcher In The Rye. Personally I can't see any similarities what so ever between them both and I'm clueless as to why they are both paired together all of the time. My question is - am I the only one who simply can't see their similarities or the reasons why they are always compared to one another? And if anyone on this thread can see the similarities can you please explain them to me and the reasons why they are compared to one another as I simply do not understand it?

[Geff]

I think the similarities would be how both Holden and Charlie view things about people around them. They're both very observant about things. Too observant that most of the things they see aren't normally what we notice because they're too 'normal' or 'not worth the time'. They both could see these things and talk about them like they're real issues.

[dylan \]

Both are coming of age stories from young teenage boys who are regarded as outsiders. They deal with different themes, but the novels have a common context.

[Ashley]

It's a modern version of Catcher in the Rye in my opinion.

[Sammy]

Dylan wrote: "Both are coming of age stories from young teenage boys who are regarded as outsiders. They deal with different themes, but the novels have a common context."

But in that sense shouldn't books such as Stephen King's "The Body" and any other coming of age novel with a male protagonist be categorized along with these novels?

[Sammy]

Ashley wrote: "It's a modern version of Catcher in the Rye in my opinion."

Can I ask why you think that? I simply cannot understand the comparison between the two but I would like to understand it more.

[Marci]

Sammy wrote: "Dylan wrote: "Both are coming of age stories from young teenage boys who are regarded as outsiders. They deal with different themes, but the novels have a common context."

But in that sense should..."

This isn't just a coming of age novel in the simplest sense. I think of them more as a coming of age while everyone ignores your problems stories. Both protagonist find some abstract person (the audience or Charlie's friend) to finally listen after they have been forced to confront their undealt with issues.

[dylan \]

I suppose you have a point. Not all male-voice-coming-of-age stories should be categorized together. If I was to compare "The Body" to another novel, it'd be something like S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders". What Perks and Catcher have in common is the psychological conflict and identity crisis that is relatable for many other teenagers. Mind you, it needs not to be an exclusively male perspective, as I would put Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" in the same category.

All in all, it's really not about the categorization; it's more to do with the correlation. Holden and Charlie are immensely troubled by their own thoughts which appear to be in contrast to everyone around them. Charlie is loving of nearly all of the people who surround him whereas Holden holds them all in contempt.

[Richard]

also Catcher had that spark, it captured a generation and became a classic and Perks i can see following a similar path. it already seems to be something of an instant classic

Catcher is becoming largely irrelevent these days to teenagers (i think anyway) whereas Perks, despite it's period setting, is a more approachable and modern in feel.

so yeah, i'd say it was this generations Catcher in the Rye

[Jason]

There are similarities. Both have kind of a depressed, angst-ridden protagonist who doesn't fit in. In each case, the protagonist is having trouble moving on from an early tragedy that seems to have stunted his maturity (a sibling's death and a childhood victimization respectively). Charlie is much less misanthropic than Holden and actually seeks out a social group, but I'd say it's a fair if not perfect comparison.

[Sammy]

Dylan wrote: "I suppose you have a point. Not all male-voice-coming-of-age stories should be categorized together. If I was to compare "The Body" to another novel, it'd be something like S.E. Hinton's "The Outsi..."

So in that sense does the link between the novels come from Charlie and Holden suffering similar issues with their loss of stable mentality due to their struggle with loss of innocence. And both can be used as an example of the different paths a depressed teenager could take - Holden having failed in school and shutting everyone out as well as family and friends, whereas Charlie excels in school and easily attaches himself to anyone who treats him well. In a way they are some what the Jekyll and Hyde of one another?

[dylan \]

That's a cool way of looking at it!

[Rebecca]

No, it is often called the modern Catcher in the Rye.

[Andrea]

Wait, should Perks be compared to Catcher? I think the only similarities between them is that they were ground breaking at the time of their publication because of their revolutionary portrayal of a teenage boy (cynical and egotistical in Catcher and mentally ill and naïve in Perks).
I think both novels are very, very good, each in a different way.