What Charlie does not realize until the end of the book is that his Aunt Helen molested him when he was a child . We also find out that Charlie’s Aunt Helen was molested by a family friend a long time ago. Because she never resolved her own abuse, she let that cycle of abuse continue and became an abuser herself.
Who is Charlie teacher in Perks of Being a Wallflower?
Todd Anderson is Charlie’s teacher, who gives him books to read and write an essay about it. He thinks Charlie is an intelligent student and they become friends.
Who is Charlie writing the letter to in Perks of Being a Wallflower?
Charlie writes about seeing his sister’s boyfriend hit her in a letter to his anonymous friend , and at first, he doesn’t speak up to anyone about it.
Did Charlie kill Aunt Helen?
Charlie’s anxiety goes back to the first traumatic event in his life, the death of his Aunt Helen. Charlie’s Aunt was killed in a car accident when he was a young boy. She was on her way to get him a surprise and he has always felt it was his fault that she was in the car.
What was wrong with Charlie in The Perks of Being a Wallflower?
Charlie shows symptoms of PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and social anxiety , he seems to also suffer from depression. Social anxiety and depression can come from PTSD. He is that way because he was molested as a child.
Why does Patrick call Charlie a wallflower?
This quotation, which occurs just before the end of Part 1, is the first time that Charlie is referred to as a “wallflower” in the novel. Patrick does not use the word as an insult or a derogatory nickname. Instead, he calls Charlie a wallflower as a term of endearment .
Was Charlie’s sister pregnant?
Charlie’s sister has a huge fight with her boyfriend on the dance floor. After Charlie gets home, his sister tells him that she’s pregnant .
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 .
Why does Patrick kiss Charlie?
Rather than pulling away from Patrick’s advances, Charlie passively lets Patrick kiss him, even though he knows that the kiss is just because Patrick is missing Brad . Patrick leans on Charlie for sympathy, and Charlie recognizes that Patrick is a confused teenager.
Why does Charlie blame himself for Aunt Helen’s death?
He blames himself for his Aunt Helen’s death because the last thing that she told him before her car crash was that she was going to go look for his birthday present . ... Charlie’s guilt and blame helps explain why he doesn’t yet feel comfortable approaching Sam and trying to go out with her.
Did Helen abuse Charlie?
She took her sexual abuse out on Charlie , sexually molesting him and touching him while his sister was asleep and telling him to be quiet was her way of telling him not to tell anybody about her touches.
Did Charlie sleep with Sam?
Did Charlie sleep with Sam? In effect, Sam and Charlie end up presumably having sex before she leaves for college because of this equality and the negation of a alarming memory of Charlie’s molestation.
How did Aunt Helen affect Charlie?
Victims of abuse often become abusers themselves. And of course, Aunt Helen goes on to molest Charlie. She took advantage of shy, quiet Charlie’s love and trust. Charlie forgives her, but it has changed the course of his life forever.
Was Charlie assaulted in Perks of Being a Wallflower?
Charlie concludes in his final letters in Perks that he was sexually abused in early childhood by his Aunt Helen , who is now deceased. ... In actuality, it is likely that more than 16% of men have survived sexual abuse by the age of 18 [2].
How does Charlie find out his aunt molest him?
Charlie had realized that his Aunt Helen had been molesting him every Saturday when they watched television together , and this realization caused him to snap. Charlie’s family comes together to support him, and distant relatives write letters and send flowers.
Is it okay to be a wallflower?
As a wallflower, you may be told that staying below those expectations is what you are meant to do, and it is okay to ignore them . ... Being a wallflower has some perks and Charlie knows all about it. If you think that you are a wallflower and think negatively of yourself, just know that being a wallflower is okay.
