Charles Character Analysis

Tony

Tony

by Minh Khoi (Tony) Chu -
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In Shirley Jackson's "Charles," Laurie is a young boy starting kindergarten who undergoes some big changes. At first, he seems sweet, but he quickly starts acting tough and rebellious. He makes up a fake friend named Charles to blame for his bad behavior at school. This shows that he is struggling to fit in and deal with new rules. The tension builds as his stories about Charles get crazier, and it all comes to a head when his mom discovers that Charles is not real.


Laurie is a dynamic character because he shows both good and bad traits. He is creative for inventing stories, but he also dishonest and disrespectful. For example when he talks back to his parents and teachers. The author wants us to see that Laurie's misbehavior comes from his struggle matching to school life. At the end, we realize he is just trying to figure things out as he grows up, reminding us that kids often act out when facing new challenges.