compare other people's perception of charles to his true nature

Charles
Wallace, the little brother in , is quiet when he is out in public. He did
not speak until the age of four. People in town and some of the school children sometimes refer
to him as a moron. Both he and his sister Meg, a teenager, have special abilities but are
misunderstood in town and at school. Both youngsters are mislabeled. Fortunately, their parents
do not make this mistake, and the children's upbringing instills faith in their own abilities.
This faith is challenged during the course of their adventures, but remains at the core.

We learn in the very first chapter that five-year-old Charles Wallace has an
uncanny ability to understand what is going through other people's minds and to anticipate their
needs. You can have a deeper understanding of this trait and find a touching example of his
sweet nature by re-reading Chapter 1.

Recall that in real life, impressions
can be colored by ignorance and prejudice, and this is the case with Charles Wallace. He is not
like other children his age, therefore people conclude that there is something wrong with him.
His parents, however, as well as his siblings, are well aware that in truth he is intellectually
gifted--a true genius. Charles Wallace is only a kindergartener, but his extensive vocabulary
stuns Calvin OKeefe when the two first meet. However, he is not arrogant or obnoxious.

Charles Wallaces precocious scientific and mathematical skills, as well as emotional
maturity and sense of logic, are also very apparent to the extraterrestrial beings Mrs. Whatsit,
Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. When he, Meg, and Calvin embark on their journey to find and rescue
their father, Charles Wallace remains poised and explains the science behind
tessering.

When the children land on the planet Camazotz, Mrs. Whatsit,
Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which can no longer accompany them. The trio is left alone on the mission of
finding and rescuing Megs and Charles Wallaces father. But before the three extraterrestrials
depart, Mrs. Which tells each child what his or her special gift is. Surprisingly, she does
not tell Charles Wallace that his special gift is that of intelligence, but rather that of
resilience.