The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Reading Check questions are designed for in-class review on key plot points or for quick verbal or written assessments. Multiple Choice and Short Answer Quizzes create ideal summative assessments, and collectively function to convey a sense of the work’s tone and themes.

Part 1, Chapters 1-5

Reading Check

1. Who is the “friend” Charlie is writing to?

2. What year of school is Charlie in?

3. Which of Charlie’s siblings is in college?

4. What is the first book Charlie has to read for his English class?

5. What is Charlie’s favorite song from “Autumn Leaves”?

6. Who does Charlie meet in his shop class and what is his nickname?

Multiple Choice

1. What might readers infer about Charlie’s love of reading?

A) He wants to be a writer when he grows up.

B) He doesn’t have anyone to hang out with.

C) He uses it to hide from the world.

D) He associates it with his aunt, who used to give him books.

2. Why does Charlie write to his “friend”?

A) He wants to share what happens in his life since he and this person are close.

B) He wants someone to listen.

C) He is required to write for a school assignment.

D) He thinks it’s better than keeping a diary.

3. Why might it be important that Charlie never includes a return address for his letters?

A) The “friend” already has it.

B) They aren’t real letters.

C) He doesn’t want a response.

D) His mom reads them.

4. Why is Charlie’s brother’s TV appearance such a special occasion for Charlie?

A) His family has been talking about it for weeks.

B) Charlie unexpectedly misses him.

C) He can use it to be popular at school.

D) His parents miss his brother.

5. Based on Charlie’s friendship with Michael and his surprise when his sister’s boyfriend hits her, what can readers infer about Charlie’s relationship with others?

A) He is not good at understanding people’s feelings.

B) He isn’t a good judge of character.

C) He doesn’t listen when other people talk.

D) He doesn’t trust his own hunches.

6. Which of the following is the most accurate description of Charlie based on his actions in the first several chapters?

A) He is outgoing and sociable.

B) He is impressionable and reacts emotionally.

C) He feels connected to his family and relies on them for emotional support.

D) He is a good student and a loyal friend.

Short-Answer Response

Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Charlie write to his friend?

2. How is Susan, Charlie’s classmate from middle school, a symbol of the transition to high school?

3. Why is Charlie’s encounter with Sean significant? What does it tell us about Charlie?

4. Describe Charlie’s family dynamic. How is Charlie treated, and how does he treat his family members? What does this tell us about his relationship with them?

5. What does Charlie’s September 18 letter about Patrick suggest about Patrick’s role in the novel?

6. Why does Charlie enjoy listening to music and reading books?

Part 1, Chapters 6-10

Reading Check

1. What show did Charlie always watch with Aunt Helen?

2. What did Charlie find his dad doing in the kitchen while watching the final episode of M*A*S*H?

3. Where does Charlie meet Sam?

4. What school event does Charlie decide to attend?

5. Who is Brad?

Multiple Choice

1. How does Charlie’s dad’s behavior during the M*A*S*H finale reinforce the family relationships that readers saw in the novel’s beginning chapters?

A) He tells Charlie never to lie about who he is, just like Aunt Helen told him.

B) He tells Charlie to keep the fact that he cried a secret, just like his sister asked him to keep a secret.

C) He tells Charlie to keep his tears a secret, reminding him that his brother told him that men don’t cry.

D) He tells Charlie he misses Aunt Helen, just as Charlie does.

2. What is the difference between how Charlie feels about his parents and how his classmates feel about theirs?

A) He doesn’t understand his parents but loves them, while his classmates hate theirs.

B) He hates his parents and wishes that they would love him, while his classmates adore theirs.

C) He doesn’t understand his parents, while his classmates are close with theirs.

D) He likes his parents but finds them odd, while his classmates think their parents are normal.

3. How do Sam and Patrick make Charlie feel welcome?

A) They say he can write letters to them.

B) They show an interest in learning more about him.

C) They invite him to their house.

D) They defend him in front of other students.

4. How does Charlie feel when Sam tells him she’s too old for him?

A) He is unconcerned and moves on.

B) He is relieved, especially since Patrick says that girls like a challenge.

C) He is disappointed and wallows in his sadness.

D) He is glad she is honest with him.

5. How does Patrick’s explanation of relationships affect Charlie’s view of the world?

A) He starts noticing how other couples interact and wonders if anyone is actually happy.

