Wimberly, Shontaye L.
Mr. D. Dresner
DE ENC 1102
23 October 2013
Character Breakdown:
Perks of Being a Wall Flower

Charlie: Charlie is the antagonist. He is seemingly passive and tends to be accepting to the way people are. He is analytical and intelligent. He has a history of emotional problems that stem from the losses of both his best friend and auntie (both were extremely close to him) which would explain why he cries so much when he does something he believes to be damaging to others. He is a freshman in high school which means he is trying to find himself which kind of makes him very open minded and “green” to the new world around him. Though he may be introspective he is physically capable to defend himself when placed in the proper conditions hence the altercation between him and a bully in the gym the first week of school where he claimed to have “really hurt Sean” on page 13.

Bill: Bill is Charlie’s teacher and is incredibly understanding of Charlie’s circumstances in high school. Bill has his own analytical skills. He is the kind of teacher that is easily identifiable. He can be either a “been-there-done-that” type of teacher or a teacher who cannot fathom the thought of a bright student withholding his intelligence. He believes in Charlie’s ability to “participate” and pleas for him to. Not only does he stress “participation” in class, he also stresses it in Charlie’s life indirectly. He lends Charlie books which displays his determination as a teacher. He sees through Charlie’s discrepancies in class and soon helps Charlie take those baby steps; Bill is a teacher both professionally and personally.

Charlie’s Family: Charlie derives from a line of family members with differentiating personalities that mesh together perfectly as far as the outside eye can see. His mother is a passive aggressive woman. She doesn’t say much but she sees and facially expresses everything. She only speaks when she drinks in which she goes to Charlie and clarifies family matters that the father doesn’t want Charlie to know. She is tremendously submissive cares passionately for Charlie as well as the other children. Charlie’s father is a “macho man”. He doesn’t believe it to be “manly”. He insists on Charlie playing sports like his brother whom he is proud of. He really loves his family but instead of outwardly expressing it he avoids being sentimental and maintains his idea of “masculinity”. He has slapped Charlie for asking about his aunt’s past affairs with men which proves that he is forward in his aggression. His father keeps a private household and believes that discussions on people’s personal lives are off limits. Charlie’s sister has the persona of a bully. However, she only bullies people who are nice to her. She feeds off of brutality which may as well be a misconception of her father’s “masculinity”. She is secretive and unsentimental though, I assume she craves vulnerability. I fell she wants someone to provide a reason for her to be less of the “man” in the relationship and more like the feminine one. She’s very smart but, like most 17-18 year olds, she is in search for the ideal guy and in her case its brutality that works for her. Charlie’s brother is the idea of the All-American dream. He plays for Penn State and had good grades in high school which demonstrates his intelligence. It also exhibits his upbringing under his parents. When he was sixteen, he had a Camaro and washed it every day which presented his father’s idea of masculinity. He barely spoke to Charlie, however, they had a bond strong enough for him to be the big brother that Charlie needed when necessary (his mother’s tendency to comfort her children). He’s popular and appears to be fond of the spotlight. Charlie’s aunt was Charlie’s safe haven. She was vulnerable, which is what her niece desired. However, her vulnerability stemmed from her being abused by her boyfriends. She longed for love and her relationship with Charlie