Skylar Lukito Mrs. Carew Honors English 8 Period 4 15 March 2024 The Perceptive Truth of Intelligence Twenty-six percent of Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. In the 1959 novel by Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon, we are introduced to Charlie Gordon, a mentally challenged man living in New York City. Charlie works at a bakery and attends special education classes in the hopes of improving his intelligence. Charlie Gordon undergoes a groundbreaking surgery that significantly increases his intelligence. However, after this process of tripling his IQ, Charlie realizes that the happiness he once had as a mentally challenged man has instead been replaced with confusion, despair, and detachment from his prior life. Many individuals, …show more content…
For one, Charlie Gordon had a reasonably invariable life standing in front of him. Charlie Gordon worked at a box company with supportive coworkers, which made his life undoubtedly better because of his joyful and steady work. Unlike after the operation when he lost his job due to his unveiling personality surrounding his intelligence, Charlie had a passive source of income that allowed him to live comfortably in a small apartment, allowing him to pursue his learning in his spare time. During this time, he also believed he was also surrounded by a tight-knit group of friends. “We had a lot of fun at the factory today. Their really my friends and they like me.” However, following the surgery, Charlie Gordon ends up completely isolated and feeling incredibly lonely after his friends leave him, claiming to the doctors that Algernon is his only friend who supports him. This detail proves that Charlie didn’t benefit from the surgery because he realizes his friends made fun of him, forcing him into a lonely and miserable …show more content…
On the other hand, it’s evident to consider the benefits of his life after the operation, and his acceptance of his mental regression at the end of the story. Charlie Gordon had huge opportunities he had yet to experience before the operation, such as his educational advancements. With his increased intelligence, Charlie had the opportunity to engage in concepts and ideas and document his progress, which gave him a sense of accomplishment. He also contributed to science as a participant in a groundbreaking scientific experiment. His experiences and research helped his doctors. He is also able to accept his regression after all of the events of the story. “dont be sorry for me, I’m glad I got a second chance to be smart” which confirms he never had a problem with dealing with stress that Charlie had to take in after the operation. However, Charlie had a carved path ahead of him to be happy and outgoing to many of his friends and colleagues. Because of this, I still strongly believe Charlie was better before the operation. Overall, Charlie Gordon had an assured life ahead of
entry for pages one through five. I feel sorry for Charlie Gordon because he doesn't understand what's going around him, and what people mean. Such as the incident with Burt and the Rorschach test. But you can tell he’s trying really hard to pass the test to get the research done on him. You can really tell he wants became for intelligent, it's admirable of him. This is my journal entry for pages five through eleven. In process report four, Charlie is doing poorly on tests. He just doesn't comprehend
This extraordinary quote is accurate in many cases especially in Charlie Gordon’s circumstance. Charlie Gordon’s new greedy persona prohibits Charlie to partake in a relationship; Charlie Gordon’s indecency towards the feelings of others has forbidden a friendship from ever taking root, and lastly Charlie’s new skeptical and angry persona
the creek and the songs of the distant birds as I read. It is my only glimpse into what the outside world feels like. The gray storm clouds coming in are reminiscent of pocket lint as I dive deeper into the story. I read about the betrayal that Charlie Gordon felt when he realized the world was a bitter place, and the people that he trusted turned out to be against him. I wonder if that is really how the world is. How can something so vast and free be so unforgiving? I look up from my book when I
Option 4 Flowers for Algernon Essay In Flowers for Algernon, Charlie Gordon, a thirty-seven-year-old man with a mental disorder, undergoes surgery to increase him intelligence. He goes from the IQ of 68 to 204. His mood changes drastically after the surgery. Eventually, his memory goes away after a month of being super smart. Along with his intelligence, his mood changes hugely. Charlie was better off before the surgery. He was nicer, had more motivation, and he felt less lonely before the surgery
challenges the main character Charlie Gordon faced in the science fiction story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes. Charlie Gordon a 37 year old man with a mental disability had an I.Q. of 68. Doctors came to him and wanted to triple his I.Q. to 204 by performing an artificial intelligence surgery (A.I). By performing the (A.I) surgery this took a toll on Charlie’s life. Therefore Charlie Gordon should not have had the (A.I) surgery. These are some of the many reasons Charlie should not have had the
