“...and she said Charlie you're going to have a second chance. If you volunteer for this you might get smart” (Keyes 286). This is a quote said by Charlie recalling Miss Kinnian’s words from the book, Flowers for Algernon. Miss Kinnian’s words influenced Charlie to go through with the surgery. After his surgery, the consequences were quite sad and disappointing. Charlie Gordon was laughed at and made fun of for his little amount of intelligence. Everyday his intelligence level increased exponentially. Although his mind was only agile for just for a small period of time and was able to have friends again, he learned skills and facts about different fields of study, like psychology and mathematics, with the experience and feeling of intelligence …show more content…
and spared the terror and shame of public humiliation and embarrassment. In addition, Charlie even wrote to Miss Kinnian in his progress to not be sorry for him because he was in fact “glad I [Charlie] got a second chance to be smart because I [he] learned a of things that I [he] never even knew were in this world and I’m [he’s] grateful that I [he] saw it all for a little bit” (Keyes 305-306). Charlie would have never experienced what it would be like to have an intelligent mind without the surgery. Therefore, the surgery that made Charlie Gordon’s intelligence increase, made him better off than what his dull mental state was. Charlie Gordon lived most his life not experiencing the joy of having knowledge. After the surgery, he learned an abundant amount information about the world and its environment. Charlie was actually able to at least experience having the knowledge he never had. He learned a lifetime worth of information and knowledge from only being smart for a short time. Charlie did not know if the surgery had worked until the effects in his mental state began to blossom significantly. As the readers already knew, Charlie had a mental disability, and therefore thought his doctors that were performing the experiment on him were the most intelligent beings on Earth. He idolized his doctors, Drs. Strauss and Neumer; however, after the surgery he realized that they were not all that smart and wise as he used to think. Charlie realizes that “Dr. Neumer is not at all a genius” (Keyes 297). Charlie means that he is not at all impressed by Dr. Neumer’s intelligence or knowledge, but instead thinks that he could do better and has more knowledge than he does. As Charlie’s mind progresses and advances, he realizes that Dr. Neumer was not at all smart and that his knowledge is stronger. However, Charlie views Dr. Strauss with a bit more reverence. Charlie claims that, “Dr. Strauss on the other hand might be called a genius, although I feel that his areas of knowledge are too limited” (Keyes 297). He does say that Dr, Strauss is a genius; however, Charlie is still not impressed. Although Dr. Strauss is a neurosurgeon, Charlie was shocked that he only knows so much, meaning his ability to learn Latin, Greek, and Hebrew and comprehending calculus, does not impress him. Again, Charlie thinks that he could do much better than his doctor with his super intelligence. Obviously, Charlie had gained more confidence in himself and his abilities, as he gained more intelligence throughout his waking days. With Charlie’s intelligence, he designed an experiment from Algernon’s peculiar behavior, which also motivated him. He states that, “...I’m [he’s] driven by something inside that won’t let me [him] stop” (Keyes 301). Charlie gets the motivation from Algernon’s behavior and his own well being. Charlie analyzed his data and concluded that what had happened to Algernon would eventually happen to him sooner or later, since he and Algernon both had the same operation, thus giving him some insight on what was about to happen to him. His conclusion about the mind deteriorating was correct and indeed happened to him. Although Charlie had lost his intelligence, he was able to experience how much information and knowledge there was in the world. Without the surgery, he would have never known what it would have felt like to be smart and knowledgeable. Even though Charlie wasn’t able to have the feeling of intelligence forever, he was at least able to view the world with amazement. After Charlie was close to his state of intelligence before the surgery, he resumed his work at the factory where his friends Joe and Frank were. Charlie recalls that “one of the new men who came to work there after I [Charlie] went away made a nasty crack. He said, ‘Hey Charlie, I hear you’re a very smart fella; a real quiz kid. Say something intelligent.’” (Keyes 305). At the factory, his mind was not as agile and advanced as it used to be, hence the reason for his careless actions and the loss of his knowledge. However, instead of his friends laughing at him when someone was ridiculing Charlie, they stood up and defended Charlie, for they empathized what he had gone through and what he had lost. Charlie “felt bad but Joe Carp came over and grabbed him by the shirt and said, ‘Leave him alone, you lousy cracker or I’ll break your neck.’ I didn’t expect Joe to take my part so I guess he’s really my friend” (Keyes 305). In addition, they even told him that “ ‘if anybody bothers you [him] or tries to take advantage of you, call me or Joe and we will set ‘em straight’ ” (Keyes 305). Charlie didn’t think that Joe Carp was his friends because he made fun of him. However, when he did lose the intelligence, his friends really were acting as real, true friends. Although the tragic, unfortunate event of the loss of his super intelligence, he was able to find out for himself what would eventually happen to him and therefore established a better, respected relationship with his friends at the factory. Charlie’s “friends” at the factory were not exactly true and real friends.
They made fun of him for his little amount of intelligence he possessed. After the surgery, he was able to distinguish why his “friends” were laughing at him and what had happened to him. His mind after the surgery made him more aware of his actions and spared him all the embarrassment, shame, and humiliation. He states, “Sometimes somebody will say ‘hey look at Joe or Frank or George he really pulled a Charlie Gordon’. I don’t know why they say that but they always laugh.” “He [Amos Borg] said, ‘Ernie for god sake what are you trying to be a Charlie Gordon?’ (Keyes 289). Before the surgery, when they said Charlie’s name, Charlie was completely oblivious why they were shouting his name. Furthermore, Charlie did not understand why people, like Amos Borg, would say such a thing. However, after the surgery, he came to finally came to realize what that peculiar phrase meant. When Charlie was invited to another party with Joe Carp and his other “friends” at the factory, Charlie knew this time why they were laughing at him. He recalled that moment as he “didn’t know what to do or where to run. Everyone was looking at me [Charlie] and laughing and I [Charlie] felt naked” (Keyes 293). Charlie knew that time why they were laughing at him and knew that his “friends” only invited him to make fun of him. After that incident, Charlie claimed he knew what it meant to “pull a Charlie Gordon”. Undoubtedly, Charlie was more aware of himself and avoided the terrors of public humiliation, shame, and
embarrassment. Charlie’s life long concern about his life was his poor intelligence level. People, like his teacher Miss Kinnian, knew that he was dedicated and would do anything to be smart. Because of this, Miss Kinnian advised him to take part in the surgery and get a chance at being intelligent. He followed the advice and the knowledge that he acquired from the surgery was incredible. With that said, that knowledge led to power and respect. For example, when the boy at a resturaunt was criticized and ridiculed for his foolish mistakes, Charlie once knew how it felt like. Filled with anger and rage, he was able to defend that poor boy by standing up for him. They listened to him because of his superior intelligence. Therefore, If Charlie had never taken part in the monumental, life changing surgery event, he would have never been able to suppress that life long concern of a poor intelligence, for knowledge is everything.
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.
Is becoming smart always better than staying dumb? After considering Charlie’s situation, I have decided that the answer to this question is no. Charlie is the main character in the science fiction story Flowers for Algernon written by Daniel Keyes. In the book, Charlie is a 37 year old man who has an I.Q. of 68 and is on a mission to become smart. When the opportunity comes for him to participate in an experiment for an operation that can triple his I.Q., he willingly takes it. It turns out that the operation only grants a temporary intelligence boost, and Charlie experiences high intelligence only to have it start deteriorating. I think that Charlie was wrong to have the operation that temporarily made him smart.
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.
Before the operation, he exhibited some clear strengths such as determination, a positive attitude, friendly with people and some weaknesses such as education and inability to understand the adult world. After the operation, he begun to change in numerous ways. Charlie started out as being not really intelligent. Being around with “smart” people made him want to change and became “intelligent” just like his “friends.” I think its all crazy. If you can get smart when your sleeping why do people go to school. That thing I don't think will work. I use to watch the late show and the late late show on TV all the time and it never made me smart (Keyes 118). This part of the book led Charlie’s flashbacks takes place of how he was raised or nurtured through his childhood, Of how he wanted to try to become smart. However Dr. Strauss believes that his sleep would help Charlie be able to learn. However in his nature, his disability cannot help him at all, doesn’t matter how much he tries to watch TV and tries to go to sleep, I wouldn’t allow him to learn anything at all. The nurture of this is having the doctor recommend Charlie to do this. His disability also not just affects him but his family as well. His disability kind of makes his sister miserable as well, jealous over how the parents focus on Charlie due to his disability, despite the successes the sister achieves in school. Thus Charlie’s nature towards others has a negative effect which is towards his sister. Charlie was raised by his parents but through a condition that would then follow him probably for the rest of his life as well as being mainly raised through this experiment, which possibly wouldn’t help him at all in the near
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.
“Flowers for Algernon” is about a man named Charlie Gordon who is mentally retarded. Charlie signs up for an experiment that is supposed to make him smarter. He wants to be like every one else. To do the experiment he has to keep a journal showing his progress. Charlie starts out spelling almost every word wrong. Charlie’s family and friends have all made fun of him; his parents gave him to his uncle when he was ten.
Every day, people go through operations and sometimes experience unpredicted and unwanted outcomes. The story, Flowers for Algernon, is exactly like that. In this story, a 37 year old man, named Charlie Gordon, has a mental disability and participates in an operation/experiment to increase his knowledge. After taking part in the operation, Charlie’s intellect gradually escalates to a genius status. Charlie, the man who had an IQ of 68, was slowly maturing mentally and he started seeing the world with a whole new different perspective. However, near the end of the story, his brain regresses back to where he started from. Charlie shouldn't have taken part in the operation: he started seeing the world in a different perspective, he experienced unpredicted outcomes, and the operation changed Charlie's whole personality. Charlie would have been better off if he didn’t undergo the operation and participate in the experiment.
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.
“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.
In Daniel Keyes’ compelling novel, Flowers for Algernon, the main character undergoes both important emotional and physical changes. The book has an interesting twist, as it is described in the characters “progress reports”. This book has a science fiction undertone, and takes place in exciting New York City. As the novel begins, the main character, Charlie Jordan is thirty-two years old, but cannot remember anything from his childhood.
In the novel Flowers for Algernon, “ignorance is a bliss” is an abundant theme shown throughout the book. This theme can also relate to everyday people in the real world. There are many different examples of this theme in the novel and in real life, but in the book, ignorance did not stop Charlie Gordon from aspiring to become intelligent. The theme of “ignorance is a bliss”, is shown throughout the novel Flowers for Algernon in many different ways.
The main idea of “Flowers for Algernon” was about a man named Charlie Gordon who was mentally ill. He received a life changing operation that shifted his entire world around in an instant. On the other hand the main idea of eleanor & park was about a girl named Eleanor Douglas whose stepdad Richie was abusive. Soon after this recurring event she was forced to switch schools, she met Park who she later fell in love with. There are several major similarities and differences concerning the characters Charlie from “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, and Eleanor from eleanor & park by Rainbow Rowell.