History Literature / ThePerksOfBeingAWallflower

* BrutalHonesty: Charlie picks ''the worst'' possible time to invoke this when asked in a Truth or Dare game to [[spoiler:"kiss the prettiest girl." He kisses Sam.]]

%% ** [[spoiler:It's {{implied}} that this happened to Charlie near the end.]]

%% * CampGay: Patrick, mostly when contrasted with Brad.

* WhamShot: [[spoiler:Charlie has a dream where someone was rubbing their hand on his pants, similarly to what Sam was doing earlier. He looks up… and sees his Aunt Helen, telling him not to wake up his sister.]]

* BaitTheDog: [[spoiler: Charlie's aunt Helen is initially presented as a troubled but loving character. It's then revealed that she sexually abused him for years.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Charlie awakens repressed memories of his aunt molesting him, destroying his image of her forever. But his parents finally know about it, he's getting counselling to deal with it and has strong support from Patrick and Sam.]]

* CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler:Three of the football team members are viciously beating up Patrick in the cafeteria. Then Charlie steps in. The screen goes black for a second, then cuts to all of the football players on the ground, wincing in pain. Charlie's only injury is some bruised knuckles.]]
* DidTheyOrDidntThey: The movie does this with [[spoiler:Sam and Charlie]] near the end. However, those familiar with the book know the answer: [[spoiler: they don't. Followed by a MaybeEverAfter.]]

* FiveFingerDiscount: Alice is well known for stealing jeans from the shops repeatedly. [[spoiler: The jeans she gave to Mary Elizabeth for Secret Santa were actually paid for, a fact that all her friends celebrate.]]
* FlamesOfLove: Charlie and Mary get close in front of a fireplace. But then [[ParentsWalkInAtTheWorstTime the parents interrupt their date]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Around the time Sam reveals she'd been [[RapeAsBackstory sexually assaulted]] by her Dad's boss, Charlie tells her he thinks they share a lot in common. [[spoiler: Turns out Charlie was also sexually abused by an adult, his Aunt Helen.]]

* GayCruising: After [[spoiler: Patrick and Brad break up]], Patrick begins frequenting the park at night, where he has sex with much older men, which causes his friends some concern.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Charlie wishes for everyone around him to be happy, but as a result disregards his own happiness. [[spoiler: Sam calls him out on this before she leaves for college, telling him he can't make everyone around him happy and he must care for himself too.]]

* MoodWhiplash: All over the place. A comedy scene of Truth or Dare turns sour when [[spoiler: Charlie is asked to kiss "the most beautiful girl in the room", he kisses Sam rather than his girlfriend Mary Elizabeth. This temporarily alienates him from everyone]]. Later towards the end what looks like a tender love scene [[spoiler: between Sam and Charlie is interrupted by his memories of Aunt Helen sexually abusing him]].

* TheNeedsOfTheMany: Charlie always puts others before himself. [[spoiler: This earns him a WhatTheHellHero speech from Sam toward the end]].

* ShrinkingViolet: Charlie, [[spoiler: although he's also genuinely mentally ill and traumatized rather than simply shy.]]

* WhamLine: For Candace when Charlie asks her [[spoiler: "I killed Aunt Helen, didn't I?"]]

* AbortionFalloutDrama: [[spoiler: Charlie's older sister]] gets pregnant as a teen, and has to hide this from her parents and sneaks around to get an abortion. She relies on her friends and brother to help her get the procedure, but this is a source of strength for their relationship rather than conflict. This subplot was excised from the movie.

* FreezeFrameBonus: Patrick's report card actually says "Patrick Nothing". Also if you look at Charlie's birthday cake, there are sixteen candles on it--which indicates that he's sixteen years old. And you can read the name "Samantha Dutton" on Sam's SAT results, telling us what her full name is.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: After Shop class on the first day, when Charlie's on his way out, you can see Patrick in the guidance counsellor's office, presumably because of his actions in said Shop class.

* NWordPrivileges: During the game of Truth or Dare, Patrick jokingly calls himself a "fag", but when [[spoiler: Brad calls Patrick a faggot in the cafeteria [[BerserkButton he starts a huge fight.]]]]

* StealthPun: The movie's chosen Tunnel Song is Music/DavidBowie's "'Heroes'," a song covered by--wait for it--Music/TheWallflowers.
* StoppedDeadInTheirTracks: Candace does this when Charlie delivers the above-mentioned WhamLine. Bonus points since she is seen from behind with her face out of view, and the reaction is portrayed entirely through body language, until she turns around to immediately signal her friend and tell her, "Call the police and send them to my house."

* NamedByTheAdaptation: It's made clear in the movie that Charlie is main character's given name, and he gains the surname Kelmeckis. The sister is named Candace and the brother Chris for the film too.

* NamedByTheAdaptation: It's made clear in the movie that Charlie is his given name, and he gains the surname Kelmeckis. The sister is named Candace and the brother Chris for the film too.