The Perks of Being a Wallflower Quotes
An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world.
[last lines]
Charlie: [voice-over] I don't know if I will have the time to write any more letters because I might be too busy trying to participate. So if this does end up being the last letter, I just want you to know that I was in a bad place before I started high school, and you helped me. Even if you didn't know what I was talking about or know someone who's gone through it, you made me not feel alone. Because I know there are people who say all these things don't happen. And there are people who forget what it's like to be 16 when they turn 17. I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening. I am here and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite.
Charlie: [voice-over] I don't know if I will have the time to write any more letters because I might be too busy trying to participate. So if this does end up being the last letter, I just want you to know that I was in a bad place before I started high school, and you helped me. Even if you didn't know what I was talking about or know someone who's gone through it, you made me not feel alone. Because I know there are people who say all these things don't happen. And there are people who forget what it's like to be 16 when they turn 17. I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening. I am here and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite.
Charlie: Mr. Anderson? Can I ask you something?
Bill: Yeah.
Charlie: Why do nice people choose the wrong people to date?
Bill: Are we talking about anyone specific?
[Charlie nods]
Bill: Well, we accept the love we think we deserve.
Charlie: Can we make them know that they deserve more?
Bill: We can try.
Bill: Yeah.
Charlie: Why do nice people choose the wrong people to date?
Bill: Are we talking about anyone specific?
[Charlie nods]
Bill: Well, we accept the love we think we deserve.
Charlie: Can we make them know that they deserve more?
Bill: We can try.
Charlie: I know who you are, Sam. I know I'm quiet... and, and I know I should speak more. But if you knew the things that were in my head most of the time, you'd know what it really meant. How, how much we're alike, and how we've been through the same things... and you're not small. You're beautiful.
Patrick: Hey, everyone! Every body! Everyone, raise your glasses to Charlie.
Charlie: What did I do?
Patrick: You didn't do anything. We just want to toast to our new friend. You see things and you understand. You're a wallflower.
[Charlie gets embarrassed]
Patrick: What is it? What's wrong?
Charlie: I didn't think anyone noticed me.
Patrick: Well we didn't think there was anyone cool left to meet! So come on everyone. To Charlie!
Charlie: What did I do?
Patrick: You didn't do anything. We just want to toast to our new friend. You see things and you understand. You're a wallflower.
[Charlie gets embarrassed]
Patrick: What is it? What's wrong?
Charlie: I didn't think anyone noticed me.
Patrick: Well we didn't think there was anyone cool left to meet! So come on everyone. To Charlie!
[on the phone]
Charlie: Candice, I killed Aunt Helen, didn't I? She died getting my birthday present, so I guess I killed her, right? I tried to stop thinking that, but I can't. She keeps driving away and dying and I can't stop her. Am I crazy, Candace?
[Candace motions to one of her friends]
Candace: Call the police and send them to my house!
[back to the phone]
Candace: No, Charlie, listen to me. Mom and Dad are going to be home with Chris any second.
Charlie: What if I wanted her to die, Candace?
Charlie: Candice, I killed Aunt Helen, didn't I? She died getting my birthday present, so I guess I killed her, right? I tried to stop thinking that, but I can't. She keeps driving away and dying and I can't stop her. Am I crazy, Candace?
[Candace motions to one of her friends]
Candace: Call the police and send them to my house!
[back to the phone]
Candace: No, Charlie, listen to me. Mom and Dad are going to be home with Chris any second.
Charlie: What if I wanted her to die, Candace?
Mary Elizabeth: Charlie, Charlie, what do you think about high school?
Charlie: High school? Bullshit. The cafeteria is called the Nutrition Center; people wear their letter jackets even when it's 98 degrees out. And why do they give out letter jackets to marching band? It's not a sport. We all know it.
Mary Elizabeth: [laughing] This kid is crazy.
Charlie: Mary Elizabeth, I think you're really gonna regret that, you know
[imitates electric razor]
Charlie: haircut when you look back at old photographs. I'm really sorry. That sounded like a compliment in my head.
Charlie: High school? Bullshit. The cafeteria is called the Nutrition Center; people wear their letter jackets even when it's 98 degrees out. And why do they give out letter jackets to marching band? It's not a sport. We all know it.
