Self-Acceptance In Flowers For Algernon

This story is written in the form of journals to convey Charlie’s personal thoughts to the reader. This form of writing shows the thought process of Charlie before, during, and after his operation, and it explains how people shouldn’t change for anyone else. In Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes presents the idea that self-acceptance is important in life along with staying true to who you are.

Joe Carp and Frank Reilly are Charlie’s coworkers who often make fun of Charlie because of his low IQ. Charlie figured he could resolve this by becoming smarter, so he undergoes an experiment and becomes smarter. Instead of them liking him more, they feared him. Charlie thinks that if he changes and tries to become someone new that he will have lots of friends. He thinks he will have a normal life, like everyone that he works with at Donegan's plastic box company. In the story, the text states “Then Frank Reilly said what did you do Charlie forget your key and open your door the hard way. That made me laff. Their really my friends and they like me” (Keyes page 354). This shows that his coworkers are mean to him but he doesn’t notice and he just wants to be their friends. The story also said, “All the rest demanded I be fired” (Keyes page 336) and this means that his coworkers didn’t want to work

with him.

Charlie feels like he is alone and no one cares for him, so he tries changing who he is by becoming smarter.

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

in.

When Charlie decided to do the operation he knew he would be changed into someone new. The old Charlie would be gone and there would be a new and improved Charlie. His personality would also differentiate. Once he had the surgery, Charlie began to grow smarter over a period of time, but as he grew smarter, more and more people couldn’t understand why. They then became scared of him. Later, Charlie finds out that the operation was a failure and that he was going to die. In the story, it says “The surgical stimulus to which we were both subjected has resulted in an intensification and acceleration of all mental processes” (Keyes page 373). It also says “However, by all indications, my own mental deterioration will be very rapid”( Keyes page 374). These pieces of evidence show that Charlie has been doing research and his results are that he is going to die like Algernon.

In conclusion, Charlie felt like he needed to change himself in order to fit in and be like everyone else, but in the end, instead of changing for the better he got worse. People attempt to change themselves for others every day, but staying true to who you are is the best way to live life.