Charming as a Verb

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2020

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-6

Chapters 7-12

Chapters 13-19

Chapters 20-26

Chapter 27-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Character Analysis

Henri Haltiwanger

Henri Haltiwanger is the central protagonist of this novel. The novel is told through Henri’s first-person point of view, giving readers an inside glimpse into the pressures and joys he experiences during his last year of high school. Henri is a model student, a hard worker, and a charming young man. He has internalized the idea that in order to get ahead in life, he must present a certain manufactured version of himself to the world. He is inherently charming with a poise that results from self-coaching and rehearsing possible responses to situations; he has learned how to use that charm to disarm people and to win others’ respect and appreciation.

At school, Henri is popular and works hard to keep up with the competitive academic environment. He also runs his own dog walking service. Henri embodies the Haltiwanger Hustle, the term he and his father use to refer to their working hard to get ahead in life. As a first-generation American, Henri is the child of immigrants who have worked hard but did not start life out with the privileges that Henri has. A major external pressure on Henri is providing for his family and living up to their Perceptions of the American Dream for him. Henri’s privilege, however, is a double-edged sword. It is true that Henri has more resources, care, and opportunities than his parents had growing up in Haiti. Henri, though, is one of the only Black students at his school, and he is much lower on the socio-economic ladder than his very wealthy peers. Consequently, Henri feels pressure to fit in, to not let his poverty be known, and to help his family move ahead in America.

Henri’s father has long inspired him to strive for college admission to Columbia University. Despite how good of a student Henri is, Columbia is not a guarantee because of the high competition. What’s more, a major challenge comes between Henri and Columbia when he interviews with an alumnus, and it becomes clear that he does not really want Columbia for the right reasons. Henri struggles to accept the idea that he might not get into Columbia. He does not want to disappoint his father, and he is unwilling to let go of the dream he’s been working toward for years, even as he begins to suspect the dream of Columbia is wrong for him.

Henri’s life changes when he befriends Corinne Troy, a star student whose mother is a Dean of English at Columbia. Corinne is unlike any girl Henri has liked before. Their friendship quickly turns into a romantic relationship. Corinne challenges Henri to consider what he really wants from life. With her help, he acknowledges his passion for sneaker design and pursues admissions into McGill University. However, Henri’s desperation to get into Columbia prompt his fraudulent email from Corinne’s mother’s account. He gets into Columbia, but the acceptance is quickly rescinded when his fraud is exposed. This mistake forces Henri and his father to acknowledge the pressures they’ve been placed under. Henri and his father have a discussion that profoundly changes their relationship; it helps Henri be more honest with his father about what he truly wants. Henri atones for his mistake and works towards rebuilding trust with his loved ones, including Corinne. His character arc shows growth in wisdom, maturation, and personal acceptance of a more sincere and authentic identity. While Henri will continue to grow and change at college, he makes significant gains in coming-of-age throughout his senior year.

Henri gets into McGill University, a fitting ending because it is the school he truly belongs in. Henri’s story in Charming as a Verb is about growing up, taking accountability, appreciating what you have, and not letting the pressures of life cloud moral judgment.

Corinne Troy

Corinne Troy is a star student who lives with her mother, a strong and ambitious woman who is Dean of English at Columbia University. Corinne is known to be very intense; she is at the top of her class, is passionate about her achievements in school, and works hard to get into her dream school, Princeton University. Corinne feels she must prove that she is worthy of her achievements because of her own merits and not because she is part of a minority in her school.

Early in the novel, Corinne prioritizes school over everything else. She does not have a lot of friends, and her English teacher’s recommendation to Princeton highlights that Corinne’s flaw is a lack of social life. Corinne has Henri to help her make some friends at school so that her teacher will change her recommendation. Henri and Corinne build an actual friendship, and Corinne learns the value of having companionship in her life. Her friendship with Henri turns into a romantic relationship. These events show that she is a dynamic character because she embraces new social experiences that help her better understand others. Corinne is ambitious, intelligent, and honest, and she pushes Henri to embrace his more authentic self. She helps inspire him to think differently about his future by planning a trip to Montreal with him so he can interview with McGill. Corinne’s influence on Henri is instrumental to his character development.

