CharlieThe fifteen-year-old protagonist of the novel. The novel is told through a series of letters that Charlie is writing to an anonymous “friend,” and the whole story is narrated entirely through Charlie’s perspective. Charlie is a quiet, withdrawn, intelligent, observant high school freshman dealing with a lot of trauma in his childhood. Charlie comes out of his shell through the relationships he develops over the course of the school year, but it isn’t until the very end of the book that he uncovers the repressed memories of sexual abuse that are at the core of all the trauma he has been processing the whole time. Show
Read an in-depth analysis of Charlie PatrickA high school senior, Sam’s stepbrother, and one of Charlie’s best friends. Patrick is in a closeted relationship with Brad, the quarterback of the football team. Patrick accepts Charlie for all his quirks and makes him feel like he can be himself. Read an in-depth analysis of Patrick SamA high school senior, Patrick’s stepsister, and one of Charlie’s best friends. Charlie has a huge crush on Sam throughout the entire book. Sam was sexually abused when she was a child, which connects her to Charlie, although neither realizes the connection until the very end of the novel. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam CraigSam’s boyfriend throughout the bulk of the novel. A male model putting himself through community college, Craig is essentially everything Charlie is not: muscular, older than Sam, unfaithful, and not very bright. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Bill AndersonCharlie’s English teacher and mentor. Bill recognizes and nurtures Charlie’s talent for reading and writing. Bill is the most stable, reliable adult figure in Charlie’s life, and he helps Charlie develop self-confidence. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Mary ElizabethSmart, attractive, self-centered senior in Charlie’s friend group. Mary Elizabeth invites Charlie to the Sadie Hawkins dance, and they date, but she is more interested in talking about herself than about building a relationship. Charlie initially seems to be participating more in his life by dating Mary Elizabeth, but he lets her dominate him, and he gets frustrated. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam BradQuarterback of the football team, and a closeted homosexual. Brad and Patrick have a covert relationship until Brad’s father finds about it. Instead of standing up to his father, Brad continues to suppress his sexuality, and Brad calls Patrick a derogatory homosexual slur in front of the whole school. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam BobPatrick’s friend and purveyor of pot to local high schoolers. Bob goes to community college, and he represents what might happen to Charlie’s schoolmates if any one of them starts depending on drugs too heavily. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Charlie’s brotherFormer high school football star who now plays for Penn State. Charlie’s family bonds over watching Charlie’s brother on television. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Charlie’s sisterHigh school senior who is in an abusive relationship. Charlie’s sister is very smart and does very well in school, yet she keeps herself trapped in an abusive relationship. When she gets pregnant, she asks Charlie to drive her to and from the abortion clinic. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Charlie’s momKind and caring to Charlie, but still emotionally reeling from the death of her sister. Charlie’s mom takes care of Charlie, but she hasn’t yet recovered from her past. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Charlie’s dadKind and caring to Charlie, but still wrapped in emotional guilt. Charlie’s dad left his sister and mother under the care of an abusive man, and he’s never forgiven himself. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Aunt HelenAunt who died when Charlie was seven, and who molested Charlie. Charlie has fond memories of his Aunt Helen, who singled him out for special care and affection, and he blames himself for her death. Only at the end of the novel does he realize how Aunt Helen abused him. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Charlie’s grandfatherMaternal grandfather who frequently makes racist and homophobic remarks. Unlike Charlie, who accepts and embraces everyone’s differences, his grandfather is a relic of a bigoted era. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Michael DobsonCharlie’s middle-school friend who committed suicide. Michael only appears in a few flashbacks in the novel. Even though Charlie does not want to commit suicide, and he tries to take Michael as his example for what he will not do, he grows to understand how Michael could have gotten to such a depressed state of mind. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam SusanMichael’s girlfriend when Michael committed suicide. Charlie, Michael, and Susan had all been good friends, but after Michael’s death, Susan keeps her distance from Charlie. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam PeterMary Elizabeth’s boyfriend. After Mary Elizabeth breaks up with Charlie, she starts dating a boy in college, whom she likes because he can be her verbal sparring partner. Read an in-depth analysis of Sam Who was Charlie's best friend in Perks of Being a wallflower?The 'wallflower' is Charlie (Logan Lerman), an introverted teenager who is nervous about starting his freshman year at Mill Grove High School. He has been quite disturbed, partly because his best friend, Michael, committed suicide several months earlier, but also for other reasons.
What was Charlie's best friends name?Elle (Yasmin Finney) One of Charlie's best friends, Elle, is going through her own challenges at school. After years at the all boys' school, Elle has officially transferred to the all girls' school, making this her first year without her trusted group of BFFs by her side.
Who is Charlie's mentor in Perks of Being a wallflower?Bill Anderson
Charlie's English teacher and mentor.
Who is Charlie's favorite person?Charlie's aunt Helen was his "favorite person in the whole world" (1.1. 26). In fact, she is his only relative that gets a name. That's saying something.
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