Charlie gets Patrick a biography of Harvey Milk, the gay rights activist. At the Secret Santa party, Charlie reads Patrick a poem. Patrick gives Charlie the suit jacket, telling him that all great writers used to wear suits. Charlie gives all his friends thoughtful gifts, not just Patrick and Sam.
What gift does Charlie give Patrick in Secret Santa?
Charlie draws Patrick’s name in a Secret Santa, and he makes him a very thoughtful mix tape, which Patrick loves. His first Secret Santa gift is socks. He then starts to get all the components of a suit, one by one.
What did Charlie give Patrick for his birthday?
For the rest of Patrick’s gifts, Charlie gives a magnetic poetry set, watercolor paints, a harmonica, and a book about Harvey Milk. After Patrick told him he was gay, Charlie did research on the gay community.
What does Charlie say about Patrick and Sam?
He says they don’t make you feel awkward when you meet them and they let Sam and Patrick and their friends have their party undisturbed. Charlie says everyone knows he was Patrick’s Secret Santa, and he stands up to give his last gift to Patrick, a poem that he reads aloud to the group.
What does Charlie say about his brother Patrick on Thanksgiving?
This Thanksgiving, they watch a tape of Charlie’s brother’s football game, and Charlie says that he’s thankful that his brother played football and that no one fought. Charlie draws Patrick’s name in a Secret Santa, and he makes him a very thoughtful mix tape, which Patrick loves.
What does Charlie get his dad for Christmas?
On his birthday, Charlie and his sister and mom went Christmas shopping, and after a lot of stress, he finds a gift for his dad: a videocassette of the last episode of M*A*S*H.
What did Sam gave Charlie for Christmas?
Sam gives him an old typewriter with a note to write about her someday. She also gives him his first kiss because, unlike her experience, she wants Charlie's first kiss to be with someone who loves him. Charlie sinks into depression over the Christmas holiday.
Was Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower abuse?
With this unexpected plot twist, Chbosky encourages readers to reflect back on Charlie's letters and view his eccentricities and tribulations in a different light. Charlie concludes in his final letters in Perks that he was sexually abused in early childhood by his Aunt Helen, who is now deceased.
Why does Charlie let Patrick kiss him?
In the same way that Sam kisses Charlie out of friendship at the Secret Santa party, Charlie lets Patrick kiss him because he understands that Patrick just needs someone to accept him for who he is.
What mental disorder did Charlie from Perks of Being a Wallflower have?
After being hospitalized for the summer after his best friend commits suicide, Charlie who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is about to embark on his first year of high school. He fears being known as the weird kid who was hospitalized for the summer and not having any friends.
What gift does Mary Elizabeth give Charlie?
Mary Elizabeth gives Charlies a book of e.e.cummings poems because she likes the book, and she makes Charlie parade his gratitude towards her. Charlie gets so annoyed that he returns the book to the bookstore, but he immediately feels so guilty that he buys the book back.
Did Charlie know he was molested?
Charlie begins to realize that his sexual contact with Sam has stirred up repressed memories of him being molested by his Aunt Helen as a little boy. Charlie shows signs of PTSD from the incident and the revelation of his abuse helps the reader understand his views of relationships and love.
Why does Charlie still love Aunt Helen?
Since Charlie represses the memories of his abuse for most of the novel, he generally thinks of Helen as the only person in his otherwise cold family to show Charlie affection, and he also loved that she gave him books to read.
Is Charlie from wallflower autistic?
Answer and Explanation: Charlie does not have autism in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. An argument could be made that he might be on the spectrum due to his intelligence versus his social interactions, however his growth throughout the book suggest these qualities are situational rather than character traits.
Why does Charlie call Bob?
Charlie later calls Bob to score more pot after discovering he enjoys the sensation of being stoned.
Is Perks of Being a Wallflower true story?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is not a true story. It is classified as a novel, so it is, by definition, fictional. However, it was inspired by the author's actual experiences and people he knew while he grew up in Pittsburgh and attended high school there.
What secret does Charlie keep for his sister?
Charlie keeps the pregnancy a secret for her. In the film, Candaces pregnancy and abortion was not included and was cut from the final film.
What did Charlie write in Sam's Christmas card?
“Inside the card, I told Sam that the present I gave her was given to me by my Aunt Helen. It was an old 45 record that had the Beatles' song "Something." I used to listen to it all the time when I was little and thinking about grown-up things.
What did Sam write to Charlie?
In the letter Sam had informed Charley that he was living on the third level. He had also told Charley and his wife to keep looking for the third level. Clearly the letter was a product of Charley's imagination.
What did Sam tell Charlie when she gave him the typewriter?
Sam surprisingly gives Charlie a typewriter as a gift, and she tells Charlie to write about them, his friends. This is another sign that Charlie has met people who accept him and believe in him.
