In her behavior Mrs. S--was youthful and loud-talking which made us uneasy, for children are not comfortable when adults behave as if they are not adults. Often it seemed that Mrs. S--was winking at us as if there was some joke between her and us, unexplained.
In Joyce Carol Oates' "The Sign of the Beast," Mrs. S is depicted as a woman whose youthful and boisterous demeanor creates a sense of discomfort among children. Her behavior challenges the expectations of adult authority, leaving the children feeling uneasy as they grapple with her unconventional conduct.
The children's observation of Mrs. S's frequent winking suggests an unsettling familiarity, as if she shares a secret bond with them that remains undefined. This dynamic brings a layer of complexity to their interactions, highlighting the dissonance between adult behavior and childlike innocence.
