Charlie blames himself because Aunt Helen loved him too much, in his view. It often takes something -- or someone -- very dramatic to force someone to seek help and establish a new lifestyle. . For example, when Charlie's father returns from Ponytail Derek's house, Charlie mentions the possibility that Ponytail Derek himself had been hit: The one thing I did ask my dad was about the boy’s problems at home. Then, he got a few of his friends together from the factory. That said, for those of us who have been spared the pain of such relationships must remember that it is far more difficult to break the cycle than it appears. He seemed pretty unhappy as well, and I told him so. A "food pyramid" poster also shows the updated 2011 version. More About The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Aunt Helen • Why does Charlie think he killed Aunt Helen? He's also a loving guy, who takes good care of his friend… That love should never include abuse. . Arguably, when the reader reaches the epilogue, Aunt Helen's history of abuse is the loudest silent impetus for Charlie's actions. . I went to the mill . The first two posts about domestic abuse focused on Candace and Sam, two teenage girls who are still alive. and when it was done and they were crying, I just held up their report cards and said . Charlie is subconsciously afraid that when he loves someone, and that when someone loves him back, somehow that process of loving him will take that person away. And my grandma really couldn’t do anything about it, I guess, because it went on for seven years. . The whole 70s Bowie, because I was more into grunge, I came late to him. We exist to present a forum for discussion within the Consistent Life Ethic, to promote discourse and present an opportunity for peer review and dialogue. Not all women enter the cycle of violence. During the school year, Charlie can suppress his deep emotional trauma when he’s spending time with his friends, since they accept him and provide him with a supportive environment. . . . . Patrick, Sam, etc. Charlie’s aunt Helen was molested as a child by a family friend. User Reviews She was a very unhappy person most of her life. | deep down . Feeling trapped in these situations does not denote weakness, but rather the human desire for unquenchable love that will never be fulfilled in a human relationship. He feels remorseful for unknown reasons. He was most probably molested by his aunt and since he was … no work . But there does seem to be something sort of sinister in this idea that Charlie blames himself for Aunt Helen’s death because she was too loving towards him. How could they not know "the tunnel song"? And of course, Aunt Helen goes on to molest Charlie. Edit, 1991 and '92, although two songs in the film ("Low" by Cracker, and "Here" by Pavement) were released a little after. and these were smart girls. . Cummings, "L'Etranger" by Albert Camus. . . There was one time . Yes. . She gives Charlie insight into the role that abuse plays in abusers' lives. The reader can witness their experiences as they happen. He makes this drunken confession to Charlie during the holidays: "I know how your mom feels about me. However, Aunt Helen did: I will not say who. But there does seem to be something sort of sinister in this idea that Charlie blames himself for Aunt Helen’s death because she was too loving towards him. Barrie, "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare, "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac, "Naked Lunch" by William S. Burroughs, The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk" by Randy Shilts, "100 Selected Poems" by E.E. My aunt Helen had many problems with men and boys. . . . External Reviews The beginning of Aunt Helen's history of abuse dates back to her father. The reason that this incident is tied to the abuse that Charlie had suffered is that he blacked out. your grandmother showed me their report cards . He told me to mind my own business. User Ratings Knowing this helped Charlie to forgive his aunt during his own hospital stay: It’s like if I blamed my aunt Helen, I would have to blame her dad for hitting her and the friend of the family that fooled around with her when she was little. The reader discovers that Charlie was abused by Aunt Helen. Anyone who has a bone to pick, I can't argue. "), people shouting words in mid sentances of songs. It was done by someone who was very close to her. Edit, Awards . Edit. The beginning of Aunt Helen's history of abuse dates back to her father. Listen, if you say to me, "The kids not knowing "Heroes", it's not realistic," I will cop to it! Patrick stars as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, while Charlie fills in as Rocky Horror. In the book it is said that he was molested by her every weekend. A friend of the family. Aunt Helen, a troubled young woman who was abused by many men, loved Charlie but molested him when he was younger. "Not everyone has a sob story, Charlie, and even if they do, it’s no excuse.". It is not worth staying in abusive relationships, no matter how comfortable they sometimes feel. Not even when he walked her down the aisle. And the man kept coming over for visits. However, Chbosky has acknowledged and addressed the criticism of him selecting "Heroes" as an "unknown" song. Just as the first brother learned a lesson about alcoholism, so Charlie's father learned about treating women. So, I went into their room and I beat some sense into them . . . they went to college . . none . but you know something . That is, kids living in Pittsburgh would have missed a great deal of the variety of music that those on major East Coast or West Coast cities would have been exposed to. it never did happen again . She told her last bad man to leave her alone. | . Here is one possible answer: Charlie had been so hurt by his Aunt Helen and he loved Patrick so much that he couldn’t bear Patrick being hurt. Finally, she went to a hospital that helped her figure things out enough to try and make things normal, so she moved in with my family. Edit, Released in 1975, it quickly acquired a cult following who watched the film over and over at midnight showings, singing along, wearing costumes, making responses to the onscreen characters and bringing along props to use at appropriate times. Charlie is a shy and caring person but also has a lot of guilt. He didn’t believe her because of who it was. His thoughts and reflections are irritated and confused. Charlie’s guilt and blame helps explain why he doesn’t yet feel comfortable approaching Sam and trying to go out with her. Edit, There has been much discussion of how Charlie, Sam and Patrick failed to recognize the song playing on the radio while they drive through a tunnel as "Heroes" by David Bowie, and why it took them so long to track it down. | But it’s like when my doctor told me the story of these two brothers whose dad was a bad alcoholic. . While Charlie's mother did not choose an abusive husband, the abuse she endured did influence her choice of spouse because, as mentioned above, Charlie's father was also beaten.
