Charlie Gordon In Flowers For Algernon

Charlie changes over the course of the novel by changing the way he writes, talked to people, and listens to others. (Pg. 1 “I had a test today. I think faled it…”) (Pg. 246 “ I want to know if you feel any gratitude for all the things that have been done for you…”)

Have you ever thought about being smart? Well, Charlie Gordon did. Charlie Gordon is a 37 year old male with an I.Q. that is not very high. In the Science FIction story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel keyes. Charlie Gordon wasn’t very smart, he has a low I.Q. of 68. Charlie wanted to be smart so he would be liked by people. Charlie had the opportunity to have the A.I. surgery to triple his I.Q. Charlie Gordon should have had the A.I. surgery.

“Eagar, Determined, and Motivated:” these three words describe Charlie Gordon in Daniel Keyes’s story “Flowers for Algernon”. Daniel Keyes writes about a thirty two year old man with a low IQ (Charlie Gordon) who strives to become “normal”. Charlie will do anything to become smarter even letting two doctors preform brain surgery to enhance his learning capability. Charlie evolves throughout the novel and by the end of his journey although his IQ is low he is a more complete person. He learns the true meaning of friendship and demonstrates intellectual growth as a person by overcoming obstacles and understanding various lessons.

Once Charlie is at the peak of his intelligence, he starts regressing. He then writes a report to try and figure out what went wrong with the operation, so maybe he can fix it and stay a genius, or maybe if he can’t help himself, at least know what went wrong so he can prevent future operations from failing, too. He writes the Algernon-Gordon Effect, which states that human-made intelligence deteriorates at a rate of time directly proportional to the quantity of the increase. On page 333, he says, “These and my people. Let me use my gift to do something for them.” Charlie mentions that he is the only person who had both been smart and dumb in the world. Therefore, he is more knowledgeable than everyone who is working in this field. He will now be able to work out problems with the procedures so they can use it for many people, and make other people in Charlie’s predicament smarter. Other people may say, “Charlie just became stupid again, so what’s the point in the procedure? They just gave him what he wanted his whole life, only to have it forcefully taken away from him, and he could do nothing.” This is a valid point, but I believe that Charlie gets what he wants, so who cares if he becomes stupid again. All of his life, he wants to become smart, and he gets this chance through

He is motivated to learn before the surgery, which is why Miss Kinnian suggested him for the surgery. Charlies main goal is that he wants to be smart like everyone else. In “progris riport 6th Mar 8,” Charlie says, “and he [Prof Nemur] said that meens Im doing something grate for sience and Ill be famus and my name will go down in the books. I dont care so much about beeing famus. I just want to be smart like other pepul so I can have lots of frends who like me” (Keyes 12-13). He is trying so hard because he wants to fit in. Fitting in is a big deal to Charlie because he has always felt outside, especially with his family. He wants his mother to be proud of him, he wants her to know how smart he is. After the surgery Charlie’s intelligence increases so much over a period of time that he is now at what is considered the genius level. Ironically, when Charlie’s intelligence increases his relationships and friendships start to be harmed, which is the exact opposite of what Charlie believed would happen. Charlie found his dad’s barber shop and decided to go see him. When Charlie started talking to him though, Charlie knew his father Matt did not recognize him. “I wasn’t his son. That was another Charlie. Intelligence and knowledge had changed me, and he would resent me—as the others from the bakery resented me—because my growth diminished him. I didn’t want that” (Keyes 188). Charlie starts to realize that

Charlie had a chance to learn and do things that most people wouldn't have a chance to do in a lifetime, even if it was for a short time. After Charlie's regression he continued to try to become intelligent again, however, Charlie had said himself that he was grateful when he said, "Im glad I got a second chanse to be smart becaus I lerned a lot of things that I never even new were in this world and Im grateful that I saw it all for a little bit (Keyes 245) [Sic]." You have to understand that, with a mindset like this, you know you have done the right thing. Charlie was grateful for his chance to be smart and was thoroughly pleased with his decision. Nothing can be more favorable than the joyous feeling of gratitude. It can be compared to getting the gift you always wanted for Christmas, or when someone gives you a sincere smile that will brighten any bad day. This must have been what Charlie had been feeling in order to be this grateful. Another piece of evidence to prove this point is when Dr Nermur had said that Charlie was, "trying to cram a lifetime of research and thought into a few weeks (Keyes 238)." Both Charlie and Dr. Nemur both know that he was capable of this, and so much more. After the operation Charlie was super intelligent and grew the ability to understand more things socially, which is what he wanted the most, to be able to understand his friends and be smart like them, two of his greatest desires in one stone.

