Many times in life, we are forced to make difficult decisions. These decisions will eventually have a huge impact on our life and relationships with others. In the short story, ‘Flowers for Algernon’, the main character Charlie Gordon makes a choice to take part in an operation that will triple his intelligence. This choice impacts his relationship with his co-workers, Ms. Kinnian, and the doctors.
Charlie’s relationship with his co-workers changed drastically when Charlie went through the operation. Before the operation, Charlie thought that Joe Carp and Frank Reilly liked having him around because they invited him to parties. In the story Charlie writes that, “...everybody likes me and we have fun. I cant wait to be smart like my best friends Joe Carp and Frank Reilly.” (Keyes 290). This means that Charlie thinks that his co-workers are being friendly with him, when in actuality, they are making fun of him. Then, when Charlie
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becomes smarter, he realizes that his so-called friends were laughing at him the whole time. “It's a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the time to make fun of me.” (Keyes 293). Charlie’s sudden transformation into becoming a genius scares everyone at the factory, and he is forced to quit his job. In these ways, Charlie’s relationship with his co-workers, deteriorates and leaves him without friends. Charlie established a bond with Ms.
Kinnian from the first class that Charlie took with her. Charlie thinks that Ms. Kinnian is the smartest teacher ever, and Ms. Kinnian thinks that Charlie is the best student in her class because he has good motivation. “ They said Miss Kinnian told that I was her bestest pupil in the adult nite scool becaus I tryed the hardist and I reely wantid to lern.” (Keyes 286). As Charlie becomes smarter, he realizes that Ms.Kinnian is really pretty, and comments on how he never noticed that before. He eventually realizes that he is in love with Ms. Kinnian after his intelligence is tripled which forever changes their relationship. Later on though, Charlie has trouble socializing with Ms. Kinnian because, he talks about too complicated concepts that he learned through his operation. “... she just stared at me blankly and asked me what I meant about the mathematical variance equivalent in Dobermanns Fifth Concerto.” (Keyes 298). Clearly, Charlie’s bond with Ms.Kinnian starts to break after the operation took
place. When Charlie undergoes the surgery, the connection between the doctors and Charlie greatly changes. At the beginning, Charlie and the doctors only communicate when instruction needs to be given. Their relationship was professional and they rarely ever communicated about things that were not related to the surgery. “Dr Strauss said I got to play those games. And he said some time I got to take those tests over again.” (Keyes 288). Afterwards though, Charlie and the doctors got closer, and as time went on Charlie even helped the doctors himself. Charlie eventually got smarter than the doctors and conducted his own experiment because he felt that their research would not be sufficient. “ With all due respect to both of these fine scientists, I am well aware of their limitations... I have been given a lab of my own and permission to go ahead with the research…” (Keyes 300). The scientists connection with Charlie takes an obvious turn after the surgery. Charlie Gordon has his relationships with his friends and people that he cares about because of the operation he chose to go through. In the end, the choice to go through the operation was a bad one, which changed his life for the worse. “It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” (J.K. Rowling).
In this novel, Flowers for Algernon, written by Daniel Keyes, a man named Charlie Gordon has an operation done to increase his intelligence. He started as a mentally retarded man and slowly became a genius. He seemed to soak up information like a sponge and he was able to figure out the most complex scientific formulas. The only problem with the operation is that it does not last for ever and in his remaining time he tries to figure out why it is not permanent. He will eventually lose everything he learned and become worse off than when he started, so Charlie was better off before he had the operation.
Was Charlie better off without the operation? Through Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes sends an crucial message to society that man should never tamper with human intelligence or else the outcome can be personally devastating. After Charlie's operation, he felt isolated and lonesome, change in personality made him edgy around people or (lack social skills), and suffered from traumas due to past memories.
After the operation, Charlie is now using phrases such as "the mathematical variance equivalent in Dobermans Fifth Concerto"(Keyes). About two months after the operation Charlie's IQ has tripled from 68 to 204. He has become insanely smart and is helping boost production at the factory he is working at. Later he quits his job to help further the Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss research. While working on his research, he learns that Algernon has died and becomes worried about his fate.
In the first place, Charlie’s colleagues are taking advantage of Charlie’s disabilities. They call him names because they are aware the he does not know they are insulting him. In one of the progress reports, Charlie stated, “Everybody laffed and we had a good time and they gave me lots of drinks and Joe said Charlie is a card when hes potted. I dont know what that means but everybody likes me and we have fun” [SIC] (205). Charlie does not know that Joe and Frank are insulting him. If he was intelligent, he would get upset and hurt. After the operation, Charlie started to realize that Joe and Frank were calling him names and made him embarrass himself in front of people. For example, when Joe and Frank made him dance with Ellen, he used trip over someone’s foot. Charlie had mentioned, “It’s a funny thing never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the time to make fun of me. I’m ashamed,” (209). He was embarrassed and hurt. Before the operation, Joe and Frank used to
The scientists who performed the experiment now need a human subject to test, and Charlie has been recommended to them by his night-school teacher, Miss Kinnian. Charlie's a good candidate for the procedure, because even though he currently has an I.Q. of only 68, he is willing, highly motivated and eager to learn. He's convinced that if he could only learn to read and write, the secret of being smart would be revealed to him.