Why does Sam give Charlie glasses in The Perks of Being a Wallflower?
Immediately Sam is able to tell that Charlie is high on a drug and attempts to soothe him by giving him glasses that she says will protect him, as they both begin to look up at the night sky.
How does joining the performances of the rocky horror picture show help Charlie?
Charlie and his friends can drop social pretences. They can lose and be themselves in the moment without reservations and without judgment.
Towards the end of the book, Charlie visits bill at home to meer his girlfriend and to have lunch. What physical characteristics about bulls girlfriend stand out to Charlie?
She looks like a hippy.
What was Charlie doing when the policeman found him?
Charlie was out sleeping in the freezing cold. He was taken to te emergency room.
What does Charlie get Patrick?
Charlie gets Patrick a biography of Harvey Milk, the gay rights activist. At the Secret Santa party, Charlie reads Patrick a poem. Patrick gives Charlie the suit jacket, telling him that all great writers used to wear suits. Charlie gives all his friends thoughtful gifts, not just Patrick and Sam.
What does Charlie get from Secret Santa?
He then starts to get all the components of a suit, one by one. Charlie gets Patrick a biography of Harvey Milk, the gay rights activist.
Why does Charlie's brother bail on coming home for Thanksgiving?
Charlie’s brother bails on coming home for Thanksgiving because he’s too behind on his schoolwork, which makes Charlie’s mom deply upset. She takes Charlie shopping for clothes. She agrees to have Sam and Patrick over for dinner during the holidays, which makes Charlie excited, since the last friend he’d had over to dinner was Michael. Charlie remembers that he and Michael used to watch other people through their windows.
Why is Thanksgiving so difficult for Charlie's family?
The holidays are a difficult time for Charlie’s family, because it reminds them all of Aunt Helen, and they each deal with the stress and sadness in their own ways. Charlie’s grandfather typically gets drunk and makes boisterous, racist comments. Charlie’s dad gets quietly very drunk and withdrawn. This Thanksgiving, they watch a tape of Charlie’s brother’s football game, and Charlie says that he’s thankful that his brother played football and that no one fought.
What year did Charlie get his first B?
Summary: November 8, 1991. Bill gives Charlie his first B on an essay, which makes Charlie excited, since it means he’s improving. (Charlie gets A’s on his report card grades. These lower grades are just for the extra essays.) Charlie starts working for a fanzine called Punk Rocky, about punk rock and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
What does Charlie give Sam?
Charlie gives Sam a record that Aunt Helen had given him, and Sam whispers to Charlie that she loves him. She gives Charlie a typewriter, and she gives Charlie his first kiss.
What does Charlie think about his brother?
Charlie likes to think that his brother is having a glamorous college experience. Charlie thinks about his dad’s glory days, especially a triumphant state championship high school baseball game. Charlie hope he’ll have old photographs that show his own happy memories.
Why does Charlie want to write about Christmas?
Charlie is thinking about Christmas and his birthday (which are very close together in time) simply because he wants them to be over: psychologically, he is going towards a bad place. He first went to this place after Aunt Helen's death, and it became so bad that his mom had to take him to a psychiatrist. This development resulted in Charlie being held back a grade. Charlie doesn't want to continue writing about these memories because they bring up bad feelings.
When did Charlie meet Sam and Patrick's parents?
December 21, 1991. Charlie is blown away by the wonderful experiences he had at the final Secret Santa giveaway. He meets Sam and Patrick 's parents for the first time, and he very much enjoys spending time with his friends and drinking brandy.
How does Charlie feel about his aunt's death?
The sadness that Charlie feels during the Christmas season because of his Aunt's death creates an interesting juxtaposition with his feelings during the Secret Santa game. He is able to feel happiness when he is surrounded by his friends, but his wellbeing crumbles as soon as he is away from them. It is clear from these scenes just how much support Charlie gains from his friends - they are the foundation of his mental well-being. When Sam and Patrick leave for a family vacation at the Grand Canyon, darkness seeps into Charlie's life, and it is very difficult for him to fight his most troubling emotions.
Why does Charlie give Sam the music?
Charlie had decided that the music was so beautiful that he would only give it to someone who was beautiful in all ways. Thus, he gives it to Sam. Sam hugs him close and tells him that she loves him. Charlie knows that she means this mainly in terms of friendship, but he doesn't care.
What is Charlie's background?
What becomes slightly more apparent is Charlie's own background, specifically that he received psychiatric treatment as a young boy after Aunt Helen died. The guilt that he felt over her death has continued to paralyze him in his current relationships. Because of this loss, he has taken on a role in which he sits back and watches more than he participates. These letters leave the reader craving more information about Charlie. With every question he answers, more questions arise.