Mary Elizabeth: [laughing] This kid is crazy.
Charlie: Mary Elizabeth, I think you're really gonna regret that, you know
[imitates electric razor]
Charlie: haircut when you look back at old photographs. I'm really sorry. That sounded like a compliment in my head.
Sam: Charlie, I know that you know I like Craig. But I want to forget about that for a minute, okay?
Charlie: Okay.
Sam: I just want to make sure that the first person who kisses you loves you. Okay?
Sam: [Charlie is silent, transfixed. Sam gives a watery chuckle and moves closer to Charlie. They kiss, starting slow and becoming deeper. Sam pulls away after a dizzying moment or two] I love you, Charlie.
Charlie: I love you, too.
Charlie: Okay.
Sam: I just want to make sure that the first person who kisses you loves you. Okay?
Sam: [Charlie is silent, transfixed. Sam gives a watery chuckle and moves closer to Charlie. They kiss, starting slow and becoming deeper. Sam pulls away after a dizzying moment or two] I love you, Charlie.
Charlie: I love you, too.
Patrick: There's this one guy, queer as a 3 dollar bill. The guy's father doesn't know about his son. So, he comes into the basement one night when he's supposed to be out of town. Catches his son with another boy, so he starts beating him. But not like the slap kind, the real kind. And the boyfriend says, "Stop! You're killing him!" But the son just yells, "Get out!" And, eventually, the boyfriend just... did.
Charlie: Patrick never likes to be serious, so it took me a while to get what happened. When he was a junior, Patrick started seeing Brad on the weekends in secret. I guess it was hard, too, because Brad had to get drunk every time they fooled around. Then Monday in school Brad would say, 'Man, I was so wasted. I don't remember a thing.' This went on for seven months. When they finally did it Brad said he loved Patrick and then he started to cry. No matter what Patrick did, Brad kept saying that his dad would kill him and saying he was going to hell. Patrick was eventually able to help Brad get sober. I asked Patrick if he felt sad that he still had to keep it a secret, and he said no. Because at least now Brad doesn't have to get drunk to love him.
Charlie: Hey, Patrick.
Patrick: Hey! You're in my shop class, right? How's your clock coming?
Charlie: My dad's building it for me.
Patrick: Yeah. Mine looks like a boat. You wanna sit over here or are you waiting for your friends?
Charlie: No, no, no I'll sit.
Patrick: Thanks for not calling me Nothing, by the way. It's an endless nightmare. And these assholes, they actually think they're being original.
Patrick: Hey! You're in my shop class, right? How's your clock coming?
Charlie: My dad's building it for me.
Patrick: Yeah. Mine looks like a boat. You wanna sit over here or are you waiting for your friends?
Charlie: No, no, no I'll sit.
Patrick: Thanks for not calling me Nothing, by the way. It's an endless nightmare. And these assholes, they actually think they're being original.
Patrick: I'll tell you Sam, this one is tough. I have received a harmonica, a magnetic poetry set, a book about Harvey Milk, and a mix tape with the song Asleep on it twice. I mean, I have no idea. This collection of presents is so gay that I think I must have given them to myself. Despite that distinct possibility, I'm going to have to go with... drum roll... Charlie! Obviously!
Sam: Patrick?
Patrick: Yeah?
Sam: Who's this?
Patrick: This is...
Charlie: Charlie... Kelmeckis.
Patrick: Kelmeckis! No shit! Your sister's dating Ponytail Derek, isn't she?
Charlie: Is that what they call him?
Sam: Would you leave Ponytail Derek alone? You put the ass in class, Patrick.
Patrick: I try. Sam, I try.
Sam: It's nice to meet you, Charlie. I'm Sam.
Patrick: Yeah?
Sam: Who's this?
Patrick: This is...
Charlie: Charlie... Kelmeckis.
Patrick: Kelmeckis! No shit! Your sister's dating Ponytail Derek, isn't she?
Charlie: Is that what they call him?
Sam: Would you leave Ponytail Derek alone? You put the ass in class, Patrick.
Patrick: I try. Sam, I try.
Sam: It's nice to meet you, Charlie. I'm Sam.
