The Contribution of Patrick and Sam
His friends contribution makes Charlie confident than before as he finally does not feel shy in front of other people. After some time, he can introduce himself without
being shy. Their friendship also makes Charlie understand that when his friends are in
danger, he has to safe them. The writer Charlie shows his brave personality in order to protect Patrick from Brad.
Later that afternoon, I was having a cigarette outside by myself, and I saw Patrick alone, also having a cigarette. I was not close enough to really see him,
but I did not want to interfere with his personal time, so I did not walk up to him. But Patrick was crying. He was crying pretty hard. After that, whenever I
saw him around anywhere he did not look like he was there. He looked like he was someplace else. And I think I knew that because that is people used to say
I was. Maybe they still do. I am not sure Chbosky, 1999:150.
Charlie cannot stand by just watching his friend fighting from afar, even though their
friendship has a bit a problem at that time. Therefore, when Brad punches Patrick really hard, Charlie punches him harder. He involved in the fight.
That is when I got involved. I just could not watch them hurt Patrick even if things were not clear just yet Chbosky, 1999:151.
Charlie is not defense himself this time but he protects Patrick. He even threaten Brad in order to not hurt Patrick again,
“If you ever do this again, I will tell everyone. And if that does not work, I‟ll blind you” Chbosky, 1999:151.
Their friendship lets his brave personality out because he has to protect the
people that give so much attention to him. Compared to the past, instead of crying, he threatens Brad to do not hurt Patrick again. This time he protects his friend.
The contribution of the minor character is showing again when Charlie starts show his natural side to them. It is happen because Patrick and Sam never get
bothered when Charlie doing something silly. They just smile and understand. The great thing about Sam is that she does not think I am crazy for pretending
to do things. Patrick does not either, but he was too busy watching the games and screaming at Brad, the quarterback Chbosky, 1999:29.
The reaction that Patrick and Sam give makes Charlie feels that it is okay to show his side
more. Another example is when Charlie angry to his sister‟s friend, Dave. Charlie cannot control his anger as the writer mentions it in the first problem
formulation. This time he also wants to hurt Dave. The next day at the homecoming dance, I saw them dancing together. Dave
and his girl. And I got really mad. It is kind of scared me how mad I got. I thought about walking up to Dave and really hurting him like maybe, I should
have really hurt Sean …. But Sam saw me and put her arm around my shoulder like she does. She calmed me down, and I guess I am glad she did
Chbosky, 1999:32.
Fortunately, Patrick and Sam help Charlie to solve the problem. Instead of agreed on
his plan, both of them suggest Charlie to move his anger to another object. Sam supports Charlie‟s idea, which let Dave‟s tires air out, she helps Charlie to find
Sean‟s car. Even though it is not a good action, but she does not want her friend involved in a serious problem. She also does not want Charlie to keep bottled things.
Therefore, she supports his idea. Another good thing that Charlie shows is he becomes more expressive. Their
contribution makes him being himself. The writer found that Charlie is able to convey his feeling to his friends. He does not have to pretend that he is fine in front of them
since his friends understand his situation. It shows when Charlie had “bad day”
because of his past. He starts to fall asleep somewhere again. It worries his family and friends but he pretends to act fine in front of them even though he cannot.
That is when I started laughing. I was so relieved. And Sam and Patrick smiled. I was glad they started smiling, too, because I could not stand their
looking so weird. Things have stopped moving for the most part ever since. I have not skipped
another class. And I guess now I do not feel like a big faker for trying to put my life back together Chbosky, 1999:102.
Then since he is comfortable with Patrick and Sam, he cannot hold it anymore. Charlie tells his condition to them. Both of them understand and encourage Charlie to
be strong. Their contribution this time even help Charlie let out his stress. Instead thinks too much about everything. He just straight to his problem and tell his close
people about it. Because of that, he can reduce his pedantic personality. Time flies again and this time something bad keep coming to Charlie when
remind his pasts. He starts to get hurt whenever he remembers his past, especially the one with his beloved, Aunt Helen. Charlie does not tell in the beginning that he has
“problem” but the author mentions it several times. Chbosky hints it in the some part of the story and reveals it in the end of the story. It makes the writer found that
Charlie‟s mental is somehow unstable. Apparently, Charlie is the victim of sexual abuse, the reason why he likes to crying and screaming out of control. The reason
why he keeps quite all this time because he keeps thinks about it. To make it worse, the one that abusing him is Aunt Helen.
He does not tell anybody about it. He just keeps holding it for years. However, the bad memory keeps haunt him until makes him out of focus several time. The worst is
when his family found him naked while watching television. He would not speak or snap out of it Chbosky, 1999:208.
After his family decides to take him to the hospital to get diagnose, Charlie finally be able to talk about his problem because his family and friends reaction are
not like what he is thinking before. They understand him. Then he feels the things started to get clearer because there was nobody to
hate anymore after that Chbosky, 1999:210. He likes the attentions that he gets when his family and his friends come to visit him.
They treat Charlie as they usually do. They do not see Charlie as a freak or else; they see Charlie as a normal being even afte
r the worst “accident. He feels so loved just because of the attention.
Just like the first time I saw Patrick. The best thing about Patrick is that even when you are in hospital, he does not change. He just cracks jokes to make
you feel better instead of asking you question about feeling worse Chbosky, 1999:209.