B) He feels more carefree because he is less interested in trying to impress Sam.

C) He decides to learn more about relationships, especially after analyzing his sister’s relationship.

D) He starts to wonder if his parents should get a divorce.

6. Which of these series presents a correct sequence of events between Charlie, his sister, and his sister’s boyfriend?

A) Her boyfriend gives her a mixtape, Charlie’s sister confesses to Charlie that she loves her boyfriend, and Charlie reveals her secret to the family.

B) His sister’s boyfriend hits her, Charlie catches them having sex, and he stays away from them.

C) His sister’s boyfriend gives her a mixtape, she gives it to Charlie, she asks for the mixtape back, and Charlie tells his teacher Bill about it.

D) His sister’s boyfriend hits her, she tells Charlie not to tell anyone, Charlie tells his teacher Bill, and Bill calls their parents.

7. Why might Charlie think Bill gave him Peter Pan to teach him something about himself?

A) Peter Pan is about kids, and Bill wants to remind him that he’s just a kid.

B) Peter Pan is about boys who never grow up, and Charlie is determined to grow up.

C) Peter Pan, the character, is surrounded by people growing up and so is Charlie, who feels in between being an adult and a child.

D) Peter Pan is a reminder not to overthink things, and to have faith and trust others.

Short-Answer Response

Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is significant about Charlie opening Chapter 6 by saying, “There is a lot to tell you about the last two weeks. A lot of it is good, but a lot of it is bad. Again, I don’t know why this always happens” (14)?

2. Why does Charlie tell Sam about his dream?

3. What does Bill mean when he tells Charlie, “We accept the love we think we deserve” (24)? How does it compare with Patrick’s explanation of girls?

4. Ever since Michael passed away, Charlie has been wondering how problems at home affect people’s behavior, including his own. How does Charlie think this connects to what happened between his sister and her boyfriend? Why?

5. While driving with Patrick and Sam on the way to the party, Charlie says he “feel[s] infinite.” What does he mean?

6. What is a wallflower? How does the term wallflower relate to the secrets people ask Charlie to keep? Give examples.

Part 2, Chapters 11-20

Reading Check

1. What does Mary Elizabeth, a Buddhist, explain to Charlie?

2. What did Brad say after every party to hide that he was hooking up with Patrick?

3. What is Sam’s boyfriend’s name?

4. What grade does Charlie get on his Peter Pan essay?

5. What film do Sam and Patrick take Charlie to see?

6. Why does Charlie’s mom take him shopping?

7. Who is Charlie’s Secret Santa recipient, and who is his Secret Santa?

8. Name one band that Charlie puts on the mixtape he makes for his Secret Santa.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of these answers describes Charlie’s relationship with music?

A) He uses music to express his feelings.

B) He uses music to remember to be happy.

C) He uses music to participate in the world.

D) He uses music to escape the world.

2. Why does Charlie listen to his sister talk about her boyfriend?

A) He is thankful that she forgave him for telling Bill what her boyfriend did, even though now she has to date in secret.

B) He feels close to her when she confides in him, even though it’s because she can’t tell anyone else.

C) He feels that by listening to her, he can protect her if her boyfriend hurts her again.

D) He is happy that one of his siblings cares about him.

3. What is the most likely reason that Charlie hopes that his brother is having a college experience like the ones he sees in the movies?

A) His brother only thinks about football.  

B) His brother isn’t very mature and needs to grow up.

C) His brother is superficial and would benefit from conversations about books.

D) His brother needs friends like Charlie’s.

4. What is the significance of Charlie having friends over for dinner?

A) It is the first time that his parents will meet Sam and Patrick.

B) It shows how Charlie is creating his own family out of his friend group.

C) It allows him to show his friends how important they are to him.

D) It is the first time he has had friends over since Michael died.

5. Why is Charlie’s mom sad when he tells her what his grandfather said?

A) She has a difficult relationship with her father, and he never told her these things directly.

B) She knows that he didn’t mean it when he said he was proud of her.

C) She doesn’t like to think about her childhood with him, especially after her sister died.

D) She is not proud of herself.

