The Character Of Charles Dennis In Shirley Jackson's Charles

504 Words3 Pages

Dennis is the main character in the American Television series, Dennis the Menace. Laurie, (aka Charles) is the leading character in Shirley Jackson’s story, “Charles”. Although the short story and the series were released years apart, the characters share some similarities and differences. Both Laurie and Dennis create destruction and cause problems. However, they live very different lives with their own backstory. Dennis is known to be quite hyper. He unscrewed a table leg and made it fall over. He also made his neighbor, Mr. Wilson, step into some paint when he was doing housework. Laurie is not as mischievous, but more violent. Laurie (aka Charles) hit his teacher and busted a girl's head open with a seesaw. He also kicked the teacher's friend when he came to visit the class. Laurie's version of destruction involves physical abuse, while Dennis’s version involves messes and mischief. They both don’t follow rules, though. …show more content…

Wilson is Dennis’s neighbor. He tries to control Dennis when he is misbehaving. Though, sometimes it doesn’t work out. Mr. Wilson stepped in a bucket of paint and his pet ran away because of Dennis’s actions. Dennis isn’t the only one who has someone who tries to discipline him. Laurie also has a figure in his life like that, his teacher. Laurie’s teacher tries to discipline him. She tries to put him in a corner as a consequence. She also keeps him after class because of the