The story Flowers for Algernon depicts the meaning of intelligence in a very deep sense. The narrow definition intelligence is the capacity to learn, to understand, or to deal with new or trying situations. It is a concrete definition in such a way that it also means the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria as tests. Yet the story goes beyond this concrete explanation of what intelligence really is. It shows a whole new perspective of the meaning intelligence. The novel gives a theory of the more intelligent you become the more problems you will obtain. As a result your intellectual growth is going to outstrip your emotional growth. This theory is shown in the novel with Charlie having two growths, intellectual and emotional. These two growths interact by reason of once there is a high intellectual growth that is rapidly out growing, the emotional growth will stay the same or increase at a much lower speed.
The definition of intelligence that is explained in the book is having certain attributes that help you become a stronger individual. The qualities are having honesty, ethics morals and compassion. One has to achieve this intelligence thoughtlessly; Charlie shows this before he has his operation. By reaching this type of intelligence a person does not have to have a lot knowledge or a high I.Q, but you may reach peace in life by being a spiritually kind person that is previously show in the abstract definition.
The only positive effects of the intellectual growth that one can gain is to be able to experience what the concrete definition was like in one’s own personal experience. Yet the negative effects of the operation, which were great, was the intellectual and emotional growth colliding.
Intelligence means having or showing intelligence, especially of a high level. Charlie is a thirty-seven-year-old man who was given an opportunity to increase his intelligence from an IQ of sixty-two to two hundred. A science fiction short story, “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, was about a man named Charlie who had an operation to improve his intelligence and why it was necessary for him to have the surgery. Charlie, before the operation, could not understand other people. After the operation, he became closer to the characters in his journal, and he was also able to use his skills and intelligence. The operation affected Charlie in many ways because he use to misunderstand others when he was spoken
Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. United States: Shmoop University, 2014. Shmoop. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. .
Just imagine being a person with an IQ of only 68 well this is the life that Charlie Gordon lived. In the story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes Charlie Gordon is a 37 year old man with below average intelligence. Charlie struggles with many simple things such as writing, spelling, and creativity. He is willing to try and make himself smarter, but even the adult classes he takes aren’t enough. With all of these variables Charlie gets an operation to make himself smart but, I think if without the operation he life wouldn’t be as good for him as it was after the 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.
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 the short story “Flowers for Algernon” Charlie Gordon is a lab subject for a new surgery that will triple his IQ founded by Dr.Nemur and Dr.Strauss. Before the surgery Charlie was very feeble minded, not being able to pick up on social ques, not being able to properly read or write, and not being able to tell the difference from when people were laughing with him or at him. At first Charlie's idea of intelligence was just to have the basics of reading and writing. As the story progresses, after his surgery is completed Charlie slowly starts to learn more information about Math, English, History and many other subjects to an extent where he had become smarter than the doctors that once looked down on him as just a test subject. At the peak of Charlie’s intelligence he
... animal rights view, the animals, like humans have rights in the “utility- trumping sense”. The utility-trumping sense have vital interest that we must not override, even in an effort to maximize the utility for society. (Animal Rights, 20)
Thousands of fires occur on a yearly basis throughout the United States. Whether it is forest fires, house fires, or any other event that involves uncontrollable flames, the outcome will always be the same; high amounts of destruction and physical damage. When fire emergencies occur, responding to the incident may not be much of a complication as apposed to determining the source from where the fire started or what triggered its behavior, which is truly the challenge. In order to do so, a fire investigator has to be present at the scene of the fire after it has been eliminated. The investigator, after reviewing any possible marks or behavior trails, will conclude if the incident was indeed an accident or intentional, thus making it an act of arson. According to the U.S. Fire Administration Topical Fire Research Series, “Arson is the leading cause of fires (267,000 annually) in the United States” (usfa.fema.gov). Arson cases are very complex due to the fact that it can be committed virtually anywhere and by anyone, including fire responders as well. The motives behind arson incidents can also be a very complex issue because it may have been used as a cry for help or simply as a mode of cognitive escape. Gathered reports indicate that the main reasons for arsons committed by firefighter personnel are to be viewed as a heroic figure, an escape from personal stress, financial gain purposes, excitement, or even revenge against the fire company and others.
Corrine and her mother look nothing alike, but they are examples of doppelganger personalities. Corrine is a beautiful woman who uses sexuality and money to get what she wants. Her mother is
Intelligence is having the ability to have reason and logic, the act of understanding and having the capability to apply aspects of knowledge and skill to everyday life.
Intelligence can be defined in many different ways since there are a variety of individual differences. Intelligence to me is the ability to reason and respond quickly yet accurately in all aspects of life, such as physically, emotionally, and mentally. Anyone can define intelligence because it is an open-ended word that has much room for interpretation. Thus my paper is an attempt to find the meaning of human intelligence. There are a couple of scientists who have tried to come up with theories of what makes a human being intelligent.
In conclusion, I agree with Tom Regan’s perspective of the rights view, as it explores the concept of equality, and the concept of rightful treatment of animals and humans. If a being is capable of living, and experiencing life, then they are more than likely capable of feeling pleasure and pain, except in a few instances. If humans are still treated in a respectable and right way even if some cannot vote, or think for themselves, then it is only fair that animals who also lack in some of these abilities be treated as equals. As Regan puts it, “pain is pain, wherever it occurs” (1989).
While it is very difficult to define intelligence in itself, I believe in the theory of multiple intelligences. This is the idea that intelligence has different modalities, rather than a general understanding that someone is either intelligent, or that they are not. Interpersonal intelligence is the most important modality in my view. This can be roughly defined as having the ability to interact well with others. A good example of someone with high interpersonal skills was Martin Luther King. He was a clever man, however, it was not his IQ score that made him such a popular figure with the public, but his ability to read people, how they felt, and what their intentions
This persuasive speech was given in Rio de Janeiro, and was a plea to the individuals in attendance at the United Nations Earth Summit to recognize how they are contaminating the environment with hopes that these audience members will revise their future proposals.
Intelligence can be defined in many different ways. This concept has been the focus of numerous studies and investigations by psychologists and other scientific experts. Intelligence can be the mental ability to reason, plan ahead, understand a wide range of complex issues and learn from past experiences (Gottfredson, 1997). Intelligence is the “resultant of the process of acquiring, storing in memory, retrieving, combining, comparing, and using in new contexts information and conceptual skills” (Humphreys, 1979)