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Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keyes, tells the story of a mentally disabled man named Charlie Gordon, who undergoes an experimental procedure that increases his intelligence. Through Charlie's story, we find that one theme involves whether man possesses the right to play God and change the natural state of things. Several characters in the book question whether scientists or doctors should change what God intends or try to correct the mistakes of nature. Along with this theme of man versus the natural state, Keyes uses another theme in the book related to the importance of friendship. Charlie values his friends more than anything in his life and these friendships influence many of the decisions he makes. The story unfolds through progress reports that Charlie writes, beginning at the time he learns he will undergo an experimental procedure that will increase his intelligence, and ending nine months after the procedure. Prior to Charlie, only a mouse named Algernon underwent this procedure with successful results. As the first human subject, no one can predict the short and long term effects of the surgery. Charlie undergoes the procedure and over a short period of time, he experiences a great increase in his intelligence to a genius level. Charlie's progress reports indicate that this increased intelligence causes many problems and issues to arise that didn't exist before. Although Charlie's intelligence increases, his social skills do not, so he must learn how to behave as an adult. He also begins to recognize that many of the people he thought of as friends actually view him as someone to make fun of. He can now remember his past and his family, which causes many unhappy emotions to come out. Finally, Charlie's increased intelligence enables him to discover a flaw in the experiment, which eventually leads to a regression for him and Algernon. At the end, Charlie watches what happens to Algernon and realizes that he will go back to his previous state. The experiment eventually fails, but Charlie hopes that his experience contributes something to science, and he vows that he will never stop reading books or trying to "get smart."
The main character of the book, Charlie Gordon, a thirty-two year old developmentally disabled man, starts out at the beginning of the story with an I.Q. of 68. He works as a janitor in a bakery during the day and he attends a school for disabled adults during the night. He exhibits a trusting, loving nature and the most important aspects of his life consist of his friends, trying to please others, and "getting smarter". Charlie learns that he will soon undergo an operation that will make him smarter and the doctors request that he write progress reports describing his experiences. At first, the reports contain many spelling and grammatical mistakes. After the procedure, Charlie's intelligence increases dramatically, and the progress reports reflect this increase. Charlie's new intelligence brings many conflicts and changes to his life. He must learn to behave in social situations and how to maintain adult relationships; he must learn how to deal with the realization that people he used to think of as friends take advantage of his low intelligence by teasing and making fun of him; and he must deal with the anxiety that occurs when he remembers negative things about his past and his family. Further, he must deal with peoples' criticisms that his new intelligence does not represent what God or nature intended for him. Regardless of the new problems Charlie faces, he always maintains that friendships represent the most important thing in his life. He constantly tries to please others so they will like him. Since Charlie doesn't maintain any contact with his parents or sister, his friends at the bakery and at the school develop into family substitutes for him. He doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize these friendships. "This intelligence has driven a wedge between me and all the people I knew and loved, driven me out of the bakery. Now, I'm more alone than ever before. I wonder what would happen if they put Algernon back in the big cage with some of the other mice. Would they turn against him?" P. 75. Prior to the operation he maintains much simpler relationships with people because he never understands the real meaning behind people's actions and words. But after his operation his greater understanding causes him some conflicts. His new intelligence drives away his friends because they don't think that anyone should change what God gives to people, or because they now believe themselves inferior to him. The operation that he desperately wanted actually ends up working against him in certain ways. Yet the value he places on friends never decreases. Even in his regressed state he still continues to think of his friends as he commits himself to an institution so he won't burden anyone and he requests that someone remember to put flowers on his friend Algernon's grave.
Alice Kinnian plays a major role in the book because she illustrates the theme of friendship and she moves the plot along. Alice teaches at a school for disabled adults, and meets Charlie because he attends her class. Alice represents the only person who acts as a true friend to Charlie both before and after the surgery. In fact, Alice recommends him for the experimental procedure when she notices Charlie's strong motivation to learn. She does not disappoint Charlie as many of his other friends do, since she always treats Charlie with respect and honesty. As Charlie's mental state changes from very low intelligence into a genius, her involvement with Charlie changes from friendship into love. Although frustrated at times with the way Charlie treats her as his intelligence increases, she continues to exhibit loyalty and love towards Charlie. Even when Charlie discovers the flaw in the experiment and he realizes he will soon regress, she still wants to spend time with him. "Alice knows everything about me now, and accepts the fact that we can be together for only a short while. She has agreed to go away when I tell her to go. It's painful to think about that, but what we have, I suspect, is more than most people find in a lifetime." P. 05. Even as Charlie regresses into his previous state and he tells Alice not to visit him or help him anymore, she doesn't abandon him. She demonstrates the meaning of a true friend as she desperately tries to maintain ties with him even though he pushes her away.
Gimpy represents a minor character in this book who works at the bakery with Charlie. Before Charlie's operation, Gimpy and the other workers at the bakery make fun of Charlie, but Charlie doesn't really understand it; he just enjoys their company and wants them to like him. After the operation, Charlie realizes how they make jokes at his expense and he recognizes some negative things about his co-workers that he didn't realize before. This leads him to question the worthiness of their friendship. He discovers that Gimpy often steals money from the bakery by undercharging customers and pocketing the extra money. Charlie's loyalties lie toward the owner, someone he considers a friend, but also to Gimpy, since he considers Gimpy a friend too and doesn't want to get him fired. He finally shows loyalty to both Gimpy and the owner of the bakery. He confronts Gimpy with his knowledge and says that he won't tell the owner if Gimpy will stop stealing immediately. Gimpy reluctantly agrees to stop and doesn't even realize that Charlie's loyalty and friendship just saved his job. Charlie leaves the bakery as his intelligence increases since others find it difficult to maintain a relationship with him as he reaches the genius level. But, at the end of the story when Charlie regresses to his original state of intelligence, he goes back to the bakery and asks for his old job. "Later Gimpy came over limping on his bad foot and he said Charlie if anyone bothers you or trys to take advantage you call me or Joe or Frank and we will set him strait. We all want you to remember that you got frends here and dont you ever forget it. I said thanks Gimpy. That makes me feel good." P. 15. Gimpy and the others he worked with before finally show true friendship qualities as they protect him and support him when some of the new people make fun of him. Gimpy thought that Charlie betrayed them by reaching an intelligence level greater than theirs. But now, his friends at the bakery accept him as he returns to his original state.
Cheap University Papers on Flowers for Algernon
Clearly, Keyes wants us to examine the issues that arise when man changes the natural state of things. Should scientists and doctors play God and try to improve things or does that cause more problems? Charlie's transformation from a man who possesses low intelligence, to a genius, produces many complications in his life. In addition, the experiment ultimately fails, which means Charlie must go through extreme disappointment and possibly even regress further than before. The book's very good quality of writing moves the story along at a fast pace. Telling the story from Charlie's perspective makes it more interesting because you can hear his thoughts as he goes through the various stages of the experiment. I recommend this book highly because of the suspense of finding out what happens to Charlie.
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