Student Question
What type of figurative language is used in the short story "Charles"?
Quick answer:
In the short story "Charles," the author uses various types of figurative language including imagery, irony, metaphor, and repetition. Imagery is used to paint a vivid picture of Laurie's transformation, while irony is present when the mother discovers that Charles is Laurie's alter ego. A metaphor is used when Charles becomes a symbol for disruptive behavior. Lastly, repetition of the name "Charles" emphasizes his significant influence on Laurie's family.
In the opening paragraph of the short story "Charles," Jackson utilizes imagery by writing:
The day my son Laurie started kindergarten he renounced corduroy overalls with bibs and began wearing blue jeans with a belt
Imagery uses words to captivate the reader's senses and allows the audience to create a mental picture of the events taking place in the narrative. Jackson's use of imagery conjures the mental picture of a confident young boy, strutting around in blue jeans and acting like he is grown.
Jackson also utilizes irony by portraying a mother who believes that there is a disobedient boy in Laurie's class, threatening his education and acting as a bad influence on her son. The irony takes place at the end of the story when Laurie's mother discovers that Charles is actually Laurie's alias.
Jackson also utilizes a metaphor, which is when an author portrays a person, place, or thing as being something else and makes an implicit or hidden comparison between two seemingly different things. Jackson uses Charles as a metaphor by writing:
With the third week of kindergarten Charles was an institution in our family; the baby was being a Charles when she cried all afternoon; Laurie did a Charles when he filled his wagon full of mud and pulled it through the kitchen
In Laurie's household, Charles has become a metaphor for any disobedient or disruptive behavior, which Laurie continually compares to his unruly alias. When the baby is crying, Laurie calls her a Charles, which is another way of identifying her disruptive, annoying behavior.
Jackson also utilizes repetition throughout the story by continually repeating the name "Charles." Through repetition, Jackson creates a leitmotif and underscores the significant effect Charles has had on Laurie's family.
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