Charlie Quotes

Sound familiar? We all know someone like this. We here at Shmoop having nothing against puberty, but come on, Susan—be classy.

So that's what that Divinyls song means… Thanks for the clarification there, Charlie.

Relationship advice: don't tell someone you just met that you had a sex dream about her. You might cry, too. Because you've been slapped. With a restraining order.

Charlie gets exposed to pretty much all the negative sides of sex. Aunt Helen's molestation in particular leads to a very traumatic situation for Charlie.

Charlie is having a completely normal physiological reaction to getting a compliment from someone who is attracted to him. But his past experience turns something that should be a little pleasurable into a source of guilt.

Even in the '90s, sex was everywhere. It's not just Charlie's family and friends who expose him to sexuality—just walking past a newsstand can do it, too.

This should be a wonderful, pleasurable moment for Charlie, something that he's been secretly wanting since the moment he met Sam. But because of his history, it causes a lot of repressed memories to come gushing to the surface.

Charlie had repressed memories of his molestation so strongly that he had no idea it even happened. This revelation explains a lot of Charlie's unorthodox attitudes toward sex.

This is an important first in any kid's life. We just wish all of Charlie's firsts were this tame.

For a book that focuses on what's inside a teenage boy's head, appearances aren't all that central. What other moments in the book talk about the way someone looks? What's special about these moments?

It was the kind of kiss that only happens in books or movies, the kind of kiss that only happens in slow motion in the rain with Zac Efron. Wait, what were we talking about? Oh yeah, Perks. The fact that Charlie is able to have this intimate moment gives us hope that he'll recover from his traumatic past experiences.

Charlie's relationship with Bill is pretty complex if you think about it. We mean, really, have you ever had an English teacher with whom you shared your deepest secrets? (Shmoop doesn't count.) But their interactions—tea included—help Charlie feel mature, which in turn helps him become more mature.

That role reversal—going from counting on others to being counted on—Is a major part of growing up. Do other characters count on Charlie in Perks? Or does he still mostly play the part of the kid?

Part of Charlie's transition involves learning about the social and psychological aspects of sex—not just the birds and the bees and what goes where.

Teachers Are People: News at 11:00. But seriously, this is just another part of growing up: realizing that adults, even teachers, are people, too. Hey, they were even kids once. They might have been through the same things as you and made the same mistakes you made.

This declaration shows a real maturity on Charlie's part. During his relationship with Mary Elizabeth, Charlie hoped to make Sam jealous, but now he's just worried about her. That's assuming that he isn't just writing this to convince himself—but that's another discussion altogether.

Bill feels he can talk to Charlie as a peer. What do you think of this relationship? Does Bill assume too much maturity in Charlie, or does he just see his potential?

No one makes friends by hoping—it requires action. And good taste in TV.

When done in moderation, these people are called authors. Oh, we kid. But maybe Charlie will use his observant wallflower skills to become a writer.

Don't use sarcastic air quotes with us, Charlie!