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A short story about a boy who blames his misbehaviour on a fictional classmate named Charles. The story explores the uncanny and ambiguous nature of Laurie's imagination and the possibility of a supernatural or delusional presence.
“You know what Charles did?” he demanded following me through the door. “Charles yelled so in school they sent a boy in from first grade to tell the teacher she had to make Charles keep quiet, and so Charles had to stay after school. And so all the children stayed to watch him. “What did he do?” I asked.
On Monday Laurie came home late, full of news. “Charles,” he shouted as he came up the hill; I was waiting anxiously on the front steps. “Charles,” Laurie yelled all the way up the hill, “Charles was bad again.”. “Come right in,” I said, as soon as he came close enough. “Lunch is waiting.”.
"Charles" is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in Mademoiselle in July 1948. It was later included in her 1949 collection, The Lottery and Other Stories , and her 1953 novel, Life Among the Savages .
CHARLES by Shirley Jackson. The day my son Laurie started kindergarten, he gave up his little-boy clothes. He started wearing blue jeans with a belt. I watched him go off that first morning with the older girl next door. He looked as though he were going off to a fight. He came home the same way at lunchtime.
Feb 18, 2021 · A humorous tale about a young boy who blames his misbehavior on a fictional classmate named Charles. The story explores how parents often project their own fears and insecurities onto their children and how they can be easily deceived by their own biases.
Jun 1, 1991 · Shirley Jackson. In 'Charles,' the main character, Laurie, and his alter ego, Charles, are loosely based on Jackson's son Laurence. It is told from the mother's point-of-view and focuses on Laurie's search for identity. The story begins with Laurie's mother describing her son's first day of kindergarten.