After Charlie discharges from the hospital, he finally thinks about what
happen to him all this time. Charlie is finally letting out the biggest secret that he ever keep. He starts to appreciate things that happen around him more and feel happy
because of it. The best part of it is he starts to enjoy and appreciate his life more. When Sam and Patrick pick him up, they decide to go to the tunnel again.
I listened to the music and thought about all the things that people have said to me over the past year. I thought Bill telling me I was special. And My sister
saying she loved me. And my mom, too. And even my dad and brother when I
was in the hospital. I thought about Patrick calling me his friend. And I thought about Sam telling me to do things. To be really there. And I just
thought how great it was to have friends and family Chbosky, 1999:213.
Just like what Sam does couple months ago, Charlie stands in the pick-up. He starts crying and smiling at the same time. He feels so happy.
Because I could not help feeling just how much I loved my aunt Helen for buying me two presents. And how much I wanted the present I bought my
mom for my birthday to be really special. And how much I wanted my sister and brother and Sam and Patrick and everyone else to be happy Chbosky,
1999:213. The writer sees that his friends, especially Patrick and Sam help Charlie to see
the reality more. They accept Charlie as he is, they do not push Charlie to do things like them. Instead, they just let Charlie knows things by himself. Bot of them are not
the one who decided everything for Charlie, but they are the supporter in Charlie ‟s
life, which is a good thing. Moreover, Charlie also learns how to deal with things by himself because they always encouraged, support Charlie, and vice versa. The writer
can proudly say that they are the one that make Charlie want to “participate” more in social.
Hanging out together with Patrick and Sam also give Charlie a great impact since they like to play and stuffs. It leads Charlie be more active in the social or as he
say “participate”. Charlie starts his social activity by going to social events that their
school sets up.
In terms of participation in things, I am trying to go to social events that they set up in my school. It is too late to join any clubs or anything like that, but I
still try to go to the things that I can. Things like the homecoming football game and dance, even if I do not have a date Chbosky, 1999:29.
He does not intend to join any club but he still makes an effort by going to the events that full of people. After months, he keeps showing good progress as he tries to
socialize more. He takes a part time job in a fanzine called Punk Rocky as helper. The other friends also work in there; therefore, he also participates. In the end of the story,
Charlie even says confidently to his pen pal that he will be busy trying to “participate”
in public. Tomorrow, I start my sophomore year of high school. And believe it or not, I
am really not that afraid of going. I am not sure if I will have time to write any more letters because I might be too busy trying to “participate” Chbosky,
1999:213. As their friendship gets stronger, he feels happier every time they hang out
together. Just like after the homecoming dance. On the way home, all of them are in Sam‟s truck. Sam asks Patrick to find a good song on the radio. After fails many
times, he finally finds a song that suits them. Suit the atmosphere. Since they are in right ambience, Charlie, Patrick, and Sam express their happiness right away. Sam
tap her hand outside the car while listening to the music, Patrick held his hand outside the car made airwaves and surprisingly, Charlie says something after the songs
finished. “I feel infinite.”
And Sam and Patrick looked at me like I said the greatest thing they ever heard. Because the song was that great and because we all really paid
attention to it. Five minutes of a lifetime were truly spent, and we felt young in a good way Chbosky, 1999: 33.
From the events above the writers sees Charlie enjoys his friendship with Patrick and Sam. He finally can act and lives like the other teenager. He expresses his
happiness well because he has friends that can react to his emotion. Charlie keeps happy until the end of the story, especially when he is with his best friends.
In the last scene, when Patrick and Sam visits him after left for college. Charlie cannot hold his happiness because they are not forgetting him.
“Charlie” I stood up, and we all hugged like we had not seen each other in months.
Considering everything that happened, I guess that makes sense Chbosky, 1999:192.
Their friendship also has some conflict. When it happen his friends asks Charlie to stay away for a while. At first, he does not know how to do, but then
Charlie understands the situation and he really keeps the distance with them. After some time, their friends start to meet him one by one, including Sam. She meets
Charlie for the fi rst time after the “accident”, she explains everything that Charlie
wants to hear for a long time. Then she said that Mary Elizabeth and she got over it, and she thanked me for
taking Patrick‟s advice and staying away for as long as I did because it made things easier. So then, I said,
“So we can be friends now?” “Of course,” was all she said.
“And Patrick?” “And Patrick.”
“And everyone else?” “And everyone else.”
She also asks Charlie to be honest about his feeling to Mary Elizabeth. “You remembered what I said to Brad?”
“Yeah. You told him that he should tell Patrick that he was sorry himself.” “That goes for Mary Elizabeth, too.”
“I tried, but she told me…” “I know you tried. I am telling you try again.”
“Okay” Chbosky, 1999:154.
After Sam suggestion, Charlie goes to reflection and meets Mary Elizabeth to
apologize. They are starting to hang out again after Charlie settles something with Mary
Elizabeth. Charlie realizes that he has to understand his friends feeling too. Therefore, when Patrick tells him that he still has a bad time because of the fight, he listens to
his story and understands him. Then he started crying. Then, he started talking about Brad.
And I just let him. Because that is what friends are for Chbosky, 1999:161.