The Symbolism Of Faith In Daniel Keyes Flowers For Algernon

509 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Flowers for algernon compare and contrast

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes is a truly touching story. Flowers for Algernon is about a man named Charlie Gordon who has a mental disability and struggles to fit in. He is offered to be a subject for a surgery that triples his intelligence, and he takes up the offer. Despite his flaws and obstacles, Charlie has lots of hope and confidence that he can be smart and be like everyone else. Having faith in yourself is a common theme displayed in Flowers for Algernon. A theme in a story is a general idea or symbol that is developed within a piece of writing. Having faith in yourself is represented by several things that are in Charlie’s life. His character traits show his attitude towards himself. Relationships with others have an effect on him as well. Even his experiences keep Charlie faithful and positive that he will get smart. In reality, all Charlie wants is to fit in and be normal, and he knows that he can do it. Having faith in what you are doing is essential because you have a lower chance in succeeding. If you don’t have faith that you can, then you won’t. …show more content…

352] Charlie believes he can be smart, and he’s willing to give all the hope and knowledge he’s got within himself so that he is equal to others. Other characters such as Miss Kinnian alter Charlie’s mindset by encouraging him to stay strong. Miss Kinnian says to Charlie, “...I have confidence in you Charlie…” [Keyes, p. 357]. which lets Charlie know that even others believe that he will be successful. Lastly, Charlie’s experience at the restaurant gives him an open mind. He writes, “There are so many doors to open.” [Keyes, p.371]. This shows that he is eager, ready, and that he has

Show More
Related

  • Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...beginning, he becomes more complete by every situation he has to deal with and the way he handles it shows him developing into a complete person. With his evolution as a person and his better understanding of the world: Charlie Gordon is a complete person. Daniel Keyes exploits the many flaws in today’s society regarding the mentally challenged. He tells the reader: being smart is not everything and no matter what ones does, some people will never like them. One should always be themselves and do not try to change, we are all special the way we are. No matter how much we try to change ourselves, we will always we who are because that is the way nature intended us to be, changing it is trying to go against a much superior power in which we will fail in the end. Accept who you are and be happy with that you have because changing yourself will not make you happier.

    Read More

  • Charlie Gordon in Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keye

    624 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Eagar, Determined, and Motivated:” these three words describe Charlie Gordon in Daniel Keyes’s story “Flowers for Algernon”. Daniel Keyes writes about a thirty two year old man with a low IQ (Charlie Gordon) who strives to become “normal”. Charlie will do anything to become smarter even letting two doctors preform brain surgery to enhance his learning capability. Charlie evolves throughout the novel and by the end of his journey although his IQ is low he is a more complete person. He learns the true meaning of friendship and demonstrates intellectual growth as a person by overcoming obstacles and understanding various lessons.

    Read More

  • The Snow Walker Kanaalaq Outline

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    Charlie’s character transition is an evidence of the saying, “Walk a mile in my shoes. See what I see, hear what I hear, feel what I feel, then maybe you’ll understand why I do what I do. Until then don’t judge me.” His journey with Kanalaaq showed him how important it is for people not to judge other for superficial

    Read More

  • What Does Flowers For Algernon Mean

    638 Words  | 2 Pages

    Flowers for Algernon is a book written by Daniel Keyes, it is about a retarded man hoping to get smarter by having a surgery. The surgery goes well but takes time for him to get smarter. As he progressively gets smarter things about him start changing and starts being self conscious. His main goal is to have a lot of friends and to be popular. He thinks that becoming smart will make him excepted just like everyone else. For Charlie this doesn't go as well as planned, as being happy has nothing to do with being smart.

    Read More

  • Flowers for Algernon and Morality

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Charlie has difficulty completing simple tasks such as writing down his progress. In Progress Report 1 he says “I cant think anymore because I have nothing to rite so I will close for today…”(Keyes 1). This shows how hard it was for Charlie to write about his progress in the journal before his operation. Charlie also has difficulty understand tasks other people assign him. An example of this would be in Progress Report 3 when Gimpy asks Charlie to put the tray of rolls in the oven. He has a difficult time attempting to do so and drops the tray. “Gimpy hollers at me all the time when I do something rong, but he reely likes me because hes my friend. Boy if I get smart wont he be surprised”(Keyes 4). Other people seem to get frustrated with Charlie when he does not do things right. Another issue of morality that can be seen through Charlie is how he is treated like an animal. In order to get Charlie to relax Gimpy gives Charlie a “bright shiny object”. This is so that he can play with it like a person would give their dog. “The pendant is a brightness that Charlie remembers but he do...

    Read More

  • Analyzing Daniel Keyes 'Flowers For Algernon'

    1092 Words  | 3 Pages

    During Charlie’s increase of intelligence, he was despised by his co-workers and was told that he had changed. “You used to be a good, dependable, ordinary man…it’s not right.” Even though Charlie had helped with his employer’s company, he had lost his pity job as a result of making his co-workers too uncomfortable. Charlie is then more aggravated and confused about this situation, as he is despised for his dullness but hated for his knowledge. In addition, Charlie had also begun to look down on the two doctors who performed his surgery, as he mentions that he thinks that neither Dr. Nemur nor Dr. Strauss are geniuses. “I feel his areas of knowledge are too limited…I found myself almost annoyed…No one I’ve ever known is what he appears to be on the surface.” In the process of becoming so inhumanly genius, his personality became arrogant and nearly unapproachable as he tried to talk to Miss Kinnian on a basic level about complex mathematics of what he finds as a “simple, everyday level” conversation topic. Charlie’s journal entries also seem to reflect off of his developing personality as he no longer finds the joy in life, and mentions that “recording these reports is one of the few pleasures that I have”. Despite barely recalling the events after the operation, the period of time when he was mistreated remains in his mind and left a deep mental scar behind, as he still remembers the feeling of humiliation when he returns to his original mental state. Further evidence of this can be found when Charlie locks himself up in his room and refuses to talk or to see anyone as he is afraid of losing his dignity infront of them. Similarly, when he unintentionally laughed at a retarded boy at the restaurant, he quickly became ashamed and frustrated at himself,

