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The thirty-two-year-old French schoolteacher who had been captured in a sweep by SS forces as the war winds down helps Levi return to normalcy after the trauma of the forced labor camp. Although weakened with scarlet fever, Charles partners with Levi to keep their contingent of patients alive in the immediate aftermath of the German abandonment of Auschwitz. In the ensuing days, Charles and Levi become a team, exploring the camp, gathering snow to melt for water, and making and distributing soup. His good humor, buoyant personality, and courage bolster Levi's depleted morale. Charles is with Levi when they pass through the fence and both experience their first taste of freedom since coming to Auschwitz. As they talk into the night of the homes and lives they will return to, Levi with Charles's help triumphs over his horrible experience.
