Two Point Zero Two

How does the resolution of the story "Charles" create an ironic twist?

• Laurie's mother is curious to meet Charles's mother but learns that she doesn't exist.

• Readers are surprised to learn that Charles's mother is not at the PTA meeting.

• Laurie's mother is happy to learn that Laurie is doing well despite Charles's influence on him.

• Readers learn, along with Laurie's mother, that Laurie is the boy causing trouble.

What is a theme of the story "Charles"?

• Pride can lead to a false sense of superiority.

• Sometimes one's greatest enemy is oneself.

• Betrayal can often shatter one's trust in another.

• Love can blind people to the truth about others.

In the story "Charles," what does Laurie's disrespectful behavior toward his father reveal?

• Laurie is a boy who is likely to misbehave around adults.

• Laurie is more likely to tell lies than other children.

• Laurie has been negatively influenced by Charles's misbehavior at school.

• Laurie is angry at his father for disapproving of Charles's behavior.

In the story "Charles," how does Shirley Jackson convey the viewpoint of Laurie's mother that Charles is a bad influence on her son?

• Laurie's mother believes Laurie's stories about Charles.

• Laurie's mother asks her husband if kindergarten might be too unsettling for Laurie.

• Laurie's mother goes to the PTA

  meeting excited to meet Laurie's teacher.

• Laurie's mother asks Laurie about his day at school without mentioning Charles.

Read this sentence from "Charles."

"We had a little trouble adjusting, the first week or so," she said primly, "but now he’s a fine little helper."

What does the word primly suggest about Charles's teacher?

• She is trying to be professional and correct in her discussion of Laurie's difficult behavior.

• She is being sarcastic about the way Laurie behaves in class.

• She has a strict, disapproving look on her face.

• She is angry about Laurie's disruptive misbehavior in her class.

In the story "Charles," how does Shirley Jackson develop the negative viewpoint that Laurie's parents have of Charles's mother?

Select the two correct answers.

• Charles's father says, "I don't see how they could hold a PTA

  meeting without Charles's mother."

• At the P.T.A meeting, Laurie's mother notes that none of the mothers look "haggard enough" to be Charles's mother.

• Laurie's parents discuss with each other what Charles's mother should do to get him to behave.

• Laurie's mother hopes to befriend Charles's mother because she sees the same problems with Laurie.