Laurie is the kindergarten-age child in Shirley Jackson's short story "Charles." The reader discovers early on in the story that Laurie has serious behavior problems. He speaks "insolently" to his father, terrorizes his baby sister, and swears. The mother, who remembers a "sweet-voiced nursery-school tot," is apparently in denial about her son's conduct as he moves to school age.
After his first day at school, Laurie comes home with stories of Charles, a boy...
Laurie is the kindergarten-age child in Shirley Jackson's short story "Charles." The reader discovers early on in the story that Laurie has serious behavior problems. He speaks "insolently" to his father, terrorizes his baby sister, and swears. The mother, who remembers a "sweet-voiced nursery-school tot," is apparently in denial about her son's conduct as he moves to school age.
After his first day at school, Laurie comes home with stories of Charles, a boy in his class who gets "fresh" with the teacher, yells in class, and receives daily spankings. This story is set in the late 1940's, so corporal punishment was still allowed in public schools. It shouldn't be a surprise to the reader at the end that there is no Charles. He has been made up by Laurie to cover up his own behavior, which isn't much different at home.
Charles has learned he can manipulate both his parents and his own identity. He is literally creating a new persona. Some days Charles is "bad" and some days he is the teacher's helper. He is continually testing both his parents and his teachers in his struggle to shape his personality.
For a good discussion on gender roles, which may also explain Laurie's behavior, see the link below to themes in this story. The second entry is excellent in deconstructing this seemingly simple story.
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