'Disruptive Behavior In Shirley Jackson's Charles'

Kindergarten is an exciting time in the life of a child. Kindergartners are allowed to be independent from their parents, often for the first time in their lives. This independence can be scary, and not all children can handle their newfound freedom. Shirley Jackson wrote the story “Charles,” which tells about a boy named Laurie who was struggling to adjust to kindergarten. Laurie was misbehaving in school because he was not well-adjusted to his new school and he craved the attention he was used to receiving at home. The story took place in the 1950’s at Laurie’s home, where he was a big brother to an infant sibling, and at his school, where Laurie was a kindergartener. Laurie was struggling to adjust to his new routine, which caused an escalation of bad behavior both in school and at home.

Upon his arrival, however, Laurie was unable to adjust to kindergarten. As a result, he began to act up by being disruptive during class and causing problems. His misbehaviors included pounding his feet on the floor, hitting others, and using foul language. In addition, one day Laurie “yelled during story hour” (Jackson 347). He did this because he wanted the same amount of attention at school that he typically received at home. These disruptive behaviors became continuous and Laurie began acting up more even at home, causing concern for his parents. Along with being disruptive Laurie was violent at times. Laurie began hurting kids as well as adults. On one occasion, Laurie “bounced a see-saw on the head of a little girl” (346) and was forced to stay inside for recess. Another time he hit the teacher for wanting him to color with a green crayon. When Laurie’s parents heard the news of this behavior occurring in his classroom, their concern increased. His parents worried that Laurie would be negatively affected by attending