Right now, human beings are artificially enhancing humans to the way they like. In “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes many examples of why we shouldn’t artificially enhance intelligence are shown. One reason why doctors and scientists shouldn’t artificially enhance intelligence is that it can cause the test subject to be so smart that no one wants to be friends with them. Another reason why doctors and scientists shouldn’t artificially enhance intelligence is that it can cause the test subject to want to die. Therefore, doctors and scientists shouldn’t artificially enhance intelligence. One reason doctors and scientists shouldn’t enhance intelligence is that the test subject could become so smart that no one wants to become their friend. On April 30, Charlie writes, “Now I’m more alone than ever before.” Charlie had many friends before the experiment, and now after the experiment, he has none. The test subject becoming so smart that no one wants to become their friend leads to them being suicidal. Another reason why doctors and scientists shouldn’t artificially enhance intelligence is that it can …show more content…
On April 30, Charlie says, “I can’t wait to be smart like my best friends, Joe and Frank.” Charlie just wants to fit in, because before he did not have smarts like Joe and Frank and maybe after the experiment, he will be smart like them. This is wrong because the test subject may fit in, but it can cause the test subject to leave everyone or it will cause everyone to want to leave them. On July 28, Charlie writes, “That’s why I’m going away from New York for good.” Charlie had no thoughts of leaving everyone and everything behind before the experiment and now, Charlie is leaving his friends, family, and home behind. Now, the test subject wants to die, has no friends, and is leaving their friends, family, and home
There were many similarities between the short story “Flowers for Algernon” and the movie Awakenings. “Flowers for Algernon”, by Daniel Keyes, is about a man named Charlie, who has a very low IQ. Charlie gets an operation to make him smarter. It is a story about what happens to him during that period of time. The movie, Awakenings, directed by Penny Marshall, starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro, is about how some people, including Leonard Lowe, the main character, developed a disease and are now catatonic. Dr. Malcolm Sayer finds a drug that seems like a miracle drug. The movie is about what happens during the time that the catatonic patients are on the drug.
What makes a book successful? Perhaps it is the characters and their varying personalities that make them memorable and realistic, or maybe it’s the thought-provoking plotline with its many twists and turns. One of the elements to a good book is most definitely the characters, and a good number of main characters gain their characteristics when the author encounters someone similar in their life. This encounter makes the character seem real, someone the reader can relate to. The same inspiration can be said happened for Flowers for Algernon. Specific events in Daniel Keyes’s life led to the formation of many main characters.
One such example is that after Charlie became smart, he learned that people made fun of him. This resulted in Charlie isolating himself and became more irritable. By writing the paper on the Algernon-Gordon Effect, Charlie understood that his intelligence would not last permanently, which is another negative result of the operation. Lastly, by telling Miss Kinnian about his feelings for her, Charlie's teacher felt the need to distance herself from him. She did not spend as much time with him as she had before, and she was forced to reconsider her feelings for Charlie as
In “Flowers for Algernon”, One can see the relationship between how Charlie’s intelligence affects how lonely his is, but it’s how Charlie becomes less ignorant that shows the change in Charlie’s intelligence. Keyes addresses the idea that ignorance is happiness. Although Charlie didn’t know the truth, he didn’t have to worry about other people's opinion. It was better when Charlie was not as intelligent, because other people can at least understand what he is says.
...ss cannot be deprived from increased intelligence, particularly without emotional maturity. Throughout the beginning of the Novel all Charlie Gordon wants in life is to become smarter so which will in turn make him happier and help him gain more friends. Not even fame or worldwide recognition could overcome his will to become happier from intelligence. However as the book progressed and Charlie did receive his wish to become smarter he realized, without emotional maturity he was even worse off than before which then may have caused his relapse and loss of memory bringing Charlie back to his previous condition. Expecting to be happy from the respect from other people by being intelligent is neither reasonable nor logical. Happiness needs to be derived from within, and cannot be won from other people, and those who believe it can are not yet emotionally stable.
