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"Charles"byShirleyJackson(1/8)
ThedaymysonLauriestartedkindergarten,herenouncedcorduroyoverallswithbibsandbegan
wearingbluejeanswithabeltIwatchedhimgooffthefirstmorningwiththeoldergirlnextdoor,seeing
clearlythataneraofmylifewasended,mysweetvoicednurseryschooltotreplacedbyalong
trousered,swaggeringcharacterwhoforgottostopatthecornerandwavegoodbyetome.
Hecamerunninghomethesameway,thefrontdoorslammingopen,hiscaponthefloor,andthe
voicesuddenlybecomeraucousshouting,Isntanybodyhere?
Atlunchhespokeinsolentlytohisfather,spilledhisbabysistersmilk,andremarkedthathis
teachersaidwewerenottotakethenameoftheLordinvain.
Youremailaddress(mcollins@psdschools.org)willberecordedwhenyousubmitthisform.Not
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*Required
1.WhathaschangedaboutLaurieaccordingtothenarrator?*
Markonlyoneoval.
Heusedtobemean,butnowheisnice.
Heusedtobeindependent,butnowheisdependent.
Heusedtobeinnocent,butnowheisgrowingup.
Heusedtobeagile,butnowheisclumsy.
"Charles"byShirleyJackson(2/8)
Howwasschooltoday?Iasked,elaboratelycasual.
Allright,hesaid.
Didyoulearnanything?hisfatherasked.
Laurieregardedhisfathercoldly.Ididntlearnnothing,hesaid.
Anything,Isaid.Didntlearnanything.
Theteacherspankedaboy,though,Lauriesaid,addressinghisbreadandbutter.Forbeingfresh,
headded,withhismouthfull.
Whatdidhedo?Iasked.Whowasit?
Lauriethought.ItwasCharles,hesaid.Hewasfresh.Theteacherspankedhimandmadehim
standinthecorner.Hewasawfullyfresh.
Whatdidhedo?Iaskedagain,butLaurieslidoffhischair,tookacookie,andleft,whilehisfather
wasstillsaying,Seehere,youngman.
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1/12/2017 "Charles"byShirleyJackson(1/8)
2.Writethreeoriginallinesofdialogueusingthefirst3linesfromthissectionasamodel.Use
theplacementofthepunctuationandspeakertagsasaguide.*
"Charles"byShirleyJackson(3/8)
ThenextdayLaurieremarkedatlunch,assoonashesatdown,Well,Charleswasbadagain
today.Hegrinnedenormouslyandsaid,TodayCharleshittheteacher.
Goodheavens,Isaid,mindfuloftheLordsname,Isupposehegotspankedagain?
Hesuredid,Lauriesaid.Lookup,hesaidtohisfather.
What?hisfathersaid,lookingup.
Lookdown,Lauriesaid.Lookatmythumb.Gee,youredumb.Hebegantolaughinsanely.
WhydidCharleshittheteacher?Iaskedquickly.
Becauseshetriedtomakehimcolorwithredcrayons,Lauriesaid.Charleswantedtocolorwith
greencrayonssohehittheteacherandshespankedhimandsaidnobodyplaywithCharlesbut
everybodydid.
ThethirddayitwasaWednesdayofthefirstweekCharlesbouncedaseesawontothehead
ofalittlegirlandmadeherbleed,andtheteachermadehimstayinsideallduringrecess.Thursday
Charleshadtostandinacornerduringstorytimebecausehekeptpoundinghisfeetonthefloor.Friday
Charleswasdeprivedofblackboardprivilegesbecausehethrewchalk.
OnSaturdayIremarkedtomyhusband,DoyouthinkkindergartenistoounsettlingforLaurie?All
thistoughnessandbadgrammar,andthisCharlesboysoundslikesuchabadinfluence.
Itllbealright,myhusbandsaidreassuringly.BoundtobepeoplelikeCharlesintheworld.Might
aswellmeetthemnowaslater.
3.DoesCharlessoundlikeabully,abystander,atarget,oranupstander?*
Markonlyoneoval.
