- Okay, we'll ask: what exactly are the perks of being a wallflower?
- Is Charlie a static character—one who stays basically the same—or a dynamic character—one who changes throughout the course of the novel?
- Does not knowing the character's real names affect your attachment to them?
- What kind of role model is Bill to Charlie?
- Charlie's sister says that Sam and Mary Elizabeth have low self-esteem. Do you agree with her? What do you think about Charlie's sister's self-esteem? Does anyone in the book feel good about themselves?
- What activities does Charlie participate in, and what does he merely observe?
- Charlie considers the reader a friend, simply because he or she listens to what Charlie has to say. Do you consider yourself Charlie's friend by the end of the novel? Why or why not?
- There are so many books, songs, and movies referenced in this book. What do they mean to the characters? How do they affect the way you read the book?
- Does Charlie write more frequently when he's happy or when he's stressed? Why?
- What do you think Charlie will do after high school?
- You've got 30 minutes a side to your blank cassette tape. What songs would you put on it to make a mix tape for your best friend? Your significant other?