6. Why does the author most likely have Charlie explain Secret Santa to the reader?

A) to set up for later in the story

B) to show how important the tradition is to Charlie

C) to make sure readers know what it is

D) to encourage readers to participate in it

7. Why does Charlie most likely feel disappointed about receiving socks from his Secret Santa?

A) He feels that it is an impersonal gift, and he has put a lot of effort into his gifts.

B) He doesn’t want Mary Elizabeth to be his Secret Santa because he is in love with Sam.

C) He thinks it means that his new friends will let him down.

D) He had hoped the gifts would be more exciting.

8. Why does Sam kiss Charlie, even though she is dating Craig?

A) She wants to break up with Craig.

B) She wants to be the first one to kiss him.

C) She doesn’t want him to feel like she does about her first kiss.

D) She knows that it will make him happy.

Short-Answer Response

Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Is it good or bad that Charlie’s sister confides in him about dating her boyfriend, even though their father has forbidden it? Why? Justify your answer with examples from the text.

2. What does Charlie want to be when he grows up? Why?

3. How does the experiment with rats connect to the relationships that Charlie sees around him? Choose one couple or two friends and use examples from the text to support your argument.

4. Why does Charlie kiss his grandfather on the cheek when he leaves after Thanksgiving?

5. Why does Charlie spend all night working on the mixtape for Patrick? What does this suggest about Charlie?

6. Why is Charlie grateful for his brother’s football game on Thanksgiving?

7. Why is Charlie’s story about his father’s “glory days” on the baseball team significant? How does it affect Charlie’s hopes for his future?

8. From witnessing the incident with his sister to hearing stories from his grandfather and Sam, Charlie becomes aware that abuse has affected many people he cares about. How does he react to this realization, and how does it relate to him being a “wallflower”?

Part 2, Chapters 21-25

Reading Check

1. What book does Bill give Charlie to read?

2. Where are Patrick and Sam for the holiday?

3. Who does Charlie want the film It’s a Wonderful Life to be about?

4. What does Charlie get his dad for Christmas?

5. What does Charlie do with his mom every year to commemorate his Aunt Helen’s death?

6. What did Aunt Helen do for Charlie that no one else did?

Multiple Choice

1. Why does Charlie tell his friend that “it would be great if sledding were always enough, but it isn’t” (74)?

A) He used to love sledding but has stopped since his Aunt Helen died.

B) He thinks that being a kid and doing activities like sledding is simpler than homework.

C) He wants sledding to be accepted by his friends as an adult activity.

D) He remembers how much easier his life used to be when sledding kept him happy.

2. Why is Charlie sad about his struggle to buy a gift for his dad?

A) He doesn’t have enough money to buy his dad what he really wants.

B) He doesn’t think he knows his dad well enough to buy him a good gift.

C) He doesn’t feel moved to buy his dad a gift.

D) He wishes he could save the money and buy something for Sam instead.

3. What is the significance of Charlie’s mom telling him she loves him while they’re shopping?

A) Neither of his parents say it often, so it makes him feel better.   

B) It makes him feel important and appreciated for being thoughtful.

C) His father never says it to him, so he needs to hear it from his mom.

D) It reminds him of his Aunt Helen, and it’s comforting.

4. In addition to his association between his aunt’s death and his birthday, why does Charlie most likely feel extra down during the holidays this year?

A) His sister isn’t nice to him.  

B) His dad tells him he needs to grow up and be a man.

C) He misses Sam and Patrick.

D) He doesn’t feel that his family loves him.

5. What might Charlie mean when he writes that The Catcher in the Rye “does seem appropriate to this time” (75)?

A) He sees it as a contemporary novel.

B) He relates to what happens in the book.

C) He thinks it is perfect for reading over Christmas break.

D) He knows it will be his new favorite book

6. How does Charlie’s explanation of his aunt Rebecca’s family life repeat a theme in this book?

A) It shows someone staying with an abusive partner after being abused earlier.

B) It shows how secrets can hurt a family.

C) It shows Charlie why his dad is the way he is.

D) It shows how parents don’t always care enough for their children.

7. Which of the following best describes how Charlie starts to feel during this section of the book?

A) happy but grieving

B) lost and depressed

C) homesick and grieving

D) scared and unloved

8. Why does Charlie dislike his birthday?

A) His aunt Helen died on his birthday, so his family associates it with her death.

B) He feels lonely because he can’t see his friends.

C) His aunt was shopping for his birthday present when she died.