Bully
Bystander
Target
Upstander
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1/12/2017 "Charles"byShirleyJackson(1/8)
4.DoesLauriesoundlikeabully,abystander,atarget,oranupstander?*
Markonlyoneoval.
Bully
Bystander
Target
Upstander
"Charles"byShirleyJackson(4/8)
OnMondayLauriecamehomelate,fullofnews.Charles,heshoutedashecameupthehillI
waswaitinganxiouslyonthefrontsteps.Charles,Laurieyelledallthewayupthehill,Charleswasbad
again.
Comerightin,Isaid,assoonashecamecloseenough.Lunchiswaiting.
YouknowwhatCharlesdid?hedemanded,followingmethroughthedoor.Charlesyelled,soin
schooltheysentaboyinfromfirstgradetotelltheteachershehadtomakeCharleskeepquiet,andso
Charleshadtostayafterschool.Andsoallthechildrenstayedtowatchhim."
Whatdidhedo?Iasked.
Hejustsatthere,Lauriesaid,climbingintohischairatthetable.Hi,Pop,yolddustmop.
Charleshadtostayafterschooltoday,Itoldmyhusband.Everyonestayedwithhim.
WhatdoesthisCharleslooklike?myhusbandaskedLaurie.Whatshisothername?
Hesbiggerthanme,Lauriesaid.Andhedoesnthaveanygaloshesandhedoesntweara
jacket.
5.WhydoyouthinkLauriewantstotalkaboutCharlessomuch?Answerinoneortwo
sentences.*
"Charles"byShirleyJackson(5/8)
MondaynightwasthefirstParentTeachersmeeting,andonlythefactthatthebabyhadacold
keptmefromgoingIwantedpassionatelytomeetCharlessmother.OnTuesdayLaurieremarked
suddenly,Ourteacherhadafriendcometoseeherinschooltoday.
Charlessmother?myhusbandandIaskedsimultaneously.
Naaah,Lauriesaidscornfully.Itwasamanwhocameandmadeusdoexercises.Wehadto
touchourtoes.Look.
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1/12/2017 "Charles"byShirleyJackson(1/8)
Heclimbeddownfromhischairandsquatteddownandtouchedhistoes.Likethis,hesaid.He
gotsolemnlybackintohischairandsaid,pickinguphisfork,Charlesdidntevendoexercises.
Thatsfine,Isaidheartily.DidntCharleswanttodoexercises?
Naaah,Lauriesaid.Charleswassofreshtotheteachersfriendhewasntletdoexercises.
Freshagain?Isaid.
Hekickedtheteachersfriend,Lauriesaid.TheteachersfriendjusttoldCharlestotouchhis
toeslikeIjustdid,andCharleskickedhim.
WhataretheygoingtodoaboutCharles,doyousuppose?Lauriesfatheraskedhim.
Laurieshruggedelaborately.Throwhimoutofschool,Iguess,hesaid.
6.Usingcontextclues,define'fresh'asitisusedin"Charles"inyourownwords.Answerin
oneortwosentences.*
"Charles"byShirleyJackson(6/8)
WiththethirdweekofkindergartenCharleswasaninstitutioninourfamilythebabywasbeinga
CharleswhenshecriedallafternoonLauriedidaCharleswhenhefilledhiswagonfullofmudandpulled
itthroughthekitchenevenmyhusband,whenhecaughthiselbowinthetelephonecordandpulledthe
telephoneandabowlofflowersoffthetable,said,afterthefirstminute,LookslikeCharles.
DuringthethirdandfourthweeksitlookedlikeareformationinCharlesLauriereportedgrimlyat
lunchonThursdayofthethirdweek,Charleswassogoodtodaytheteachergavehimanapple.
What?Isaid,andmyhusbandaddedwarily,YoumeanCharles?
Charles,Lauriesaid.Hegavethecrayonsaroundandhepickedupthebooksafterwardandthe
teachersaidhewasherhelper.
Whathappened?Iaskedincredulously.
Hewasherhelper,thatsall,Lauriesaid,andshrugged.
CanthisbetrueaboutCharles?Iaskedmyhusbandthatnight.Cansomethinglikethishappen?
