Charles By Shirley Jackson Character Analysis Essay

Characterization on “Charles” In Shirley Jackson’s “Charles” she entertains the audience with her short story of a boy’s experiences in kindergarten. She has her audience giggling and contemplating with her surprising plot twist. The story is jocular and witty which matches the main character’s devious and unwonted personality. First of all, Jackson demonstrates Laurie’s traits through his mother’s point of view in order to create irony and relate it to any parents that have had a similar situation. She creates a mental picture of Laurie by introducing him as the boy who “gave up his little boy clothes. [He] Who started wearing blue jeans with a belt...” and “looked as though he were going to a fight” (Jackson, IP 1). This shows how this five-six year old appears to

Laurie’s conversations are atypical for children of his age. For example, he says “For being fresh” to give reason to Charles’ punishment (Jackson, IP5). He also greets his father with “Hi pop, you old dust mop” (Jackson, IP18). Who says that? Unless, of course that is their way of showing affection, no parent would allow their children to disrespect them in that way. Maybe, just maybe, Laurie’s behavior in school had to do with the freedom that the parents give him at home. He arrives home late and he calls his dad old and dirty; and, his parents don’t even correct him in his ways because they are too busy critiquing the other kid’s parents. Again this shows just how persuasiveness and power this little kid has over his parents. This situation occurs often, the parents give in to their child’s behavior without questions because they are so innocent and they have “no idea of what they are doing”. The fact that many parents as well as their sons and daughters may relate this to when they were young makes this a humorous little tale because it brings back those memories of their young and mischievous