D) He wishes he could celebrate it separately from Christmas.

9. What can the reader infer about Charlie when he makes a mixtape for the first time he drives?

A) He is excited to drive alone for the first time.

B) He associates music with big events in his life.

C) He can’t stand silence when he’s in the car alone.

D) He always has music on when he thinks of his Aunt Helen.

10. On New Year’s, why does Charlie feel like a caterpillar entering a cocoon?

A) He feels like he is on the brink of being happy.

B) He feels excited that something important is about to happen to him.

C) He feels distressed knowing that Sam and Craig had sex.

D) He feels left out of the party.

Short-Answer Response

Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Charlie lean on his mom during this section of the book?

2. What led to Charlie being held back a grade?

3. Why might Charlie’s father have been upset about his brother’s comment regarding his sister and her boyfriend?

4. What happens when Charlie’s family tries to celebrate his birthday?

5. How does Bill’s comment, “We accept the love we think we deserve” (24) apply to Aunt Helen and Aunt Rebecca?

6. Why is Charlie disappointed when he sees Sam and Patrick with their significant others?

7. What does Charlie’s experience on LSD reveal about his emotional state?

Part 3, Chapters 26-37

Reading Check

1. Who found Charlie after he did LSD?

2. Why was Charlie teased at school?

3. What is the “trance”?

4. Name one of the books Bill gives Charlie in this section of the book.

5. Who is Mary Elizabeth?

6. Where does Charlie take his sister?

7. Why does Charlie stop hanging out with his friends?

Multiple Choice

1. Why does Charlie decide never to do LSD again?

A) He feels guilty that they missed his brother’s game and that everyone is so worried about him.

B) He doesn’t like that he doesn’t remember what happened.

C) He didn’t like how it made him feel.

D) He is worried about getting his friends in trouble.

2. Why does Charlie call his experience as Rocky “the best time […] in [his] whole life” (110)?

A) He gets to act on stage with Sam.

B) He saved the day since Craig didn’t show up.

C) He got to be unashamedly himself without feeling criticized.

D) He feels inspired to be an actor when he grows up.

3. What effect does Charlie’s sister’s comment about his smoking have on Charlie?

A) It reminds him that there are things about his life that his family doesn’t know.

B) It makes him feel sad to be criticized while doing her a favor.

C) It makes him feel proud as it is the first secret someone has to keep for him rather than the other way around.

D) It shows him that his sister cares about him, and that she will be okay.

4. Why might it bother Charlie so much that Mary Elizabeth never listens to what he has to say?

A) He values quality time with others who show an interest in him.

B) He wants to be an equal partner in their relationship.

C) He loves her and wants her to listen to him when he tells her that.

D) He thinks Sam would listen to him.

5. What does Charlie’s relationship with Mary Elizabeth reveal about him?

A) He feels trapped when he’s in a relationship with someone.  

B) He will never get over Sam.

C) He can rely on the women in his life.

D) He has a hard time standing up for himself.

6. Why does Charlie “just kind of put [his] feelings away somewhere” (134) after hearing Mary Elizabeth talk about To Kill a Mockingbird?

A) He’s used to Mary Elizabeth talking by now.

B) He tried to give her a meaningful gift, but she only talked about herself.

C) He’s tired of trying to be her boyfriend, and he decides to break up with her.

D) He didn’t care about giving her a gift, so it’s not important to him that she insulted it.

7. At the party, why did Charlie kiss Sam and not Mary Elizabeth?

A) He wants to be honest, but doesn’t consider the consequences.

B) He wants to break up with Mary Elizabeth.

C) He wants to see if Sam will leave Craig for him.

D) He wants to make Mary Elizabeth jealous and more interested in him.

8. What are the consequences of Charlie’s decision to kiss Sam?

A) There are no consequences since they’re all drunk.

B) Craig punches Charlie and tells Sam not to see him anymore.

C) Mary Elizabeth slaps him.

D) Patrick tells him that he should keep his distance from his friends for a while.

9. How is Charlie affected by Sam asking, “What is wrong with you?”

A) He decides that he needs to get over her to be happy.

B) He realizes that something is wrong with him, but he doesn’t know what, which scares him.

C) He realizes that he needs to lean on his family more so that he can stop smoking and drinking.

D) He decides that he should find friends who won’t abandon him when he makes a mistake.

