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Themes Of Flowers For Algernon

Decent Essays

“Flowers for Algernon” Essay by Matthew Duran

Flowers for Algernon Essay by Matthew Duran In “Flowers for Algernon,” numerous themes appear throughout Charlie Gordon’s journey. Charlie Gordon, the story’s protagonist, is considered to be used as a test subject for an original experiment that can potentially change the face of science. After many tests, Charlie undergoes an operation, as a result, a slow progression begins in his overall intelligence levels.
In the excerpt “Flowers for Algernon” written by Daniel Keyes, the theme conveyed is that people should try to modify nature's course for the benefit of science. Daniel Keyes first expresses this by the characters' dialogue, at first when Charlie spoke, he was lost, he spoke with no emotion and did not truly nor fully understand the concept of his conversations, but after the surgery, he communicated with a passion he knew what he was saying and could get is point across to other people. The second thing Keyes asserts is Algernon, without the operation Algernon would just be a normal mouse eating and sleeping, doing what all other pet mice do, but with the surgery, Algernon became important, he was the foundation for the experiment and there was a more important point in his life, but Algernon did eventually decline and pass away but without him the experiment would have been in question and Algernon helped answer those questions, Algernon also served as a friend and representation of Charlie, this is due to the fact that both Algernon and Charlie were the only ones who received this special surgery, so in a sense they both were connected. Charlie really loved Algernon and Algernon sort of understood that, him and Charlie were connected mentally and physically, with our the operation this bond would no have been possible so this whole operation helped Charlie receive a good friend not a regular companion. The final example Keyes provides is Charlie Gordon's progress reports, at first, Charlie wrote incorrectly and with no emotion, bland, but after the operation, he wrote correctly and with feelings because he was experiencing life he felt sadness, a bit of happiness and love something he could not have felt without the surgery, people may argue that he

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