The Perks.

I finally got around to reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.
And it wasn't what I was expecting!

Based on what I had read in a review, I was kinda expecting a hipster novel, because of its cult following, or just another story about a teenager's experiments with love, drugs, etc.

I was surprised to find a sensitive portrayal of a boy who is 'different' from others around him, his struggle to fit in, how he faces everything life throws at him, good and bad, but mostly bad; and especially how he is as accepting of whatever is bad as he is appreciative of the good things.

The book reminded me of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time' by Mark Haddon. (Do read it in case you haven't!) The protagonists in both books are teen-aged boys who are unconventional, have behavioural problems, and are talented in their own particular spheres (mathematics vs writing skills). Although: Christopher in 'The Curious Case..' is probably autistic, while Charlie here might have been suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

I'm not going to write a synopsis of 'The Perks..'; just going to pen down what impressed me most about the book.

From the beginning, Charlie has a difficult life. He loses his best friend in middle school. He is devastated because he can't understand why his best friend couldn't share his problems with him and had to commit suicide. He goes into high school alone, and is either ignored or bullied by his classmates. He makes friends with a pair of siblings, and is totally devoted to them. When he falls for Sam, one of them, he keeps loving her though he knows she might never love him back.

He is pure and selfless, like a child rather than a teenager, and in some circumstances, he acts mature beyond his years, in matters of love and understanding.

"I'd die for you; but I wouldn't live for you"

He doesn't judge people by their faults. He buys and makes such thoughtful gifts for his family and friends, it shows his untainted love. Even after the truth about his aunt comes out, he still willingly forgives her.

He has his stints with drugs, smoking and sex too. But his outlook towards life and his innocence and honesty permeate every experience he has, making it that much less mundane.

“And I guess I realized at that moment that I really did love her. Because there was nothing to gain, and that didn't matter.”

Charlie's fondness for music and habit of devouring books gives another angle to his character. He has a deep appreciation for 'the people who wrote the songs' and finds himself lost inside the books he reads. His quip that his last book is always his favourite one, I think I can relate to it sometimes.

“And all the books you've read have been read by other people. And all the songs you've loved have been heard by other people. And that girl that's pretty to you is pretty to other people. and that if you looked at these facts when you were happy, you would feel great because you are describing 'unity.”

Overall, I found Charlie's character very fascinating (which you may have realised already!). The other characters in the book too are well written and consistent. The family dynamic is very realistic and also endearing, the take on homosexuality and frustrated love, the chain of abusive relationships in Charlie's parents' families, each character's personal interests and goals in life, and how it affects everything around them, it was all interesting.

There are a lot of sentences/conversations throughout the book, that make you ponder, smile and agree quietly. Here are a few more images I found on Tumbler and Google:

Maybe the happy ending did it for me too. Charlie sticking it out till the end and taking his life into his hands, his friends and family coming together to support him. 'Cause I don't think I could have accepted a wretched fate for Charlie, after everything he had gone through. With Charlie's resilience and kindness, what could have been a frustrating depressing story turns into one of hope and acceptance, optimism and faith.

One paragraph I especially liked:

There's a lot more about the book to talk about,  but I'll leave the rest for you to read and discover.

If you want to share your thoughts on the book/movie, I'd love to hear from you!

What is the opposite of Neat?

Even if you are an Indian, or more specifically, residing in India, there's a fair chance that you haven't heard of NEET. Not unless you are a medico/ aspiring medico/ parent of any of the two or you own a medical college. And even if you have, it's definitely not the whole story.

What the complete story is, no one knows. Least of all, the students whose 'future is at stake'. And in spite of the importance it holds for the future physicians/surgeons of the country, it is extremely under-covered by the media.

Looking back at the recent history of examinations for admission into medical post-graduation courses in India, there has never been a single exam for admissions into all of the colleges/ universities in the country. Most states were admitting students through the All India PG Medical Entrance Examination, while a few states had their own State Board exams, and a few had quotas for admission through both. Added to this, some deemed universities conducted their own admission procedures.

There had been talk of a single all-encompassing exam for admission into all medical colleges through a central counselling procedure for a long time. And it has been implemented last November, by the MCI (Medical Council Of India), with a short notice of two months time. (The AIPGMEE exam is usually conducted in January). That exam was NEET. Four universities have been exempted from NEET. (AIIMS, PGI, JIPMER, NIMHANS).
[The acronym 'NEET' in another context stands for 'Not in Education, Employment or Training' which unfortunately sums up the state of the medicos of the country quite correctly.]

Owing to opposition from various private medical colleges and some universities, who'd lose their 'NRI seats' (which are paid for with staggering amounts of money), and some individuals who were concerned with the unfairness of conducting the exam in this manner, cases were filed in various local courts, which were then transferred to the apex court, the Supreme Court of India. It has been on trial ever since. The court had given interim orders to all the states and universities to conduct their own exams while it pondered over the NEET decision. Results of none of the exams are to be declared till then. And so, the aspirants have been left jobless and resentful all this time, first for having to appear for NEET without adequate preparation, then to appear in all the subsequent exams, and then to wait endlessly for the verdict.

The only difference this year was that we medicos have had to write an extra exam. The term which is supposed to start by May may be delayed, or the PGs might fall behind a few months in their course, if the decision is given after the summer vacation of the Court.
What goes on behind the scenes is known to none. Day after day, the case was listed for trial, but not contested. Later on, the hearing was started, but the arguments never seem to get over. After all it's all of the private colleges against the MCI.

This year, there are around 1 lakh MBBS doctors (100,000) vying for a meagre 14-15,000 seats, including non-clinical specialties. It's anyone's guess that yearly, a lot of medicos are left without a seat and keep re-appearing for the exam the next year. This has also led to emigration of medicos to every country on the map, from USA to Tanzania to Australia and the USSR. The stress for survival is high as it is among medicos. From parents who want their children well settled, to the students' own aspirations to specialise in the area of their choice. There is also the necessity of staying on top of the medical advances that crop up every day. In the present urban and semi-urban Indian society, no one wants to consult an MBBS degree holder, when there are specialists available. This is in direct contrast to the rural areas where even MBBS-qualified doctors are scarce to find.  To clear this disparity, compulsory rural service has been proposed in some states, but without basic infrastructure and a reasonable pay, the objective of this service wouldn't be achieved, even if it were to be implemented.

One element I don't understand is the culling at the point between graduation and specialisation. The system is the same in many other countries. My question is: why should you allow someone to invest so much time, energy and ambition into the study of Medicine, and then throw them into a pit-fire for the survival of the fittest? Wouldn't it be better to limit the number early? Why nurture their souls and then break their spirits?

A lot of medicos start out with positive hopes for their future, but are forced to eventually settle in a specialty they aren't interested in, due to financial reasons, or because they are too tired of the whole process to fight anymore. The ideal solution might be the provision of more number of PG seats and good quality education and opportunities for professional growth. It is a well known fact that 'More doctors are needed for the country' as everyone is fond of saying. So why not increase opportunities for doctors to grow instead of scaring off the coming generations from opting for a career in medicine.

Maybe the problem goes deeper than this, maybe the root of it is the population explosion, the unstable economy, the corruption rooted deep in the system, which we have come to accept as a part of life. I sincerely hope that whatever the reasons are, that the present generations remember all the anguish that they have gone through when in the future, they assume positions of power. I hope that they take righteous and honest decisions, and not succumb to feelings of either revenge or apathy. I hope for better times, brought about by people working courageously for what is right, not just what is good for them or for their clan. I hope that this past year has not embittered my fellow medicos enough to let go of their devotion to medicine and their integrity. I hope we can rise high above all else.