Charles

PART A: Which sentences describes the main theme of the short story?

• Children sometimes act out when they’re attempting to figure out who they are.

• Parents often don’t give their kids enough attention, and this causes them to act out.

• Naughty children are more likely to become misbehaving adults when they grow up.

• Children are strongly influenced by the bad behavior of their peers.

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• “my sweet-voiced nursery-school tot replaced by a long-trousered, swaggering character who forgot to stop at the corner and wave good-bye to me.” (Paragraph 1)

• “‘Do you think kindergarten is too unsettling for Laurie? All this toughness, and bad grammar, and this Charles boy sounds like such a bad influence.’” (Paragraph 21)

• “With the third week of kindergarten Charles was an institution in our family; the baby was being a Charles when she cried all afternoon” (Paragraph 41)

• “‘We had a little trouble adjusting, the first week or so,’ she said primly, ‘but now he’s a fine little helper. With occasional lapses, of course.’” (Paragraph 68)

PART A: How does the narrator’s discussion of Laurie contribute to the plot of the story?

• The narrator shows how Laurie is a good kid deep down, suggesting that Charles might be similarly good.

• The narrator describes how easily influenced Laurie is, suggesting that he’s not confident in his identity yet.

• The narrator shows how naturally curious Laurie is, bringing attention to why he might experiment with good and bad behaviors.

• The narrator describes how Laurie often misbehaves at home, highlighting the similarities between him and Charles.

PART B: Which quote from the story best supports the answer to Part A?

• “The day my son Laurie started kindergarten he renounced corduroy overalls with bibs and began wearing blue jeans with a belt” (Paragraph 1)

• “At lunch he spoke insolently to his father, spilled his baby sister’s milk, and remarked that his teacher said we were not to take the name of the Lord in vain.” (Paragraph 3)

• “‘All this toughness, and bad grammar, and this Charles boy sounds like such a bad influence.’” (Paragraph 21)

• “Laurie reported grimly at lunch on Thursday of the third week, ‘Charles was so good today the teacher gave him an apple.’” (Paragraph 42)

How does Charles’ behavior vary throughout the story?

• Laurie describes Charles’ behavior as improving but having occasional setbacks.

• Laurie describes Charles’ behavior as steadily improving throughout the story.

• Laurie emphasizes how Charles is always misbehaving even if he’s not caught

• Laurie shows how Charles wants to change at the end of the story, but he doesn’t know how.