Charles By Shirley Jackson Analysis

After previous years of almost nonstop relaxation, a multitude of toddlers may have difficulty adjusting to the requirements of kindergarten. “Charles”, a short story written by Shirley Jackson, demonstrates an extreme case of this dilemma. Laurie, a member of a new wave of kindergarteners, and older sibling to a baby girl, is a main character. Though it is not directly stated why Laurie misbehaved, one could infer that it was a grab for attention. This passage takes place in the 1950’s, at Laurie’s home and school, where Laurie fell victim to the aforementioned crisis involving his overall inability to adapt to his new environment. While the transition to kindergarten is naturally a challenge, Laurie’s own personality was more of a contributing factor to his misconduct.

Upon his return home from the first day, he “spoke insolently to his father, spilled his baby sister’s milk” (Jackson 345) and went on to speak of the day. This was when Laurie first mentioned Charles, a trouble maker in his class, who became the focus of the story. Laurie then took a cookie and left during the conversation, setting the tone for the sequential events. Laurie’s headstrong nature proved to be a consequence of his parents sending him to kindergarten. He continued to come home to inform his parents of Charles’ antics, seeming quite pleased as he relived them, since he “grinned enormously and said, “Today Charles hit the teacher.”” (346). However, when his parents inquired of Charles’ last name, Laurie dodged the question. A new development was that Laurie insulted his father during their every encounter; This revealed the influence of Charles on Laurie’s personality, making him more stubborn and