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The Perks of Being a Wallflower tells the story of Charlie, a shy, socially awkward freshman carrying the burdens of his past. The story is set in the early 90s, after spending time in a mental institution for PTSD, Charlie begins high school feeling lonely and out of place. He finds companionship in a group of older friends, including Sam, a free-spirited senior, and her stepbrother Patrick, who bring him into their world of music, friendship, and self-discovery. With them, Charlie gets his first taste of what it’s like to really feel connected, experiencing friendship, first love, and the highs and lows of being a teenager.

As the story continues, we get glimpses of the painful memories Charlie’s been hiding, and his new friends help him open up and face what he’s been through, including the suicide of his best friend, Michael, and the death of his aunt, who we learn sexually abused Charlie throughout his childhood. Together, they share unforgettable moments, like driving through a tunnel with music blasting, school dances, experimenting with alcohol and marijuana, and his first (one sided) relationship. Through these experiences, Charlie learns a lot about self-worth, facing his fears, and what it really means to belong.

In the end, he realizes he’s stronger than he believed himself to be, and the film captures the messy, beautiful reality of growing up and figuring out who you are.

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Throughout the movie, many themes are discussed, the most prevalent being the importance of mental health, and how Charlie navigates this stage of his life from a the unstable foundation of his past. Other themes include intimacy and love, self acceptance, and friendship.

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Erik Erikson, a German psychologist, rose to prominence in the 1950s and 60s with his influential theories on psychosocial development. Building on Freud’s foundational work, Erikson introduced an eight-stage model that emphasized the critical role of social and cultural influences in shaping individual identity across the lifespan. Each stage represents a psychosocial crisis, where the outcome—either adaptive or maladaptive—profoundly impacts personality development and the formation of a cohesive self-concept.

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Erikson's theory contains 8 stages of development of the course of one’s life, ranging from birth to late stages of life. Each stage is defined as a crisis, focusing on a significant question relating to that period of life. These stages consist of: Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. shame and doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt, Industry vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Role confusion, Intimacy vs. Isolation, Generativity vs. Stagnation, Ego integrity vs. Despair

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Erikson's stages of development focused on the formation of one’s identity throughout their whole lives. This was in contrast to Freud’s that concluded during adolescence and mainly focused on the development of younger children.

The result of the crisis in each stage greatly affects the trajectory of one’s life, and must be met to ensure successful development.

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Some believe that Erikson's theory lacks the intersections of other identities (race, gender, sexual orientation) and share concerns that the progression of stages is not as realistic as Erikson poses it to be.

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According to the theory/theorist which developmental stage(s) did your character experience? 

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According to the theory/theorist which developmental stage(s) did your character experience? 

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Charlie is experiencing adolescence, where the "Identity vs. Role Confusion" is most prevalent. During this stage the question being explore is "Can I determine who I am?", with the virtue of fidelity.

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How would your theorist evaluate or assess the character?

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How would your theorist evaluate or assess the character?

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Erikson would notice Charlie’s struggle to form his sense of identity. Charlie struggles to find where he belongs, and navigates this journey through his new friendship with Patrick and Sam. His new impactful experiences in love, intimacy, and companionship, along with his burdened past cause Charlie to struggle further with this stage of his life.

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Charlie starts high school

Suicide of his best friend Michael

Being hospitalized the summer after his best friend’s suicide

Death of his aunt Helen (car accident)

Meeting Sam and Patrick

Childhood sexual abuse from his aunt Helen

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A: Did the theory do well in explaining Charlie's development? 

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A: Did the theory do well in explaining Charlie's development? 

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I believe the theory did well at describing Charlie's development and is realistic in terms of showing the common struggle of defining yourself that comes with adolescence. Charlie, as well as other characters in the novel, share the confusion of self discovery and support each other through these times throughout their friendship.

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B: Was the theory capable of capturing or explaining all the experiences Charlie?  

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B: Was the theory capable of capturing or explaining all the experiences Charlie?  

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Charlie has had many unique and traumatic experiences, and Erikson’s theory doesn’t emphasize how much greater of struggle this stage of life can become when facing these conflicting struggles, aligning with the critiques of the theory.

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C: Is this theory a good “fit” when making a psycho-developmental assessment of Charlie?  

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C: Is this theory a good “fit” when making a psycho-developmental assessment of Charlie?  

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The theory, although not entirely universal, is a good framework for illustrating a common conflict of the lives of the characters in the movie. It would be difficult to have a model that correctly displays the intersections of one's identity.

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D: Given Charlie's identity (e.g. based on their cultural, religious, gender, sexual identities) are these theories valid to use? Why or why not? 

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D: Given Charlie's identity (e.g. based on their cultural, religious, gender, sexual identities) are these theories valid to use? Why or why not? 

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Despite Charlie being a white male, which is the basis of many aspects of psychological research and theory, his traumas simultaneously affect his ability to have a stable image of who he is. His intersecting identities from these traumas create a more intense experience that is not captured in Erikson’s theory of development.

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Pomerantz, A. M. (2023b). My Psychology (3rd ed.) [Ebook]. Macmillan Higher Education. https://macmillan.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9781319449636.

Benson, P. L., & Bundick., M. (2015). View of Erikson and Adolescent Development. ERIKSON AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT:CONTEMPORARY VIEWS ON AN ENDURING LEGACY.”. https://acycpjournal.pitt.edu/ojs/jcycw/article/view/81/65.

Movies in the Classroom: A Review of Perks of Being a Wallflower. (2014, March 19). American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP). https://aapp.org/perspective/2014/03/195128