The mood of
"" is darkly humorous. At the beginning of the story, readers are sympathetic to the
narrator, Laurie's mother, as she adjusts to her son's newfound independence and confidence as
he leaves the house for kindergarten. Laurie's cheekiness is amusing, understandable, and not
yet out of control.
The stories that Laurie tells about Charles are shocking
but at the same time funny because they are ostensibly happening to another family. Jackson
builds readers' interest in finding out what Charles's mother is like, and when Laurie's mother
misses the first PTA meeting, it heightens the suspense even further.
Though
a close reading of the story makes the outcome less surprising, the mood is maintained
throughout because of the descriptions of Charles's antics. Jackson utilizes the phenomenon of
schadenfreude (enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others) to create the story's darkly
humorous mood.
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