The mother
ofis probably selectively na¯ve, and the reader does get a glimpse into her character in
Jackson's short story.
In her biography of , Lenemaja Friedman mentions that
the author based the story "Charles" on her son Laurie's childhood reports about a boy
who was in kindergarten with him. So, there is a verisimilitude to the narrative of an extremely
indulgent mother who refuses to acknowledge the poor behavior of her own child.
That this mother is blind to her son's own behavior indicates much about her nature. In
the first paragraph, as she states that Laurie has "renounced" his childish overalls
for blue jeans with a belt, it is apparent that the mother perceives this behavior as an act of
independence. When Laurie returns from school in "the same way," flinging the door
open as he shouts, "Isn't anybody here?" the mother does not
reprimand the boy nor does she remark upon his behavior. This lack of comment on Laurie's
behavior suggests her acceptance of such actions from her own child. But, when he mentions that
a boy named Charles "was fresh," she is concerned and eager to hear what this boy has
done, listening intently to Laurie's report. Moreover, after hearing these reports that she
finds disturbing, she confers with her husband, asking him if he thinks that kindergarten is
"too unsettling for Laurie." Clearly, she has blinded herself to the reality of her
own child's behavior because she should be able to perceive the parallels between Charles's
actions and those of Laurie. That the mother does not perceive these similaritieseven as Laurie
misbehaves constantly at home in much the same manner as Charlesindicates that she is very
naive.
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