The Perks of Being a Wallflower Characters
The main characters in The Perks of Being a Wallflower are Charlie, Sam, Patrick, Bill, Mary Elizabeth, and Brad.
- Charlie is a shy and troubled boy who befriends Sam and Patrick.
- Sam is a beautiful senior with whom Charlie falls in love; she gives him his first kiss.
- Patrick is Sam's half-brother, a gay teenager who has a secret affair with the quarterback of the football team.
- Bill is Charlie's English teacher, who gives him books to read outside of class.
- Mary Elizabeth is Charlie's girlfriend, who breaks up with him after he kisses Sam at a party.
- Brad is Patrick's closeted boyfriend.
Characters
Charlie
Charlie is the narrator and the protagonist of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He tells his story via a series of letters addressed to Friend. His first letter is dated August 25, 1991, when Charlie enters high school as a freshman. Charlie's best friend Michael has recently committed suicide, and this only exacerbates Charlie's existing emotional problems. He's drawn to Patrick and Sam, two fellow misfits, both seniors. Charlie joins their friend group and is introduced to drinking, smoking, and a handful of recreational drugs, including pot and LSD. These sometimes get him into trouble, once even landing him in the hospital after a party. At the same time, he wrestles with sexual feelings for Sam, who loves him, but just as a friend (for the most part). Sam's relationship with Craig severely upsets Charlie, who believes he understands Michael's suicide after hearing Sam and Craig having sex. Things finally come to a head when Charlie kisses Sam instead of his girlfriend during a game of Truth or Dare. Their friendship is ruined—temporarily, at least—and Charlie is left friendless and alone. After defending Patrick in a fight at a school, the friends are able to reconcile. Charlie acts as a confidante and shoulder to cry on during Patrick's breakup with Brad. Only after Sam learns about Craig's infidelity do Charlie and Sam truly mend fences. They have an aborted sexual encounter the night before she leaves for college, which triggers a massive episode for Charlie. It reminds him of the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of Aunt Helen, who fondled him as a child. After years of blocking out the memories, Charlie finally faces the demons of his past. In the novel's epilogue, he writes that life is getting better—or, if not, it will. He's hopeful.
Sam
Sam is a beautiful senior at Charlie's high school. Her brother Patrick takes shop class with Charlie, and all three of them meet at a football game, which Sam and Patrick attend for Patrick's boyfriend, the closeted quarterback. From the beginning, Sam likes Charlie, but just as a friend. She gives him a beautiful typewriter on Christmas, then kisses him, because, she says, his first kiss should be from someone who loves him. Charlie understands that she only loves him as a friend. Sam starts dating Craig, a college boy, who doesn't respect her and, as she later learns, repeatedly cheats on her. She's very careful not to encourage Charlie's sexual feelings for her, and after he kisses her at a party she cuts off all contact with him, citing the fact that Craig doesn't want her to see Charlie. For a while, it seems like their friendship will never recover; then, after Sam breaks up with Craig, she and Charlie reunite. It's clear that Sam considers Charlie "safe" and comfortable and that their sexual encounter on her last night in town is fueled by nostalgia, not love. She enrolls at Penn State, where Charlie's brother goes to school. Charlie will visit her at Penn, he says, but it's implied that they never end up together.
Patrick
Patrick is Sam's gay half-brother. Charlie first notices Patrick in shop class, where he's teased by the jocks in the room. One day, Patrick screams at the bullies to either call him by his name or call him nothing; and so he earns the nickname Nothing. As a gay teen, Patrick is marginalized and forced to sneak around with his closeted boyfriend Brad. Patrick can only truly be himself with close friends, who understand his often flamboyant behavior. Patrick enjoys playing...
(This entire section contains 1239 words.)
Unlock this Study Guide Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
the role of Dr. Frank N Furter inThe Rocky Horror Picture Show and intends to enroll at the University of Washington to be close to the music scene there. After months of sneaking around, Brad and Patrick are finally caught, and Brad breaks up with Patrick to save face. Heartbroken, Patrick turns to booze for comfort, and after a physical fight with Brad he leans on Charlie for emotional support. Eventually, he gets over Brad, goes to college, and, presumably, goes on to a happy life.
Bill
Charlie's English teacher is a kind middle-aged man who understands how special Charlie is. When Charlie proves promising as a student, Bill starts giving him books to read outside of class, starting with To Kill A Mockingbird and proceeding through the classics, such as The Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye, and The Stranger. Bill and his wife even invite Charlie over one day to talk about great literature. This relationship is one of the most positive and least complicated in the novel.
Mary Elizabeth
Charlie briefly dates Mary Elizabeth during his freshman year of high school. Mary Elizabeth is a very talkative girl whose favorite subject is herself, and Charlie endures her more than anything. He has a difficult time telling her how he really feels. They have an awkward sexual encounter at Mary Elizabeth's house that leaves Charlie unsatisfied, though everyone else seems happy about it, even Sam. At a party one night, Patrick dares Charlie to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, expecting him to kiss Mary Elizabeth. Instead, Charlie kisses Sam. This ends his relationship with Mary Elizabeth and very nearly destroys his friendship with Sam.
Aunt Helen
Charlie's beloved Aunt Helen was abused by a family friend in her youth and slipped into a life of drug addiction and emotional problems. For several years, she lived with Charlie and his family in hopes of getting her life together. Charlie blocked out the memories of the sexual abuse she inflicted on him while they watched TV together on Saturdays. Despite the abuse, he still loves her. She died in a car crash while she was out buying a present for his eighth birthday. Charlie's birthday falls on December 24th, so the Christmas season always makes him sad, reminding him of his aunt's death.
Brad
Brad is Patrick's boyfriend. As the quarterback of the football team, Brad feels the need to keep his sexuality a secret. He quite literally makes out with Patrick in a closet one night and then freaks out when Charlie finds them. Patrick has to assure Brad that Charlie will keep their secret, because he is a "wallflower" like them. After Brad's father finds him with Patrick, the two break up. Patrick is, of course, devastated. He approaches Brad in the lunch room one day, hoping to talk. As Patrick walks away, Brad yells, "Faggot!" This escalates into a fight. Charlie jumps in to save Patrick, threatening to tell everyone what he knows about Brad. Weeks later, Charlie and Patrick see Brad at a cruising spot, but Brad doesn't notice them. He and Patrick never reconcile.
Craig
Craig is Sam's boyfriend, an older and less respectful boy who doesn't appreciate her. After months of dating, Sam learns that Craig has cheated on her with multiple girls. Craig and Sam break up.
Michael
Charlie's best friend. Little is known about Michael, who committed suicide before the events of the novel. We do know that Michael's death has a profound effect on Charlie, who is understandably upset about the loss.
Friend
Friend's true identity is never revealed in the novel. Charlie addresses his letters to Friend and even mails them, suggesting that Friend is a real person. However, there is some suggestion that Friend is a therapeutic tool Charlie uses to work through his feelings.