He is then judged even harsher which is why you shouldn’t try to be someone that you’re not. You should stay true to yourself. In the story, it says “Their going to use me! I am so exited I can hardly write” (Keyes page 351). This implies that Charlie is anxious to undergo the surgery that will make him smart. Another part says “If you volenteer for this experament you mite get smart”. (Keyes page 351) This shows that the operation will make him more intelligent so he can fit in with everyone else. This proves that Charlie is trying to be someone he is not in order to fit
Charlie’s story began with the surgery, the biggest decision he made in his life. Although he was a guinea pig in the procedure, he wasn’t worried at all about the surgery, but rather on becoming smart as fast as he could. Supposedly these doctors were doing Charlie the greatest favor he would ever receive, and he was so eager to learn as much as he could. Soon however, Charlie would encounter challenges he never faced with the intelligence of a 6 year old. Before his surgery, Charlie had great friends in Miss Kinnian and the bakery workers. After the surgery the relationships between Charlie and everyone he knew would take a drastic turn.
Charlie soon becomes aware that his smartness may not stay forever, that he might lose his genius. He starts to research the experiment himself. He studies a little mouse named Algernon who they did the experiment on first. Charlie starts to become attached to the little white mouse. Together they are the smartest of their species. When Charlie and Algernon have to go Chicago for an interview, Charlie gets so frustrated at how all the scientists are talking as if before the operation Charlie wasn’t a real person. In his frustration he accidentally on purpose let Algernon go.
When was the last time you wanted something so much, you would sacrifice your life to have it; even if just for a moment? Charlie Gordon, a 37 year old man with a learning disability, did just that. In the story "Flowers for Algernon", by Daniel Keyes, Charlie gets a chance to alter his I.Q. substantially through operation. The only drawback to this is, the long-term outcomes of the operation are unknown. The operation does succeed, but later Charlie is sent on a riveting downward spiral into the life he tried to run away from. The operation hurt Charlie in every imaginable way; and did nothing to help him.
As a result of the operations, Charlie gains the experience of what it is like to be intelligent. Therefore, he sees the world as it is. “Only a short time ago, I learned that people laughed at me. Now I can see that unknowingly I joined them in laughing at myself. This hurts most of all” (76.) He can now truly understand how the outside world functions and how he is truly treated.
The scientists finally decide Charlie is the perfect subject for the experiment due to his motivation and his eagerness to be smart. As Charlie's IQ begins to grow, so does his ability to understand how cruel the world around him really is. While Charlie's knowledge grows, his attitude changes along with those around him. Charlie loses his job, friends, happiness, and even his willingness to care or learn. On the contrary, Charlie also experiences and learns a lot from this experiment.
“Flowers for Algernon, first published in 1959, is considered a landmark work on both science fiction and disability literature,” (Werlock 2009). The American Library Association reports that this novel was banned as an obscene for its love scenes. When the main character, Charlie Gordon, increases his IQ from 68 to a level that makes him a genius (after received experimental brain surgery), his maturity leads him to fall in love with his teacher, and a sexual encounter ensues. This caused Flowers for Algernon to be banned and challenged in many places (Plant City, Florida- 1976, Emporium, Pennsylvania- 1977, Oberlin High School (Ohio) - 1983, among others). Most people consider the sexual scenes fairly mild, but there are those who consider any mention of sexual behavior inappropriate for teens or pre-teens, hence the attempts at censorship. Many of the challenges have proved unsuccessful, but the book has occasionally been banned from school libraries including some in Pennsylvania and Texas. Flowers for Algernon has won numerous awards, even for the film, and it is regularly taught in schools around the world; therefore, it should remain on shelves.
According to Charlie’s log, before Charlie was going to get his operation, Miss Kinnian said, “...dont be scared Charlie you done so much with so little I think you deserv it most of all… [sic].” Through this line we can see Miss Kinnian cared about Charlie. A few days after Charlie beat Algernon at the maze, Charlie went to Miss Kinnian, who said, “I have confidence in you Charlie the way you struggled so hard to read and right… [sic].” The words “I have confidence in you” clearly shows Miss Kinnian’s faith in and care for Charlie. In Charlie’s log, he said to Miss Kinnian, “...all my frends are smart people but there good. They like me and they never did anything that wasnt nice… [sic]” After
Charlie’s life was amazing after the A.I surgery. One reason was that charlie now has true friends who care about him. Also, Charlie got to experience good and bad feelings. And finally, Charlie was able to experience being smart. This story has shown us how happy it made Charlie when he was smart. We cannot give this surgery to everyone, but we still have to have respect and be kind to others no matter how smart they
If Charlie didn’t have the operation he would not be able to realize that Joe and Frank were making fun of him. Joe and Frank would just keep making fun of him and he would not be able to stick up for himself. Once in the story Charlie said,“It's a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the time to make fun of me. Now I know what it means when they say "to pull a Charlie Gordon.” I'm ashamed” (page 524). Somebody who has been made fun of before should know that anybody would want to stick up for themselves. This shows that it was a blessing for Charlie to have this operation because now he can stick up for