In the novel "Flowers for Algernon", the main character, Charlie Gordon undergoes an experimental operation to elevate his intelligence because of his mental disorder. Charlie’s intelligence level essentially skyrocketed after the surgery, his outlook on life changed notably. In terms of his happiness ironically ,these changes are not positive which shows that happiness is not directly proportional with intelligence. Happiness is difined as a sense of content. The happiness of a person can be destroyed
thirty-two year old man named Charlie Gordon, who suffers from a mental disability, was motivated to become more intelligent and to gain more friends. In order to accomplish this, he undergoes a life threatening surgery. There are many reasons why it was not ethical for Charlie to have the surgery. Charlie Gordon's disability is called phenylketonuria. Those who are born with this condition today would be treated early to prevent the type of learning disability that Charlie developed. He read slowly
Flowers for Algernon written by Daniel Keyes is the story of the journey of a man, Charlie Gordon, from the state of mental incapacitation to the state of the most intelligent man in the world and comes back to his original condition in the end. Charlie Gordon is a thirty-two-year-old man who is suffering from a severe mental weakness with an IQ of 68. During the day time, he works a menial job in the bakery his uncle found for him. However, in weeknights he attends reading and writing classes for
:) Charlie Gordon was willing to risk his entire life, just to be normal. In the story, “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, the main character has an IQ of 68. All he wanted to do in life was be smart like other people. When he heard about an operation that could make him intelligent, even temporarily, he jumped on the opportunity. He was finally able to write and think even better than an average person. The only problem was that he was lonely and depressed when he was smart and he was happy
Charlie Gordon is a thirty-two year old man who is diagnosed mentally challenged but, is very eager to be smart. In order for this to happen Charlie will have to have surgery. There will be two doctors assisting Charlie; Dr.Strauss and Dr.Nemur. In the novel the two doctors are to totally different in how they motivated Charlie, treatment for Charlie and their reasoning for helping him. Since Charlie was chosen to have the surgery Dr.Strauss wants Charlie to write progress reports. This is so
Charlie Gordon should not have received the life-alternating surgery. While Daniel Keyes in, “Flowers for Algernon,” portrayed hope for a mentally impaired man, Charlie Gordon, the operation failed with devastating consequences! Succeeding the surgery, societal difficulties turned into a reality for Charlie. In addition, Charlie was ultimately a human experiment in an attempt to repair mentally impaired people. Furthermore, as a genius, Charlie understood the decline of the surgery. As much as Charlie
for Algernon,” a 37-year-old named Charlie Gordon has a learning disability and, because of this, his spelling and grammar in his writing often included mistakes. He had a surgery to make him more intelligent, which made his IQ go from a 68 to 204. After that, his intelligence starts decreasing, and he is back to where he began. Charlie was better off before the surgery with his personality, emotional state, and his overall motivation. Personality wise, Charlie is very kind and open to other people
Charlie Gordon should not have had the surgery. In the story, “Flowers for Algernon,” Charlie Gordon is extremely naive about the surgery and the side effects that come with it. Charlie had various sociable conflicts before the surgery as well. To add to that, Charlie was mentally impaired and thought he needed to be repaired. Charlie struggled with knowing who his real friends were, and he was unaware of the fact that his “friends” were laughing at him, not with him. Charlie thought that Frank
that you aren't? Charlie Gordon is someone who knows what he wants. He is also a person who isn’t like everyone else and he doesn’t want to be different. In this story, there are also many times when Charlie feels upset and challenged, but he knows that he can work through those obstacles. He even says, “I’m not going to give up my intelligence without a struggle”. In “Flowers for Algernon”, Daniel Keyes uses characterization to analyze the learning ability of Charlie Gordon. When someone doesn't
Charlie Gordon’s Operation “Autism doesn't have to define a person. Artists with autism are like anyone else: They define themselves through hard work and individuality.” This was said by sing and songwriter Adrienne Bailon. People with autism were born without the ability to respond, think or even move sometimes. There are different types of autism, but the type in Flowers for Algernon is very common. Written by Daniel Keyes, this book is about a man named Charlie Gordon. A normal IQ level is