    Read More

  • Overcoming Obstacles In Daniel Keyes Flowers For Algernon

    707 Words  | 2 Pages

    You're a fine person and you'll show them all.” This was a point where Charlie was overcoming an obstacle in his life, which left him very happy. However, as time went along, he was doing great, but something was a little off. Based on the text, Charlie mentioned “It was hard to hide that some of the other animals used in the experiment are showing strange behaviors.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On Flowers For Algernon

    480 Words  | 1 Pages

    One reason why Charlie was better off after was because he had the chance to be very smart in his lifetime. One evidence is when the author says “Im grateful that I saw it all for a littel bit.” This shows that he is grateful to be one of the smartest person alive and knew a lot of science, where he shows that he Knows a lot of science is the part where he says “I realize that Dr. Nemur is not at all a genius. He has a very good mind, but it struggles under the spectre of Also the story shows that he is grateful because Charlie does not get mad at Dr. Nemer or Dr. Strauss

    Read More

  • Flowers For Algernon: Happiness Or Intelligence?

    1261 Words  | 3 Pages

    After Charlie figured out that his intelligence was going to deteriorate from Algernon, he did not want his new knowledge to leave his mind, so he said that “Im gonna keep trying to get smart so I can have that feeling agen [sic],” (Keyes 28). Charlie was so determined to keep his knowledge because he had such a passion of reading and writing, and enjoyed remembering different things in books. Although, even though he mentioned that he would try really hard to gain back his intelligence, it is not really possible because that was how he was born. When he mentions “that feeling”, it shows that it was a certain feeling that he never felt, but he will end up living his new life knowing what it was like to be a genius. This could lead to depression and a really dark place for him since it was such good feeling for him to be smart, he cannot imagine life without being smart.

    Read More

  • Babylon Revisited Babylon Revisited Quotes

    1693 Words  | 4 Pages

    He does not want to live anymore like before and is afraid of losing his daughter forever. In response to Honoria's words that she wants to live with him, "His heart began to beat, he dreamed that it would happen the same." Charlie would be very happy to live with his daughter, Honoria. This means that his daughter for him is one of the most important things in his life. He told his sister that he had changed, "I work, the hell, I lead an exemplary lifestyle with everything." He is ready to end his old way of life for his daughter. He does not attend parties as before and does not meet old friends who love to drink. His words once again prove the seriousness of Charlie's intentions to change his life for the

    Read More

  • I Beat Algernon Quote Analysis

    520 Words  | 2 Pages

    “If you ever reed this Miss Kinnian dont be sorry for me Im glad I got a second chanse to be smart becaus I lerned a lot of things that I never even new were in this world and Im grateful that I saw it all for a littel bit. ”(21 on the PDF) In this story Charlie went through a lot, he learned to understand his own and other

    Read More

  • Fire-Starter

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    Charlie’s main weakness is trusting too many people. She trusts to many strangers, which could lead to danger.

    Read More

  • The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Identity Analysis

    495 Words  | 1 Pages

    Charlie struggles with apparent mental illness throughout his letters, but he never explicitly addresses this problem. His friends make him realize that he is different and it is okay to be different from everyone else. This change in perspective gives Charlie new opportunities to experience life from a side he was unfamiliar with. Without these new friends, Charlie would have never dared to try on the things he has. His friends have helped him develop from an antisocial wallflower to an adventurous young man who is both brave and loyal. Transitioning shapes how the individual enters into the workforce, live independently and gain some control over their future

    Read More

  • Charlie's Intellectual Growth

    1453 Words  | 3 Pages

    To Charlie, this signifies the death of the person he has become through his accumulation of knowledge. Although, as his doctors pester him for tests before his high IQ diminishes, Charlie comes to a more insightful and meaningful understanding about himself: “... the meaning of my total existence involves knowing the possibilities of my future as well as my past, where I’m going as well as where I’ve been” (Keyes 155). In order to appreciate the differences present in a culture, one must first accept themself. When Charlie is finally able to embrace the person he is as a whole instead of in detached parts, he is then able to move away from the egocentrism that weighed down his emotional growth. One’s ability to stay grounded in the face of revolutionary changes and maintain a sense of morality will always surpass the value of intelligence, for intelligence without an anchor is meaningless, a ship lost at sea.

    Read More

  • Charlie Gordon In Flowers For Algernon

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    Because of his childish nature he sees the people around him as well intended as he is. Therefor he cannot see people’s negative intentions towards himself. With the rise in Charlie’s mental abilities he also becomes more self-conscious, with a greater sensitivity to how others see him. For this reason, he demands that Alice should not see him any longer because he realized that the positive effects of the operation will soon wear off and then his relationship will no longer be as it was. This leaves him with little dignity which makes him willing to give up his most edifying relationship ever to preserve what is left of it.

    Read More

More about The Symbolism Of Faith In Daniel Keyes Flowers For Algernon

Open Document