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Laurie's creation of an alter ego serves a few different purposes, but mainly to escape punishment and find out how his parents would react if they found out that Charles was actually Laurie ...
- “Charles” Summary
- “Charles” Theme Analysis: Identity
- “Charles” Analysis Questions
- Example of Irony in “Charles”
Laurie has just started kindergarten. He comes home for lunch, slamming the door and throwing his cap on the floor. He’s rude to his father and spills his younger sister’s milk. His mother asks about school. The teacher spanked a boy named Charles, for being fresh. Laurie doesn’t get any more specific than that, and leaves the table while his paren...
Laurie has three identities in the story: 1. who his parents think he is, 2. who he thinks he is, 3. and who he really is. Laurie’s parents think he’s a good boy who’s recent behavior (he’s now a “swaggering character”, rude and loud) is the result of Charles’s bad influence. His father ironicallycontrasts Laurie with Charles, saying “Bound to be p...
What hints are we given that Charles is actually Laurie?
There are many things about Laurie that foreshadow Charles’s identity: 1. Laurie is ill-mannered, inconsiderate and loud: “He came home the same way, the front door slamming open, his cap on the floor, and the voice suddenly become raucous. . .” 2. He walks away rudely while his parents are speaking to him. He also belittles his father more than once. 3. He comes home late when Charles is held after school. 4. He fills a wagon with mud and pulls it through the kitchen. 5. Charles isn’t mentio...
Does Laurie do all the things that he credits to Charles?
I don’t think so. Charles seems to be a hero-figure alter-ego for Laurie. He describes him as “. . . bigger than me. And he doesn’t have any rubbers and he doesn’t ever wear a jacket.” The teacher acknowledges that Laurie had a rough adjustment and still relapses. So, there’s no doubt he’s been misbehaving, but probably not to the extent that Charles has. For example, it seems likely Laurie’s parents would have been contacted if he had been in trouble for hitting his teachers and classmates....
Why is Laurie misbehaving so badly?
Starting kindergarten is a turning point for Laurie. He stops dressing like a little boy, in “overalls with bibs”, and starts wearing “blue jeans with a belt.” He feels more grown-up (he doesn’t wave good-bye to his mother anymore). Along with this comes his misbehavior, possibly as a way of saying no one tells him what to do. Another strong possibility is that Laurie is acting out and seeking attention from his parents, because there’s a baby in the family now. This would explain why Laurie...
One of the most satisfying bits of irony in the story is how curious Laurie’s parents are about Charles’s mother. They both really want to meet her. Ironically, Laurie’s father has met her—he’s married to her—and his mother is her. They thought meeting this woman would explain something about Charles’s behavior, but they don’t seem to see any link ...
May 18, 2021 · This ironic twist suggests that, in order to draw attention to himself, the precocious Laurie has created an alter ego who will take the blame for his own acting out. In short, Laurie’s shift from negative to positive behavior indicates his dilemma about what role he wants to fulfill.
It probably makes the most sense to deduce that ‘Charles’ was nothing more than Laurie’s invented alter ego, a way of explaining why he had to stay behind at kindergarten as punishment for his own bad behaviour.
Oct 3, 2024 · Laurie's creation of an alter-ego called Charles comes as a great surprise to his mother and, in fact, provides the final plot twist.
These hints foreshadow the revelation that Charles is Laurie's alter ego, created to deflect from his own misbehavior.
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May 23, 2018 · Charles is an alter ego, or other self, that Laurie Hyman creates. In discussions with his parents, Laurie blames the fictional Charles for the mischief he himself creates at kindergarten: being "fresh" to the teacher and hitting her, throwing chalk, and injuring his classmates.