In the beginning, he wasn’t very smart, but he was happy. He didn’t understand things, he didn’t know how to spell, he was childish, but he was happy. The story explains, “ She told me this test and the other one the raw-shok was for getting personalty. I laffed so hard. I said how can you get that thing from inkblots and fotos.” (Keyes, 55) The text explains that he was happy, he can’t spell, and that he is childish. Then when he had the operation, he became so knowledgeable that he lost his friends and wasn’t very happy. Being happy is more important than being intelligent, and Charlie lost his happiness because he wanted to be

Has Charlie changed from the beginning of the novel to the end, and has it been beneficial to him? Many traits and characteristics of Charlie’s have changed from the beginning of the novel. Some of those traits and characteristics include his attitude, his knowledge, and his perseverance. Charlie’s perseverance has changed drastically in the novel from start to end.

Before the operation Charlie may not be very intelligent, but his is always happy with a smile on his face. Throughout the story, "Flowers for Algernon," it is easy to see how Charlie changes over time because it is evident in his progress reports. Early in the beginning of the story, he is not able to spell very well and he has trouble creatively. For example, when he is administered a Rorschach test, Charlie has a tough time understanding what the inkblots are supposed to mean. Although he is not as smart and doesn't have much creativity either, Charlie lives a happy day to day life and is better able to enjoy himself.

The novel Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes, has been an eye-opener to many for years on end, and sparked new ideas for readers all around the world. The novel focuses on Charlie Gordon—an adult with an extremely low IQ—by following him and his experiences through his written progress reports. The only view of his life the reader obtains is through his eyes and what he writes down, which may act as both an advantage and disadvantage at times to the reader. One day, a couple of doctors got in contact with Charlie and asked him if wanted to participate in an experiment they were conducting meant to enhance one’s IQ. After eagerly accepting the offer, Charlie realized the world he lived in was not what he once thought it was.

This makes him upset and angry at himself for not understanding what was happening. On page 193, Daniel Keyes writes, “I’m ashamed.” This was the first time that Charlie truly showed his emotions and understood how it felt to regret something. After the operation, Charlie felt things like shame, regret and loneliness. However, before, he didn’t feel any of these. Such emotions can make someone depressed, which is exactly what Charlie was. Daniel Keyes illustrates this when Charlie says “It is hard to throw away thoughts of suicide.” (page 302) This shows just how serious Charlie’s condition really was at the end of the story. For these reasons, Charlie is more aware of the things that he does wrong after the surgery.

Motivation versus Intelligence in “Flowers for Algernon” “Genius without education is like silver in the mine.” (Benjamin Franklin). “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, is a story about a man named Charlie Gordon and how he went through a procedure to get smarter or gain intelligence. At the end of the story Charlie ends up losing his intelligence and all memory of when he was smart, he reverted back to his old self and was still motivated to do well. “Motivation and Intelligence which matters most?”

Charlie got to see the world like everyone else for a short time. Even though Charlie changed, in the long run, it was not good for him. The procedure, where they take out a section of the brain thought to be associated with mental illness, causing too much brain matter to be extracted causing later issues in life. With the short term experience, the long

Throughout the novel Charlie’s personality and intelligence level changes a lot. In the beginning Charlie is happy, has friends, he’s retarded, and can’t remember a lot of things. “I fergot his last name because I dont remebir so good.” (Keyes 2),

of sixty-eight, after the operation. Throughout the novel Flowers for Algernon, Charlie underwent a serious transformation — from an optimistic but dimwitted thirty-two-year-old man with hope for the future, to a cynical genius whose world was slowly beginning to fall apart, and then back to a happier version of his original self. However, it is indisputable that Charlie was the happiest after the operation, when his I.Q. had sunk back down to a measly sixty-eight. His relationships thrived in light of his recent life events, he was protected by the innocence and childlike naïveté of his mental state, and his learning ethic returned to a need-to-know basis. Intelligence has always been something of incredible value, so much so that mentally-retarded Charlie Gordon was approached by scientists with the proposition of artificially increasing his intelligence. However, Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon is the story of the life of Charlie Gordon, and if Charlie’s tale is capable of teaching the readers anything, it is that sometimes one’s intellect comes at the sacrifice of his or her livelihood. Perhaps Ernest Hemingway was correct: happiness and intelligence do not go