45+ 'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower' Quotes From The Touching Coming-Of-Age Tale

Moumita Dutta
Dec 12, 2023 By Moumita Dutta
Originally Published on Jan 31, 2021
Edited by Luca Demetriou
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Old book open on the table

Stephen Chbosky wrote and published 'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower' in 1999.

This book was further adapted into a movie with the same name and released in the year 2012. Stephen Chbosky himself directed the film starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller.

'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower' is a story that follows Charlie, an introverted teenager in high school with keen observational skills and a high level of emotional sensitivity. The story shows the audience his unconventional style of thinking as he navigates between the worlds of adolescence and adulthood while struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.

In the book, Stephen Chbosky addresses themes that focus on adolescent topics in high school, including sexuality, mental health, and other topics.

It also made many references to different literary works. The book was adored, and critics highly appreciated the film, receiving many accolades for its screenplay and adaptation.

Check the list below for some wonderfully heartfelt quotations from 'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower'.  If you want to read something more romantic, check out 'The Fault In Our Stars' quotes and 'Looking For Alaska' quotes.

'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower' Book Quotes

An old man reading a book while wearing bifocal glasses

People who love to read will always love the book over the movie. Check these quotes from the 2009 book edition by Simon & Schuster.

1. "He's a wallflower."

- Patrick, Part One.

2. "I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands and doesn't try to sleep with someone even if they could have. I need to know these people exist."

- Charlie, Part One.

3. "So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be."

- Charlie, Part One.

4. "Sam sat down and started laughing. Patrick started laughing...I started laughing. And in that moment, I swear we were infinite."

- Charlie, Part One.

5. "Aunt Helen was the only one who hugged me...I remember never saying good-bye to my Aunt Helen."

- Charlie, Part Two.

6. "I don't know if you've ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you do exist."

- Charlie, Part Two.

7. "Be skeptical about this one. It's a great book. But try to be a filter, not a sponge."

- Bill, Part Two.

8. "It's strange how things can change back as suddenly as they changed originally. When one thing happens and suddenly, things are back to normal."

- Charlie, Part Two.

9. "I love Sam. It's not a movie kind of love either. I just look at her sometimes, and I think she is the prettiest and nicest person in the world."

- Charlie, Part Two.

10. "A lot of kids at school hate their parents. Some of them got hit. And some of them got caught in the middle of wrong lives."

- Charlie, Part Three.

11. "My sister was counting on me, and this was the first time anyone ever counted on me for anything."

- Charlie, Part Three.

12. "Love pats are soft punches of encouragement that are administered on the knee, shoulder, and arm."

- Charlie, Part Three.

13. "Just tell me how to be different in a way that makes sense... I know that's wrong because it's my responsibility, and I know that things get worse before they get better... but this is a worse that feels too big."

- Charlie, Part Three.

14. "I just remember walking between them and feeling for the first time that I belonged somewhere."

- Charlie, Part Four.

15. "There's nothing like the deep breaths after laughing that hard. Nothing in the world like a sore stomach for the right reasons."

- Charlie, Part Four.

16. "I just want you to know that you're very special… and the only reason I'm telling you is that I don't know if anyone else ever has."

- Bill, Part Four.

17. "I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most of them."

- Charlie, Part Four.

18. "But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them."

- Charlie, Part Four.

19. "If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it, too."

- Sam, Part Four.

20. "I don't know how much longer I can keep going without a friend. I used to be able to do it very easily, but that was before I knew what having a friend was like."

- Charlie, Part Four.

'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower' Movie Quotes

Visuals make a strong impact on the brain. This quote-list from the film is sure to make you feel close to the characters.

21. "Sometimes people use thought to not participate in life."

- Charlie.

22. "Let's go be psycho's together."

- Sam.

23. "He begins every night really excited... But after a while, he runs out of things to keep himself numb... the words leave him, and we can see how sad he really is..."

- Charlie.

24. "Why can't you save anybody?"

- Patrick.

25. "Things change. And friends leave. And life doesn't stop for anybody."

- Charlie.

26. "But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there."

- Dr. Burton.

27. "...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."

- Charlie.

28. "Welcome to the island of misfit toys!"

- Sam.

29. "If my English teacher is the only friend I make today... that would be sorta depressing."

- Charlie.

30. "Right now we are alive, and in this moment I swear we are infinite."

- Charlie.

31. "You're not small, you're beautiful."

- Charlie.

Love And Life Quotations From The Movie

If you never know how love and life topics can help you feel okay, then the below quotations are somewhat relatable.

32. "And there are people who forget what it's like to be sixteen when they turn seventeen."

- Charlie.

33. "Charlie: Why do nice people choose the wrong people to date?

Mr. Anderson: Charlie, we accept the love we think we deserve."

- 'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower'.

34. "Charlie: Can we make them know that they deserve more?

Mr. Anderson: We can try."

- 'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower'.

35. "She kissed me. It was the kind of kiss that I could never tell my friends about out loud. It was the kind of kiss that made me know that I was never so happy in my whole life."

- Charlie.

36. "You can't just sit there and put everybody's lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love."

- Sam.

37. "I am here, and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it."

- Charlie.

38. "Sam: Why do I, and everyone I love, pick people who treat us like we're nothing?

Charlie: We accept the love we think we deserve."

- 'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower'.

39. "I know I'm quiet, and I know that I should speak more, but if you knew the things that were in my head the most of the time you'd know what it really meant..."

- Charlie.

40. "We can't choose where we come from, but we can choose where we go from there."

- Charlie

41. "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."

- Charlie.

Popular Quotes From Stephen Chbosky

The creator always sticks to the work through narration. This quote-list is perfect to enhance the warmth in our hearts while reading.

42. "I am very interested and fascinated how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other."

- Charlie, Part Two.

43. "When I write letters, I spend the next two days thinking about what I figured out in my letters. I don't know if this is good or bad."

- Charlie, Part One.

44. "I'm going to write it down because maybe if I do I won't have to think about it. And I won't get upset."

- Charlie, Part Two.

45. "Patrick: You see things, you keep quiet about them and you understand. You're a wallflower... 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."

- 'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower'.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotesfor everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'The Perks Of Being A Wallflower' quotes then why not take a look at 'The House On Mango Street' quotes, or young love quotes.

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Written by Moumita Dutta

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management

Moumita Dutta picture

Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management

A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.

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