Short-Answer Response

Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is the significance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show for Charlie?

2. How does Charlie’s relationship with his sister develop during these chapters?

3. Why might Charlie have decided to write a different kind of essay after reading Walden? 

4. What role do gifts play in this section? Choose one gift that Charlie either gave or received and explain in one or two sentences what effect it had on his relationship with the giver/receiver.

5. What advice did Charlie receive about Mary Elizabeth from his psychiatrist, father, and sister?

6. How was kissing Sam both good and bad for Charlie?

7. How does Charlie feel by the end of this section?

Part 4, Chapters 38-51 and Epilogue

Reading Check

1. What does Charlie ask Susan?

2. Why does Charlie sneak in to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show?

3. Who picks Charlie up from detention?

4. What is Mary Elizabeth’s new boyfriend’s name?

5. What is the last book that Bill gives Charlie to read?

6. What is the senior prank?

7. Where is Sam going to college?

Multiple Choice

1. Why does Brad thank Charlie for getting involved in the fight?

A) He feels inspired to be himself after seeing Patrick hurt.

B) He cares about Patrick and doesn’t want him getting hurt, even if it’s his fault

C) He thinks it reinforced his popularity.

D) He knows that he and his friends would’ve kept hurting Patrick if Charlie hadn’t joined.

2. What is ironic about Mary Elizabeth saying that she was looking for someone “more open to discussion”?

A) Charlie was very opinionated and often voiced his thoughts.

B) Charlie was frustrated that she never listened to him.

C) Mary Elizabeth always shut Charlie down when he tried to talk.

D) Mary Elizabeth said the opposite to Charlie.

3. How is Charlie’s decision to let Patrick kiss him similar to how he let Mary Elizabeth treat him?

A) It isn’t similar since he and Patrick are just friends.

B) It shows how Charlie can be passive and let others decide what happens to him.

C) It shows how Charlie is afraid of losing people if he expresses himself.

D) It shows how Charlie doesn’t know what he wants.

4. Why is it important that Bill tells Charlie “to be a filter, not a sponge” while reading The Fountainhead?

A) It challenges Charlie to think for himself rather than about what others tell him to think.

B) It challenges Charlie to think outside of the box while reading.

C) It makes Charlie apply the lessons of the book to the movies he watched.

D) It makes Charlie more aware of what’s happening in his life.

5. How is Charlie’s mention of his psychiatrist’s interest in his childhood an example of foreshadowing?

A) It is a reminder of Charlie’s belief that life was simpler when he was a kid.  

B) Soon, Charlie will reveal that he’s afraid of never growing up.

C) Soon, Charlie discovers that he repressed memories of his aunt molesting him as a child.

D) Soon, Charlie will receive the advice to write about his memories.

6. What is the significance of Charlie inviting his sister to the last Rocky Horror production?

A) He was previously afraid to invite his family.

B) He wants her to see that she can be herself.

C) He wants her to meet Sam.

D) He hopes that she will accept him for who he is.

7. What does Bill say to Charlie that moves Charlie emotionally?

A) that he should be a writer

B) that Charlie is the smartest person he’s ever met

C) that Bill is grateful to Charlie

D) that Charlie is special

8. Why are Charlie’s memories of what happened to him triggered as he starts to have sex with Sam?

A) He can’t keep pushing away his memories, and his sadness over her leaving is the final straw.

B) He loves Sam and loved his Aunt Helen, so his intimacy with Sam causes him to remember what Aunt Helen did.

C) Sam told him that he has to do things to be fully present, so he inadvertently starts to confront his past.

D) The return of his memories has nothing to do with Sam.

9. Why do Sam, Patrick, and Charlie return to the tunnel at the end of the novel?

A) so that Charlie can feel the wind on his face

B) so that they can relive their favorite memory as friends

C) so that he can feel what it’s like to be present

D) so that they can all start over

Short-Answer Response

Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why is Charlie able to reunite with his friends?

2. Why do Sam and Craig break up?

3. Why might Charlie feel different after reading The Fountainhead? 

4. Why does Charlie enjoy being a DJ at a party?

5. What is symbolic about Charlie’s decision to give Sam and Patrick the books Bill assigned to him?

6. How does Charlie reconcile his love for his aunt with what she did to him?

7. Why does Charlie stop writing letters to his friend?