December 8
English
Book Report
Coming-of-Age
Title of the book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Name of the author: Stephen Chbosky
Year of publication: 1999
Number of pages in the book: 237 pages
Summary
Charlie is a 15 year old genius, who is starting his first year of high school. This novel is
written in letters to an anonymous person, explaining his experiences when they take place.
In these letters you learn about his family and friends. He begins his letters by talking about
his friend, Michael who has committed suicide. He describes how much he misses him, and
about how he and another girl, Susan, used to be best friends. However, things change, and
she stops talking to Charlie after middle school. Then he goes on to describe his family. His
family consists of himself, his mom, his father, his brother, and his sister. His Aunt Helen was
his favorite person in the whole world. However, she got in a terrible car accident and passed
away. His father is a very proud and strong man, his mother is usually very quiet and lets her
husband handle problems.
Description of the main characters
Charlie is the main character and first-person narrator of The Perks of Being a Wallflower,
which is told through Charlie's letters. Charlie is fifteen years old and a high school freshman.
Patrick is a high school senior, meets Charlie in shop class and introduces him to Sam.
Patrick has a big secret: he likes boys.
Sam is also a senior. She is Patrick's step-sister and Charlie's love interest. She's outspoken,
pretty, and a supportive friend.
Mary Elizabeth, another senior, asks Charlie out on a date. They have a sort-of relationship.
Aunt Helen was Charlie's favorite aunt, but she died before the action in the story.
Charlie carries guilt over her death and a big secret about their relationship.
Writing assignment
Music plays an important role in Charlie’s life, which is something most teenagers can relate
to.
The characters in The Perks of Being a Wallflower use music to foster connections between
friends. In particular, music symbolizes the feelings and experiences they have shared. Good
or bad, that cannot be expressed in words: when Charlie hears one specific song for the first
time, he refuses to describe it for the reader because he can’t. He says you need to listen to
the song to understand it.
The music influences the characters in three primary ways:
English
Book Report
Coming-of-Age
Title of the book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Name of the author: Stephen Chbosky
Year of publication: 1999
Number of pages in the book: 237 pages
Summary
Charlie is a 15 year old genius, who is starting his first year of high school. This novel is
written in letters to an anonymous person, explaining his experiences when they take place.
In these letters you learn about his family and friends. He begins his letters by talking about
his friend, Michael who has committed suicide. He describes how much he misses him, and
about how he and another girl, Susan, used to be best friends. However, things change, and
she stops talking to Charlie after middle school. Then he goes on to describe his family. His
family consists of himself, his mom, his father, his brother, and his sister. His Aunt Helen was
his favorite person in the whole world. However, she got in a terrible car accident and passed
away. His father is a very proud and strong man, his mother is usually very quiet and lets her
husband handle problems.
Description of the main characters
Charlie is the main character and first-person narrator of The Perks of Being a Wallflower,
which is told through Charlie's letters. Charlie is fifteen years old and a high school freshman.
Patrick is a high school senior, meets Charlie in shop class and introduces him to Sam.
Patrick has a big secret: he likes boys.
Sam is also a senior. She is Patrick's step-sister and Charlie's love interest. She's outspoken,
pretty, and a supportive friend.
Mary Elizabeth, another senior, asks Charlie out on a date. They have a sort-of relationship.
Aunt Helen was Charlie's favorite aunt, but she died before the action in the story.
Charlie carries guilt over her death and a big secret about their relationship.
Writing assignment
Music plays an important role in Charlie’s life, which is something most teenagers can relate
to.
The characters in The Perks of Being a Wallflower use music to foster connections between
friends. In particular, music symbolizes the feelings and experiences they have shared. Good
or bad, that cannot be expressed in words: when Charlie hears one specific song for the first
time, he refuses to describe it for the reader because he can’t. He says you need to listen to
the song to understand it.
The music influences the characters in three primary ways:
