Differences In Charly And Flowers For Algernon

Differences in Charly and “Flowers for Algernon”

Charlie Gordon is a thirty seven-year-old man with a disability that made gave him the intelligence of an eight-year-old. His journey from exceedingly low intelligence to an amazingly high intellect and back again is told in the short story “Flowers for Algernon,” by Daniel Keyes and the movie Charly. Even though they both tell the same story, there are several differences that change the understanding and the emotional effect. The movie changes the point of view, symbolism, and characterization of the story “Flowers for Algernon.”

In both versions of Charlie Gordon’s story the point of view is critical to our understanding of Charlie’s emotional and intellectual position. “Flowers for Algernon”

is written in a first person point of view through Charlie’s progress reports. Charly is a movie so it adds multiple points of view and adds several scenes that were not included in “Flowers for Algernon,” because Charlie was not there to witness them. The difference is that Charly enhances our understanding of what is going on to all the characters. The movie also includes Charlie’s chalk board which shows his handwriting and how he is progressing.
In addition, the symbols change from flowers to playground swings. The story includes a strong connection to flowers, because like flowers Charlie’s intelligence started as a bud, then bloomed, until finally and unfortunately withered and died. Whereas throughout the movie Charlie goes to the playground where he sits on a swing to contemplate the ups and downs of life. The different symbols change the title and the connections. The connection in the book is Charlie and Algernon’s intelligence, but in the movie it is the emotional swings of life.
Finally, the characterization of Miss Kinnian changes. In “Flowers for Algernon” as far as we know Miss Kinnian shares no love for Charlie. Where on the other hand in the movie Mrs. Kinnian loves Charlie and it is Charlie who refuses to marry her and sends her away. The change in Miss Kinnian’s character divertes the focus of the movie and makes her seem like an untrustworthy character.
In conclusion while both “Flowers for Algernon” and Charly tell the story of Charlie Gordon, the book is more effective because it is written by Charlie. In the book we get a wider scope of Charlie’s emotions, because he tells us how he feels and what is going on. In both the short story and the movie Charlie’s experience teaches readers to not attempt to change themselves to fit society.