Charlie
When is Charlie's birthday?
The 24th of December.
Name 5 characters.
E.g.: Charlie, Patrick, Sam, Candace, Mary Elizabeth, Alice, Craig, Brad, Mr. Anderson, Aunt Helen...
Name 3 themes from the movie.
E.g.: Youth, mental health, love, being an outsider, trauma, abuse, transformation, masculinity, sexuality, violence, friendship...
Define the term "outsider".
A person who does not fit in. Someone who stands outside social groups looking in.
What does Charlie first think Sam and Patrick's relation is? And what is it actually?
Charlie thinks Sam and Patrick are boyfriend and girlfriend. They're actually step siblings.
What is Charlie told that he should be when he grows up?
A writer.
What is specifically interesting about Mary Elizabeth? (hint: something about stereotypes)
She is both a punk and a buddhist.
Why/how is trauma, abuse and mental health themes in this movie?
Because the movie presents a teenager dealing with a traumatic experience from his childhood. The abuse of Charlie clearly has had an impact on Charlie's mental health and personality in his later life.
Why is Patrick an outsider?
Due to his sexuality. The movie takes place in the 90s where being gay wasn't as accepted as it (luckily) is today.
What is the nickname of Candace's boyfriend?
Ponytail-Derek
How does Charlie "break up" with Mary Elizabeth? What does this say about Charlie? (2 things)
When asked to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, Charlie kisses Sam instead of Mary E.
It shows: 1. Charlie is very much in love with Sam, 2. Charlie does not know the social rules of being in a relationship.
What happened to Sam in her childhood?
When she was 11 her dad's boss kissed and thereby assaulted her.
In what ways do we see the themes masculinity and violence in the movie? (give at least two examples)
E.g.: Derek hits Candice + Brad's dad beats him up after finding Brad with Patrick (domestic violence, toxic masculinity) + examples of soft masculinity (the guys embrace traditionally feminine clothes in their show)...
Why is Sam an outsider?
Because she dates older guys who doesn't treat her right + there's been a rumor that she "sleeps around".
What is the first book Charlie has to analyze in Mr. Anderson's class?
"To kill a mockingbird" by Harper Lee (1960).
What has Charlie repressed from his childhood and when do Charlie (and the audience) find out?
His aunt Helen molested him when he was just a child. He realizes when he has yet another mental breakdown in the end of the movie.
Who is Michael and what happened to him?
Michael was Charlie's only friend. He committed suicide.
What Danish phrase does "being a wallflower" resemble? (hint: Danish translation)
Being a wallflower = at være fluen på væggen eller at være bænkevarmer.
What is the friend group (Charlie, Sam, Patrick, Alice, Mary Elizabeth and Bob) an example of?
A group of outsiders/quirky characters coming together to form an important friendship.
Who was the first person to call Charlie "a wallflower"?
Patrick calls Charlie a wallflower at the first party they attend together.
Describe Charlie's development (be thorough!).
E.g.: In the beginning he is an outsider, but then he finds "his people" (a group of outsiders). His development is not a straight line - he has mental setbacks, however in the end he comes to terms with who he is and gains some very good friends along the way.
Describe Charlie's perception of his aunt Helen. Does his perception develop throughout the movie? (be thorough!)
In the beginning of the movie Charlie sees aunt Helen as his favorite person in the world. In the end he realizes what she did, however his empathy for her seems to remain. Yet he still expresses that maybe he wished for her to die. He is very conflicted.
Explain the title of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" with your own words.
The title means "the advantages of being an outsider" = the good things about being an outsider.
How is being an outsider depicted in this movie?
Both positively (being special, outsiders coming together, etc.) and negatively (loneliness, bullying, mental health issues, etc.)
Why do good people fall for bad people according to Mr. Anderson? (hint: this is a quote)
Because: "We accept the love we think we deserve."