Jacques Haltiwanger

Jacques Haltiwanger is Henri’s father. An immigrant from Haiti, Jacques works as a building manager on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. This is backbreaking and often thankless work, but it provides a stable if meager income and comes with a small apartment for his wife and son. Jacques does not think about his own passions or interests; he is motivated to work for his son’s future. Jacques puts aside his own desires and ambitions for the wellbeing of his family. Jacques’s version of the Haltiwanger Hunger is not just about financial gain; Jacques also values strong ethics. Although he pushes Henri to be a diligent student and get into the hallowed halls of the Ivy League, Jacques ultimately cares more about Henri’s moral character than his achievements.

Jacques is tough on Henri because he wants Henri to be successful; he knows how difficult it is to move ahead in America. Jacques, however, comes to realize that he can learn more about America through his son’s experiences; Jacques did not grow up in America and therefore can’t relate to the stresses and pressures Henri faces as a young Black man in New York City. Jacques ultimately understands that he can learn from his son as much as his son can learn from him. A dynamic, complex character, Jacques builds Henri up and helps him navigate his guilt and accountability and ultimately supports Henri’s passion for sneaker design and move to Montreal.

Lion Haltiwanger

Lion Haltiwanger is Jacques’s brother and Henri’s uncle. Henri and Lion are close, but Lion’s relationship with Jacques is tense. Lion also has the Haltiwanger Hunger, but he is more prone to pushing his way past moral codes to get ahead. Lion constantly hustles for new and better jobs; he knows how to charm his way into certain roles that allow him to get ahead.

Lion does not think it is wrong to sometimes lie or cheat your way forward. For example, he encourages Henri to get closer to Corinne so that Henri can get more proximity to the power Corinne’s mother has at Columbia; this shows that Lion is not above using others to get ahead. This does not make Lion an antagonist; it is his survival tactic. Lion and Jacques, however, are at odds because Jacques worries that Lion is a bad influence on Henri. A static character, Lion is wise and is a sharp analyzer of the human experience. It is Lion who helps both Jacques and Henri see their individual faults in the fight between father and son.

Ming

Ming is Henri’s best friend. He was born in China but adopted by Jewish parents in New York City. Ming is wealthy, but he does not allow his wealth to define the way he engages with the rest of the world, unlike many of his other wealthy peers. Ming loves sneakers too; he and Henri connect over their shared interests and senses of humor.

Henri refuses to allow Ming over to his apartment because Henri is embarrassed and ashamed of how small his apartment is. Henri worries that if Ming finds out about Henri’s poverty relative to Ming’s wealth, Ming won’t want to be friends with him. However, Ming is a loyal friend who does not care about material wealth. Ming proves to Henri that it is possible to be vulnerable and honest about who you are. Ming fully accepts Henri, even when Henri makes the mistake of sending the email. Ming is a steadfast friend and static character who helps Henri understand that Henri’s worth does not exist in the fabricated self he tries to show the world but instead in who he is as a person and as a friend.

Chantale Troy

Chantale Troy is Corinne’s mother and the first Black female Dean of English at Columbia University. She has pushed through challenges in her life to be successful. She is an intimidating figure because she is strict, has high expectations, and works hard. Chantale is also an empathetic woman who helps Henri understand that his worth is not minimized by his mistake. She forgives him for sending the email from her account, which helps Henri begin his journey to self-forgiveness. She also helps to make sure that Henri’s mistake with Columbia does not impact his other admissions processes, highlighting how much she cares about him and understands that human beings—especially teenagers—often make mistakes under pressure. A static character, she is a role model for integrity and moving forward.