What does Charlie get in Secret Santa?
So far in the game of Secret Santa, Charlie has received a tie, a white shirt, shoes, an old belt, and slacks. He supposes that he'll receive a suit coat at the party, but he wants to know why he has received such a strange gift. Charlie is entirely preoccupied with the Christmas fun he is having with his friends, ...
What is Charlie's hidden darkness?
Charlie's hidden darkness emerges as the primary focus in this set of letters. Throughout the events related in these letters, beginning when Charlie reads the poem aloud at the Secret Santa party, Charlie is clearly battling something intense and severe.
What does Charlie's dad do when his brother and sister fight?
When Charlie’s brother and sister fight, Charlie’s dad puts Charlie into the role of de facto peacemaker by making Charlie drive the whole family to Ohio. Even though Charlie has barely learned how to drive, he bring the whole family successfully into another state.
What does Charlie do at Aunt Helen's grave?
At a New Years’ party, Charlie takes LSD, and the after-effects make him vacillate between being deeply philosophical and feeling like the whole world is spinning.
What is the catcher in the rye about?
The books is told from the perspective of Holden Caulfield, a rebellious, troubled teenager who’s experiencing some sexual awakenings but is also still very much a kid . The Catcher in the Rye is set at Christmastime, and many of Holden’s issues revolves around the trouble with going home for the holidays and feeling like he doesn’t really belong anywhere. Bill gives Charlie The Catcher in the Rye to read at a very symbolically important moment in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It’s Christmastime, which is a very tense time for Charlie’s family. Aunt Helen’s death and Charlie’s birthday are inextricably wrapped up together, since Aunt Helen died on Christmas Eve, which is Charlie’s birthday. Aunt Helen’s absence is even more prominent at Christmas. Charlie takes buying gifts for people very seriously, and it’s very important to him to get the right thing. Charlie enjoys making and purchasing gifts for his friends, and this process makes him excited rather than causing him existential angst. But getting a gift for his dad is much more difficult for Charlie. Charlie displaces his internal anxieties into the process of trying to get exactly the right present for his dad. In Charlie’s view, if he doesn’t get the present itself exactly right, he’ll feel like a failure.
What happened to Charlie's aunt Helen?
On Charlie’s seventh birthday, Aunt Helen died in a car accident. The last thing that Aunt Helen had said to Charlie was that she was going to buy him his birthday present, so Charlie can’t help but blame himself for her death. Charlie thinks that if his Aunt Helen hadn’t loved him so much, she would still be alive.
What does Charlie's driver's license represent?
On his sixteenth birthday, Charlie gets his driver’s license, which symbolically represents his becoming more of an adult. When Charlie’s brother comes home for Christmas, his presence makes family tensions erupt. Charlie’s brother is the star who is idealized from afar, but when he’s home, he acts very smug and patronizing. He criticizes Charlie’s sister for staying with her abusive boyfriend, rather than being sympathetic to her situation. When Charlie’s brother and sister fight, Charlie’s dad puts Charlie into the role of de facto peacemaker by making Charlie drive the whole family to Ohio. Even though Charlie has barely learned how to drive, he bring the whole family successfully into another state. Charlie physically takes charge of the situation, and he symbolically at the same time becomes the emotional glue that holds people together.
When is Charlie's birthday?
Charlie’s birthday is December 24, and he’s eager to get all the holidays over with, since they bring up so many emotions. Bill gave Charlie The Catcher in the Rye to read over the holidays—very appropriate, since Charlie’s definitely a modern-day Holden Caufield.
Where is Charlie from M*A*S*H?
Charlie is in Ohio for Christmas, where Charlie’s dad’s family lives. On his birthday, Charlie and his sister and mom went Christmas shopping, and after a lot of stress, he finds a gift for his dad: a videocassette of the last episode of M*A*S*H. On Christmas morning, before driving to Ohio, they exchange gifts.
Why did Charlie give Sam and Patrick music?
Charlie has now given music to both Sam and Patrick as a way of communicating his sense of connection to them. By choosing to give Sam the record he received as a gift from his beloved aunt, Charlie passes on the love implicit in the gift. Sam reciprocates his love and seems to replace Aunt Helen as Charlie’s primary source of affection. By including a copy of the poem for Patrick, Charlie lets the reader in on the experience as well. The idea that the poem may have been someone’s suicide note prompts the reader to wonder why Charlie choose this poem specifically and if he could be asking his friends for help indirectly.
What does Charlie think about his grandfather?
