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What is Intelligence?
Intelligence is not measured by how smart you are, but by how hard you work at something. The main character in the story Flowers for Algernon, Charlie Gordon, had a problem with intelligence. For instance, Charlie had an IQ of sixty-eight, which meant he had trouble with certain things such as spelling and grammar. Charlie was given the chance to get an operation that would triple his IQ. It was not permanent, but when he got the operation, he saw life in a new way and especially got to live his dream. In Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes, the intelligence-altering surgery was substantially beneficial to Charlie Gordon.
One reason the surgery was beneficial to Charlie was that he got to live his dream of being smart.
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Charlie expresses this particular dream before the surgery when he explains, “All my life I wantid to be smart and not dumb” (Keyes 184). Charlie is not very intelligent and even if the surgery was not permanent, he wanted to be normal like everybody else. He dreams to live normally and fit in when he says, “I want to be smart like other people” (Keyes 186). Before the surgery, Charlie was not as smart as he would have liked to be, however, he tried stupendously hard to be smart. Therefore, when he was smart, he went above and beyond with his genius abilities and was determined to pursue his dream. In addition to living his dream, Charlie should have had the surgery because he made a great contribution in the name of science.
His operation was quite beneficial because, without knowing, he devoted the rest of his life to the doctor’s research. Although the results were grave, he was part of a groundbreaking experiment. Even though he knows his fate he still proclaims proudly, “Anyway I bet Im the first dumb person in the world who ever found out something importent for sience” (Keyes 210). Charlie is glad he got to help with the experiment and undertake something important; even though he didn't know what he was doing at the time. In the end, The intelligence-altering surgery, although it had its faults, helped Charlie realize new things. “ I have already begun to notice signs of emotional instability and forgetfulness” (Keyes 205). Because his intelligence had become more superior than the doctors’, Charlie was the one to research, study his condition and was able to conclude that his intelligence would not last. Despite the fact the operation failed, he made a contribution because he analyzed and tested certain facts to compose this end result. Not to mention, the story includes Charlie’s progress reports, which show his increases and decreases in intelligence. Because of that, the reports offered incredible help to future research about this subject know as the “Algernon Gordon Effect.” Plus, it allowed the scientist to see the test from Charlie’s perspective. Charlie had provided exceptional information to the scientific
community. Above all, Charlie had a chance to fulfill his dream and live his life in a new way. After his experience, he reveals, “Its a good feeling to know things and be smart” (Keyes 210). Charlie’s operation helped him mature immensely and develop new emotions. With that said, Charlie had become less childish and realized it is not okay to be laughed at or made fun of in anyway. Before his operation, he was very optimistic by saying, “Ill be abel to read better and spell the words good and know lots of things and be like other people” (Keyes 186). Following the surgery, when Charlie’s intelligence increases, he sees life in a new light. He soon found out that people laughed at him, including his so-called “friends”. Likewise, he realized that before, he was mentally inferior, and lacked in having common sense like the others. He saw the past more clearly and recognized things he hadn’t before. The operation helped Charlie comprehend new social knowledge he would not have found out without it. In Conclusion, Charlie Gordon’s intelligence-increasing surgery was a highly valuable gift. It helped him grow stronger as a person and develop new thoughts and feelings which would help him more so in life. Charlie got to live his dream, experience life in a new way, and compose an advantageous scientific experiment. In the end, although his intelligence did not last, Charlie continued to be remarkably optimistic to what the future holds for him. Remember, intelligence is not the only thing that defines a person, for what defines a person is the caring heart they have and how they use it. In the story, Flowers for Algernon, Charlie Gordon’s kind and optimistic heart, helps him in such a way it defines who he is, as a person, beyond intelligence.
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.
He proved the operation was a failure Algernon-Gordon effect. The quote is saying (which is next)that Charlie is telling the doctors that their experiment was a failure.The quote is “I recall your once saying to me that an experimental failure or disproving of a theory was important to the advancement of learning as a success would
Before Charlie became smart, even the simplest things in life were good enough for him. As a genius, none of those things mattered to him. His mind was more complex, he needed more and he wanted more. As a result, he felt alone and buried himself in his work.
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
With his simple minded approach to life, he was able to live happily without problems or difficulties that we face in relationships today. Although he was never smart, Charlie was a good person before the surgery.
Everyone would love to be intelligent and get good grades and a good job, maybe even invent something new and get money from it. If you had a chance to raise your IQ score by three times what it is now, would you do the operation? Would you take the risk of dying, having mental disabilities, not knowing the consequences? Most people would love to get smarter, but they do not want to get harmed during the operation.
The experiment starts to work and Charlie gets smarter and he starts realizing new things. Before the operation his imagination and his brain weren’t working that well. His imagination started to work for the first time when he got this operation. Now that he was smart, he could quit his old job of working as a janitor at a bakery and start working for the hospital full time.
Not everyone gets the chance to be a genius, but if you do dear god hold onto it as long as you can. Being smart can change your life for the better or for the worst (depends on how you think). In the short story “Flowers For Algernon” by Daniel Keyes a 37 year old man named Charlie who is declared dumb or idiotic becomes a genius from an operation. He also meets an animal just like him-a white mouse. This mouse called Algernon has gone through the same operation, but things don’t turn out as well as planned by the scientists. Yes, Charlie Gordon should have gotten this operation.
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.
Firstly, Charlie's operation turns him into an extremely intelligent person. Charlie becomes much smarter as the novel unfolds. A little after his operation Charlie's IQ slowly starts to increase. He finally beats Algernon after losing to him in a race repeatedly. After the victory Charlie says, " I beet Algernon. I dint even know I beet him until Burt Selden told me…But after I beet him 8 more times. I must be getting smart to beat a smart mouse like Algernon."(Keyes 30). Algernon is a smart mouse, who has undergone the same operation as Charlie. Charlie victory shows his increase of knowledgeable. This also shows that his brain is developing. Charlie then gains more knowledge. After writing a few more progress reports one can see a huge change in Charlie's writing, especially in his grammar. While having a conversation with Joe, Charlie says, "Everybody on the floor came around and they were laff laughing…you been here long enuff enough."(Keyes 34). By correcting his own mistakes, Charlie shows that he is progressing towards a more educate...
A common argument against this position is that Charlie was better before the AI surgery, but I disagree. After the AI surgery Charlie said he felt ¨ashamed¨, but he was only feeling like that because he realised how people treated him his whole life. Also people may say that Charlie was too smart. Charlie was at such intelligence level that certain people could obtain naturally. Again coming to the conclusion that Charlie Gordons life was better after the AI
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.
Throughout the novel, one of the most prominent changes had been Charlie’s intelligence. Prior to the surgery, he had a subnormal intelligence. He had a low reading and writing level and was unable to use grammar or punctuation properly. However, after the surgery, at the height of his intelligence, he had learned 17 languages and discovered Algernon-Gordon Effect. For instance, weeks after the surgery, Charlie remarks that “[he] heard [his] answers – childish impossible things… ‘ Was that really [him]?’ Keyes, page 21. Charlie’s intelligence regressed to prior to the surgery
Imagine walking through the cafeteria and seeing a kid sitting alone and wondering if there is the possibility that they are just like you. Charlie Gordon in Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon, had an unusually low IQ and found himself without any friends. Nobody accepted him nor did they respect him. His peers made fun of him and laughed at him. As a citizen living in a free society, it is everyone’s responsibility to accept others, respect everyone, and to sacrifice your time and energy for anybody.