Flowers For Algernon Existentialism Analysis

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Daniel Keyes’ short story, “Flowers for Algernon”, masterfully weaves a narrative addressing the then current fears of biological science while simultaneously pulling at the heartstrings of readers. This particular text addresses both existentialism as seen in Charlie Gordon’s rapid decline at the end of the story, as well as eugenics which can be found when taking a look at the whole of the experiment Charlie is participating in (eugenics is a term coming from Professor Westgate’s handout). By examining the emergence of existential thought and the consequences of such in the character of Charlie Gordon, the concern of moral practicality in the pursuit of eugenics is unearthed. By examining Charlie’s character arc throughout the story the reader

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