The Charmer Short Story Theme

The main idea of “The Charmer” is the changing perspective the protagonist Winifred has on the tragedies befallen on her family. Family conflict is a predominant theme in the story and all members of her family directly face it. The narrator uses her elder brother Zach’s smothered childhood, charming personality and rebellious nature to create internal family conflict.
The narrator begins her story as a young girl who, along with her two sisters and mother, unconditionally serves Zach as his obedient slaves. Based on this, Zach is constantly smothered by his family to the point that he misuses their trust to his benefit, such as when he “ate the slice of cake meant for the church bazaar” (Pg. 102). This lack of appreciation further leads to Zach’s rocky relationship with his father, such as when he “dumped Dad’s red toolbox in the river” (Pg. 103). It appears the father also notices Zach’s misuse of the love he received, but he makes the mistake of shying away from it until the climax is reached that Zach leaves permanently leaves the family.
Furthermore, the idea is evolved in a sense that siblings have an indirect impact on future

In the story, the protagonist Winifred explains about her past experiences with her elder brother Zachary from her early years of admiration to her later years facing the similar circumstances of her brother with her youngest daughter Stephanie. During her younger years, Winifred admired her eldest brother and appeared as an obedient slave to him. Later on, however, she then faces with the disillusionment as her brother’s habits are warped to extreme measures such as smoking and drinking which later accumulates to the sorrow that she and her family faced from losing their youngest daughter Lizzie to leukemia. The death also strikes a permanent blow on Zachary, who later leaves the family due to his strained relationship with his