Recent breakthroughs in the field of genetics and biotechnology have brought attention to the ethical issues surrounding human enhancement. While these breakthroughs have many positive aspects, such as the treatment and prevention of many debilitating diseases and extending human life expectancy well beyond its current limits, there are profound moral implications associated with the ability to manipulate our own nature. Michael Sandel’s “The Case Against Perfection” examines the ethical and moral issues associated with human enhancement while Nick Bostrom’s paper, “In Defense of Posthuman Dignity” compares the positions that transhumanists and bioconservatists take on the topic of human enhancement. The author’s opinions on the issue of human genetic enhancement stand in contrast to one another even though those opinions are based on very similar topics. The author’s views on human enhancement, the effect enhancement has on human nature, and the importance of dignity are the main issues discussed by Sandel and Bostrom and are the focus of this essay.
Charlie?s experiment was temporary, and overtime his IQ regressed. Algernon, a mouse that went through the same surgery as Charlie, died. If Charlie?s hypothesis proves correct, then he will die as well. Charlie?s life was better before the experiment because he was not exposed to the risks and consequences of the surgery. Without the experiment, Charlie would still be living his ignorant but happy life.
After being exposed to knowledge, total ignorance was no longer an option for Charlie. In the novel entitled Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, Charlie went through three phases. His first phase was total ignorance, second was total knowledge, and the third was a mix between ignorance and knowledge. Charlie went through the first two phases bound to his mother’s actions done to him in the past. Also, in the end with a mix of ignorance and knowledge, he was able to remember some past events. Lastly, he had the ability to tell when people were not treating him nicely. Charlie is different in the end of the novel than he was in the beginning because he no longer lets his mother control him, he remembers the past, and he knows when people are making fun of him.
Between Shades of Grey is about a girl being taken by Joseph stalin to a labor camp while “Flowers For Algernon” is about a mentally handicapped man participating in an experiment to make him smarter. These two books sound different story wise, but they share and differ in a lot of themes.
Many popular novels are often converted into television movies. The brilliant fiction novel, Flowers for Algernon written by Daniel Keyes, was developed into a dramatic television film. Flowers for Algernon is about a mentally retarded man who is given the opportunity to become intelligent through the advancements of medical science. This emotionally touching novel was adapted to television so it could appeal to a wider, more general audience. Although the novel and film are similar in terms of plot and theme, they are different in terms of characters.
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.
Before the operation it is Miss Kinnian who suggests the experiment to Charlie seeing that he is eager to learn. She is one of the only people who is concerned about him and wants to help him achieve his dream. Once Charlie 's intelligence starts increasing, he starts developing feelings for Alice and along the way falls in love with her. However, the old Charlie that is in his mind does not let him have sexual thoughts about her and make love to her: “ ‘I love you...’ the words chocked out of me, ‘but I can 't do it. Something I can 't explain, but if I hadn 't stopped, I would hate myself for the rest of my life. Don 't ask me to explain, or you 'll hate me too. It has to do with Charlie. For some reason, he won 't let me make love to you’ ” (Keyes 205). Charlie is about to make love to Fay but something is restricting him from doing so. He explains this to Alice but she still does not understand what is stopping him. This shows that Charlie does really care for her and does not want to use her. The experiment does not go as planned, a fatal flaw is found that kills Algernon the mouse who is used to test out the same research. When his intelligence starts regressing, Alice stays and takes care of him for a while until he drives her away. She agrees to leave and try to forget about him as she promised him earlier that she would
Human genetic engineering has the power to take the human race ahead in the 21st century. With it, we will be able to enhance every aspect of our physical and mental existence. It is crucial that we make the right decisions now, with the needs and wants of future generations in consideration. Genetic enhancement is our next step to a better living experience for everyone, regardless of status. Creating a world where everyone is genetically enhanced and can function at a higher level will transform the future of the human race. After examining the true facts and reasons behind genetic enhancement, it is clear that the human race will benefit greatly. As such, it is important that normal civilians do not disregard these practices as foreign and taboo, but rather encourage scientists in their quest for the ultimate panacea.
Question: Describe and explain the effect that a writer’s language techniques had on your understanding of a text you studied in class.
Intelligence is one of the greatest strengths of mankind. It allows you the ability to imagine incredulous ideas, formulate leading theories and technologies, and is generally accepted to be one of the most important qualities a person may possess. Thus it makes sense that human beings would pursue medical enhancements to increase their intelligence. This technology is seen in the story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes in which the main character undergoes an experimental surgery to increase his intelligence at the cost of his social and behavioral ability and physical health. Although this technology may seem like science fiction, it theoretically could be a realistic option for the future.