Patrick: You gonna do anything?
Brad: What are you talking about?
Patrick: I'm talking about your pet ape just tripped me. Gonna say something?
Brad: Why would I?
Patrick: You know why.
Brad: This is pathetic, man. Your fixation on me.
Patrick: Do you want your friends to know how you got those bruises? Really?
Brad: I got jumped in a parking lot.
Patrick: Where? Schenley Park? Do you guys know about Schenley Park?
Brad: I don't know what kinda sick shit you're trying to pull, but you better walk away right now. Nothing.
Patrick: Fine. Say hi to your dad for me.
Brad: Whatever, faggot.
Brad: What are you talking about?
Patrick: I'm talking about your pet ape just tripped me. Gonna say something?
Brad: Why would I?
Patrick: You know why.
Brad: This is pathetic, man. Your fixation on me.
Patrick: Do you want your friends to know how you got those bruises? Really?
Brad: I got jumped in a parking lot.
Patrick: Where? Schenley Park? Do you guys know about Schenley Park?
Brad: I don't know what kinda sick shit you're trying to pull, but you better walk away right now. Nothing.
Patrick: Fine. Say hi to your dad for me.
Brad: Whatever, faggot.
Patrick: [mimicking his shop teacher] The prick punch is not a toy! I learned that back in 'Nam in '68. 'Callahan,' Sergeant said, 'you put down that prick punch and go kill some gooks!' And you know what happened? That prick punch killed my best friend in a Saigon whore house.
Mr. Callahan: I heard you were going to be in my class. Are you proud to be a senior having to take freshman shop, Patty-Cakes?
Patrick: Look, my name is Patrick. Either you call me Patrick or you call me nothing.
Mr. Callahan: Okay, Nothing.
Charlie: [voice-over] I felt really bad for Patrick. He wasn't doing the impersonation to be mean or anything. He was just trying to make us freshmen feel better.
Mr. Callahan: I heard you were going to be in my class. Are you proud to be a senior having to take freshman shop, Patty-Cakes?
Patrick: Look, my name is Patrick. Either you call me Patrick or you call me nothing.
Mr. Callahan: Okay, Nothing.
Charlie: [voice-over] I felt really bad for Patrick. He wasn't doing the impersonation to be mean or anything. He was just trying to make us freshmen feel better.
[first lines]
Charlie: [voice-over] Dear Friend. I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have. Please don't try to figure out who I am. I don't want you to do that. I just need to know that people like you exist. Like if you met me you wouldn't think I was the weird kid who spent time in the hospital. And I wouldn't make you nervous. I hope it's okay for me to think that. You see, I haven't really talked to anyone outside of my family all summer. But tomorrow is my first day of high school ever, and I need to turn things around. So I have a plan. As I enter the school for the first time, I will visualize what it would be like on the last day of my senior year. Unfortunately I counted, and that's one thousand three hundred and eighty-five days.
Charlie: [voice-over] Dear Friend. I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have. Please don't try to figure out who I am. I don't want you to do that. I just need to know that people like you exist. Like if you met me you wouldn't think I was the weird kid who spent time in the hospital. And I wouldn't make you nervous. I hope it's okay for me to think that. You see, I haven't really talked to anyone outside of my family all summer. But tomorrow is my first day of high school ever, and I need to turn things around. So I have a plan. As I enter the school for the first time, I will visualize what it would be like on the last day of my senior year. Unfortunately I counted, and that's one thousand three hundred and eighty-five days.
Chris: How are you feeling, Charlie?
Charlie: Good.
Chris: No, you know what I mean. Is it bad tonight?
Charlie: No, no. I'm not picturing things anymore. Or if I do I can just shut it off.
Chris: Well, you know, Mom did say that you have good friends now. And maybe if it does get bad again, you can just talk to them. Yeah?
Charlie: Yeah. Especially Sam. She's great.
Charlie: Good.
Chris: No, you know what I mean. Is it bad tonight?
Charlie: No, no. I'm not picturing things anymore. Or if I do I can just shut it off.
Chris: Well, you know, Mom did say that you have good friends now. And maybe if it does get bad again, you can just talk to them. Yeah?
Charlie: Yeah. Especially Sam. She's great.