Charlie thinks about spending holidays with his mom’s family. His grandfather tends to offend most of the family and make racist comments, and Charlie’s brother is the only one who can manage him. One time, Charlie’s grandfather told him and his brother about how difficult his life used to be as a laborer and how he once beat their mother and Aunt Helen for getting Cs on their report cards, demanding that it never happen again. On Thanksgiving, Charlie’s extended family watches a recording of Charlie’s brother playing football, and Charlie sees his grandfather crying. He realizes that, in demanding better from his daughters, he meant that he wanted to be the last one to work in a mill. Before leaving, Charlie kisses his grandfather goodbye, but his grandfather wipes off Charlie’s kiss. Charlie explains that his grandfather doesn’t like touching between men in the family.
What does Charlie wish he could be on?
Charlie wishes he could be on a sports team , but, as he says, the sports he played made him too aggressive. Charlie’s dad was also a college athlete like his brother but had to leave college when Charlie’s mom became pregnant with his older brother. His dad tells stories about his “glory days,” and Charlie thinks about how handsome and rugged his dad looks in old photographs and how pretty his mom looks. He wonders what happened to make them the people they are now.
Why did Patrick and Brad call his parents?
They found him passed out in Patrick’s room, and they called his parents because he seemed really sick.
Why does Charlie feel motivated to write?
With Bill’s extra assignments and encouragement, Charlie seems to develop a stronger sense of self, recognizing that his literary skills could turn into a viable future for him. Because of Bill’s positive feedback, Charlie feels motivated to start writing outside of school assignments and his anonymous letters, which is a new way of participating for him. Additionally, The Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings give Charlie another community to belong to. Because of Charlie’s feelings for Sam, the reader doesn’t know if Charlie’s concerns about Sam’s boyfriend are justified or just Charlie’s jealousy.
What does Charlie hope his brother wants?
Charlie hopes his brother is having the kind of college experience Charlie wants rather than what his brother likely wants. Charlie’s description of his brother illustrates how starkly different the two are. While Charlie is quiet, sensitive, introspective, and creative, his brother seems like the quintessential jock.
Why do Bill and Charlie give Charlie books?
The books help to shape Charlie’s identity because they influence his understanding of the world around him and his own experience. Active Themes.
What happens when Patrick drops off Charlie?
When he drops off Charlie, Patrick doesn’t try to kiss him again like he had every other night, but instead, just thanks him for being his friend. Something about seeing Brad with someone else at the park triggers a change in Patrick and he tosses the alcohol away almost as if to say that he doesn’t need it anymore.
What is the dynamic between Charlie's grandfather and brother?
The dynamic between Charlie’s grandfather and brother suggests that the two traditionally masculine men understand each other in a way that no one else understands them. Both men manage surprising displays of compassion when they feel proud of their family members.
Why does Charlie like Fountainhead?
Charlie enjoys The Fountainhead and admires the author for wanting to be a great writer even though she came to America barely speaking English. He feels inspired to try to write a story, but he only gets one sentence written. Because everyone else is busy with end-of-the-year plans, Charlie says he has a lot of time for writing and reading. He feels excited for his friends but wishes those things were happening to him, too. Thinking about his future graduation, Charlie hopes to be valedictorian and wonders if Bill would help him write that speech.
What does Charlie write about in the last weeks of school?
During the last weeks of school, Charlie writes about everyone else’s upcoming plans like graduation and prom. He says that Bill is feeling sentimental about finishing his first year of teaching and he decided not to move to New York. He gives Charlie a list of movies to watch and write about and the last extra book of the year, The Fountainhead . He tells Charlie to be a “filter” and not a “sponge” when reading this book. Charlie works hard to maintain his straight A’s and almost gets a B in math, but his teacher tells him to stop asking “why?” and just follow formulas. He remembers feeling afraid of starting high school, but he feels so good at this moment that his earlier fear seems funny. He mentions that Patrick has stopped drinking ever since he saw Brad in the park with other men.
What does Charlie hear about Brad's dad?
While buying another stash of weed, Charlie hears about Brad’s dad catching Brad with Patrick. Brad’s dad beat him so badly that he didn’t come to school for a week. Even though Charlie wants to call Patrick and make sure he’s ok, Charlie is worried that he won’t be welcomed back into the friend group yet.
Why didn't Sam ask Charlie out?
She explains to Charlie that he can’t just put other people’s lives before his. She says that doing nothing doesn’t count as love, and he needs to show it with actions. Sam also explains that letting Patrick kiss him wasn’t being his friend because it wasn’t being honest with him. Charlie is uncomfortable, but Sam continues, telling him that she told him not to think of her romantically before because she doesn’t want to be someone’s crush, since that means the person only likes the idea of her rather than the real her.
Why did Patrick get suspended?
Patrick gets suspended for starting the fight, and both Brad and Charlie get a month’s detention. In detention together, Brad thanks Charlie for stopping his friends. Sam is waiting for Charlie after he gets out of detention and tells him they can all be friends again.
