You’re probably here because you just finished Stephen Chbosky’s masterpiece and realized something felt... off. Or maybe you're re-reading it for the tenth time and finally noticed that Susan from The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of the most overlooked, yet devastatingly important, characters in the entire narrative. She isn't a main character. Not really. She’s more like a ghost that haunts the edges of Charlie’s high school experience.
Charlie mentions her early on. She was his middle school crush.
But Susan isn't just a "lost love" or a girl who moved on to a different social circle. She represents the first real fracture in Charlie's perception of how the world works. If you've ever looked at someone you used to be close with and wondered how they turned into a total stranger, you get Susan. She is the embodiment of that specific, sharp teenage grief that comes from watching someone you liked become "popular" at the cost of their soul.
The Version of Susan We Never See
Before the events of the book, Susan and Charlie were actually friends. Kind of. They were the kids who played together. They were innocent.
In Charlie's letters, he describes the "old" Susan as someone who was sweet and funny. She had this specific energy that drew him in. But high school is a meat grinder. By the time the story actually kicks off, Susan has undergone a radical transformation. She’s dating a guy named Brad (not the same Brad that Patrick dates, mind you) and has assimilated into the "popular" crowd.
It's painful.
Honestly, the way Charlie writes about her is heartbreaking because he doesn't hold it against her. He just observes it. He sees her in the hallway and notices how she’s changed her hair, her clothes, and most importantly, her laugh. She doesn't laugh like she used to. She laughs because it’s the social cue she’s supposed to give. This is a recurring theme in Chbosky’s work: the loss of authenticity in exchange for survival.
Why Susan Matters to Charlie’s Mental State
Charlie is a wallflower. He sees things. He keeps quiet. He understands.
When he looks at Susan, he isn't just looking at a girl he liked; he’s looking at a casualty of the social hierarchy. Susan's transition from a kind, quirky middle schooler to a vapid, popular girl serves as a warning to Charlie. It’s one of the reasons he’s so terrified of "participating" at first. If participating means becoming like Susan—becoming a person who ignores old friends to maintain a certain image—then Charlie wants no part of it.
Think about the contrast between Susan and Sam.
Sam is "cool," but she’s authentic. She has a messy past, she’s made mistakes, and she’s deeply human. Susan, on the other hand, has polished away all her edges to fit in. Charlie notices that Susan is dating a guy who treats her like an object. He sees the way her "new" friends treat people. It reinforces Charlie's isolation because he realizes that the traditional path to high school success requires a level of cruelty he simply isn't capable of.
The Breakdown of the "Popular" Facade
There is a specific moment where Susan’s mask slips, and it’s one of the most underrated scenes in the book. Charlie mentions how Susan used to be smart. Like, really smart. But once she got into the popular circle, she started downplaying her intelligence.
It’s a trope, sure, but in Chbosky's hands, it feels like a tragedy.
It’s not just about Susan; it’s about the systemic pressure on young women in the early 90s (and today) to shrink themselves to be more palatable to mediocre men. Susan is essentially "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"’s version of a cautionary tale. She is what happens when you stop being a wallflower and start being a mirror, reflecting whatever the "cool kids" want to see.
Understanding the "Susan" Archetype in Literature
If we look at Susan through a literary lens, she’s a foil.
A foil is a character who underscores the traits of another character by contrast. By showing us Susan, Chbosky makes Sam and Mary Elizabeth look even more vibrant and brave. Sam and Mary Elizabeth are "weirdos." They’re the "island of misfit toys." And they are infinitely happier—even in their sadness—than Susan appears to be in her perfection.
- Susan's Function: To show the cost of conformity.
- The Emotional Weight: She represents Charlie's lost childhood.
- The Reality: Most "Susans" in real life don't even realize they've lost anything until years later at a high school reunion.
Many readers often confuse Susan with other minor characters because she is intentionally kept at a distance. Charlie doesn't talk to her much because there is nothing left to say. The bridge is burned, not by an argument, but by the slow erosion of time and social pressure.
What Most People Get Wrong About Susan
A lot of fans think Susan is a "mean girl."
That’s a lazy interpretation.
She isn't Regina George. She isn't actively trying to ruin Charlie’s life. In fact, that would almost be better because it would mean she still acknowledged his existence. The truth is much colder: she’s indifferent. She has successfully deleted the part of her past that included people like Charlie. This "erasure of self" is a major psychological theme in the book.
Charlie is struggling to integrate his past (especially the trauma involving Aunt Helen) with his present. Susan has dealt with her past by simply cutting it off. She’s a "success story" of the social hierarchy, but Charlie—and the reader—can see that she’s hollowed out.
The 1990s Context: Why Susan Acted This Way
You have to remember the setting. The Perks of Being a Wallflower takes place in the early 1990s. This was a time before social media, but the social silos were even more rigid. If you were "in," you were in. If you were "out," you were invisible.
Susan’s choice to abandon her old self wasn't just about being "popular." It was about safety. In the 90s high school ecosystem, being "different" or "smart" or "friends with the weird kid" made you a target. Susan chose the path of least resistance.
Does Susan Ever Come Back?
Without spoiling the nuanced ending of the book's character arcs, Susan remains a peripheral figure. She doesn't have a "redemption arc" where she apologizes to Charlie and they become best friends again. Life isn't usually like that. People move on. They change. Sometimes they become people we don't recognize, and they stay that way.
This realism is why the book stays on bestseller lists decades later. It doesn't give you the easy out.
Actionable Takeaways from Susan’s Story
If you’re reading this because you feel like a "Susan"—or more likely, because you’re a "Charlie" watching a "Susan" disappear—here are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Acknowledge the Grief of Social Change
It is okay to mourn the loss of a friendship even if the person is still alive and sitting three rows away from you in English class. That "ghosting" while someone is still present is a specific type of trauma. Charlie feels it, and it’s valid.
2. Don't Mistake Silence for Malice
Most people who "change" to fit in are doing it out of fear, not because they’ve suddenly become evil. Understanding that Susan is likely as scared of losing her status as Charlie is of being noticed can help you find some peace with the situation.
3. Choose Authenticity Over Assimilation
The central message of the book, highlighted by Susan's absence from the "inner circle" of Charlie's true friends, is that it is better to be a "misfit toy" with real connections than a "perfect" person with shallow ones.
4. Re-read the Letters
Go back and look at the first few letters Charlie writes. Notice the specific way he mentions her. It sets the tone for his entire year. He is looking for a way to be "infinite," and he knows, instinctively, that Susan’s path will never get him there.
The reality of Susan in The Perks of Being a Wallflower is that she is a mirror for our own high school experiences. We all knew a Susan. Some of us were Susan. And as Charlie learns, the only way to survive high school—and life—is to stop looking at the Susans of the world to define your value and start looking at the people who actually "see" you.
Keep your eyes open. Stay weird. Be infinite.
Next Steps for Readers:
- Track the "Susan Mentions": Open your copy of the book and highlight every time Susan is mentioned. Notice how the frequency drops as Charlie finds Sam and Patrick. It’s a literal representation of him moving on from his childhood.
- Analyze the Film Version: Watch the 2012 movie (directed by Chbosky himself) and see how Susan’s role is further minimized. Why do you think he made that choice for the screen?
- Journal Your Own "Susan": Write down the name of someone you lost to "popularity." Acknowledging that change can help you process the same "wallflower" feelings Charlie experienced throughout the novel.