Shirley Jackson Kindergarten

Kindergarten is a specific school year where children learn life learning skills. These skills carry forward throughout their lifetime. In this case, a young boy named Laurie experienced an unforgettable year in kindergarten. Shirley Jackson incorporated Charles within her story; she portrayed how Laurie created an unrealistic classmate named “Charles” to hide his atrocious behavior. This eventful story was told from the mother’s perspective, where she explained her sequential storyline of being lied to by her own son. His adjustment to school shaped his personality, which represented disrespectfulness and intelligence. He became harmful and disruptive among several of his peers, as the struggles grew to be more serious. Further events in the
His mother quickly realized this the minute he left the door. Laurie grew out of his “corduroy overalls with bibs and began wearing blue jeans with a belt” (Jackson 345). After he returned home, the inexperienced child reentered the exact way. He slammed the door, tossed his cap across the floor, and the tone of his voice was harsh. Interesting news was brought to the parents’ surprise as Laurie sat down for lunch. Laurie claimed that he did not learn anything; however, he encountered another classmate named Charles. The mother and father were startled about the way Laurie presented Charles. His description included Charles being spanked by the teacher for acting fresh. Laurie’s parents were in curiosity, asking several questions about this specific boy. He provided minimal details as he grabbed a cookie and scampered away. The stories about Charles did not last one day; his actions were
Laurie was unable to accept the importance of respect. He went through a difficult time adjusting to a new environment. Laurie decided that misbehaving in school would bring him the attention that he desired. Yet, the alarming manner of Laurie’s personality made him more antagonizing. Prior to kindergarten, Laurie never attended school, which created a more challenging situation. He had multiple consequences for the mistakes he conveyed. Over time he became tired of the punishments. This resulted in the fact that Laurie was the newest teacher’s helper. Over a week Charles “handed things out and picked things up” (348). The teacher was extremely amazed at his act of kindness, she rewarded him with an apple. His respectfulness did not continue for long, until Charles’ daily routine returned to normal. He pronounced inappropriate words and had his mouth washed out with soap. A few days after, Laurie’s mother was present in the PTA meeting. She glanced around trying to find another mother that held the identity of Charles. She was unable to find a woman that appeared to be apologetic and haggard. At the end of the meeting, Laurie’s mother identified her son’s kindergarten teacher. She was anxious to begin discussing about one of her students. When she brought up the name, Charles, the teacher did not recognize it. The teacher stated that the school did not currently hold any boys