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1/12/2017 "Charles"byShirleyJackson(1/8)
Waitandsee,myhusbandsaidcynically.WhenyouvegotaCharlestodealwith,thismaymean
hesonlyplotting.Heseemedtobewrong.ForoveraweekCharleswastheteachershelpereachday
hehandedthingsoutandhepickedthingsupnoonehadtostayafterschool.
7.Whatdoesitmeanto'beaCharles'inthisfamily?Answerinoneortwosentences.*
8.WhydoyouthinkCharleschanged?Answerinoneortwosentences.*
"Charles"byShirleyJackson(7/8)
ThePTAmeetingsnextweekagain,Itoldmyhusbandoneevening.ImgoingtofindCharless
motherthere.
AskherwhathappenedtoCharles,myhusbandsaid.Idliketoknow.
Idliketoknowmyself,Isaid.
OnFridayofthatweek,thingswerebacktonormal.YouknowwhatCharlesdidtoday?Laurie
demandedatthelunchtable,inavoiceslightlyawed.Hetoldalittlegirltosayawordandshesaidit
andtheteacherwashedhermouthoutwithsoapandCharleslaughed.
Whatword?hisfatheraskedunwisely,andLauriesaid,Illhavetowhisperittoyou,itssobad.
Hegotdownoffhischairandwentaroundtohisfather.HisfatherbenthisheaddownandLaurie
whisperedjoyfully.Hisfatherseyeswidened.
DidCharlestellthelittlegirlstosaythat?heaskedrespectfully.
Shesaidittwice,Lauriesaid.Charlestoldhertosayittwice.
WhathappenedtoCharles?myhusbandasked.
Nothing,Lauriesaid.Hewaspassingoutthecrayons.
MondaymorningCharlesabandonedthelittlegirlandsaidtheevilwordhimselfthreeorfourtimes,
gettinghismouthwashedoutwithsoapeachtime.Healsothrewchalk.
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1/12/2017 "Charles"byShirleyJackson(1/8)
9.Thesentence"Hisfather'seyeswidened"SHOWSthatLaurie'sfatherissurprised.Writea
sentencethatdescribestheemotionofembarrassmentbyusingthe'shownottell'technique.
*
"Charles"byShirleyJackson(8/8)
MyhusbandcametothedoorwithmethateveningasIsetoutforthePTAmeeting.Inviteher
overforacupofteaafterthemeeting,hesaid.Iwanttogetalookather.
Ifonlyshesthere,Isaidprayerfully.
Shellbethere,myhusbandsaid.IdontseehowtheycouldholdaPTAmeetingwithout
Charlessmother.
AtthemeetingIsatrestlessly,scanningeachcomfortablematronlyface,tryingtodeterminewhich
onehidthesecretofCharles.Noneofthemlookedtomehaggardenough.Noonestoodupinthe
meetingandapologizedforthewayhersonhadbeenacting.NoonementionedCharles.
AfterthemeetingIidentifiedandsoughtoutLaurieskindergartenteacher.Shehadaplatewitha
cupofteaandapieceofchocolatecakeIhadaplatewithacupofteaandapieceofmarshmallow
cake.Wemaneuvereduptooneanothercautiously,andsmiled.
Ivebeensoanxioustomeetyou,Isaid.ImLauriesmother.
WereallsointerestedinLaurie,shesaid.
Well,hecertainlylikeskindergarten,Isaid.Hetalksaboutitallthetime.
Wehadalittletroubleadjusting,thefirstweekorso,shesaidprimly,butnowhesafinehelper.
Withoccasionallapses,ofcourse.
Laurieusuallyadjustsveryquickly,Isaid.IsupposethistimeitsCharlessinfluence.
Charles?
Yes,Isaid,laughing,youmusthaveyourhandsfullinthatkindergarten,withCharles.
Charles?shesaid.WedonthaveanyCharlesinthekindergarten.
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1/12/2017 "Charles"byShirleyJackson(1/8)
10.Usingcontextclues,define'haggard'inyourownwords.Answerinoneortwosentences.*
11.Organizedparagraphresponse:WhoisCharles?Howdoyouknow?Useevidencefromthe
storytosupportyouranswer.*
12.Whatdoyouthinkisthemoralorlessonofthisstory?*
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