Namur and Dr. Strauss used Charlie as a human experiment without him even knowing. Charlie wanted the doctors to use him for the operation so he could feel what it felt to be smart; he thought he would become normal. This was a perfect target for the doctors to use Charlie since there was no one in the society who took care of Charlie and loved him. Lastly, Algernon was not the only lab mouse to be tested on and die, so there were maybe hundreds of them. This meant that Charlie could expect to be like one of the mice. After all, Charlie was used as an experimental humanoid and did not know the risks of it. He soon became intelligent enough to do
Have you ever wondered what it would be like making yourself smarter and/or increase your ability to learn? In the story “Flowers for Algernon”, a 37 year old man named Charlie Gordon wasn’t the smartest person in the world but, he was able to function and maintain a job. Charlie had an I.Q. of 68 before being approached by Dr.Nemur and Dr.Strauss. They wanted him undergo a surgery that would triple his I.Q. Charlie had the surgery and became, at one point, the smartest man in the world with an I.Q. approaching 210. After this he began to lose the intelligence, knowledge, and emotions he just recently gained. This begs the question, should Charlie have had the surgery. Charlie, in most minds, was right for having the surgery, it not only gave him genius level intelligence, but allowed him to make great leaps in science and technology.
The novel, `` flowers for Algernon’’ is an exciting fictional story. The main character in the novel is Charlie who is mentally retarded person who has been involved in a remarkable operation which has led to increase of his I.Q. The story in the novel is too interesting the material in it is so original. Also the moods of the story is varying from being of anger, sorrow to guilt (Yal 7-14). The major element of the story which has contributed a lot to the mood of the story is the plot. In the novel Charlie is subjected to an operation which was going to act as an experiment of increasing his intelligence with hopes that he was going to impress people thus gaining more friends at the end. Unfortunately, some of the expectations were not achieved at all.
Flowers for Algernon is a thought provoking short story by Daniel Keyes about a 36 year old man, Charlie Gordon, who had of an unusually low IQ of 68, that left his mind trapped in one similar to a 5 year olds. This lead his life through a rollercoaster of struggles he was desperate to change. He had been offered a surgery that was said to triple his IQ, and give him the “normal” life he always dreamed of. This being said, because this procedure had never been tested on anyone but a mouse, Algernon, the side effect were unknown not to mention unpredictable. After the surgery was performed Charlie went through a period of time with no change, and then within a few days his intelligence immediately skyrocketed, making him so smart his journal entry began to be difficult to understand from all of sophistication in word choice. This all came to an end quickly as his mind soon began to deteriorate as fast as it had grown. Charlie was better off after the surgery and made the right decision by having it done because it gave him insight
In the story “Flowers for Algernon”, written by Daniel Keyes, a mentally challenged, thirty-seven year old man named Charlie Gordon received a once in a lifetime opportunity- he may be able to triple his intelligence. The experiment- which was not tested on humans- was run by two doctors: Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss. The medical professionals were opportunists and would try anything for the experiment to work- even permanently subdue humans. Charlie dreamed that his chance to be an average, intelligent man would arrive. Charlie was blind to the hardships he would face. These hardships are extremely difficult to overcome by a mortal man. The thoughts of being rejected by society, becoming a human guinea
Charlie did not even benefit that well from being a test subject in the experiment. Similarly, the treatment of Charlie was not very ethical because he was not treated specially for his mental state of disability. Lastly, this surgery did not provide enough benefits to even dent the weight of his unethical death. In the story Charlie was used because of his inferior intelligence and not treated well enough as he should have which led to his wrongful death. This story was fictional, but the use and abuse of human test subjects is
“ I want to be smart and I’ll try real hard”. This is Charlie Grodman he is the main character I will be talking about today. He is from the book “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes. I will tell you why he should of had the operation. I think that it was substantial for him to get a taste of being normal.
Dr. Nemur and Dr. Straus did not act ethically when they preformed the operation on Charlie Gordon. They did not act ethically because the doctors did not want what was best for Charlie, they wanted what was best for them. They did not want to help Charlie they wanted to help themselves. The operation was not not preformed in the patients best interest. It is very important that the doctors want to do what is best for the patient, but that is not that case in this situation. The doctors were supposed to tell Charlie what the side affects were of the operation. Charlie didn’t know the side affects of the
Others believe Charlie Gordon's doctors were ethical when performing the surgery on him. According to Arthur Dobrin's article "Five Steps to Better Ethical Decision Making," gathering the facts, making a prediction, identifying the facts, asking whether you could live with the choices you make, and explaining your reasons to others help people to make better ethical decisions . It is arguable the doctors asked all of these questions. The doctors did gather facts about the surgery while watching Algernon change. They certainly made a prediction about the effects the surgery would have on Charlie. The doctors very clearly had their own feelings about going through with this surgery. As for the next question, the doctors probably thought if Charlie died during this situation, it was a life devoted to science and not a life
“Flowers for Algernon”, written by Daniel Keyes, is a touching composition that portrayed hope for a mentally impaired man, Charlie Gordon. However, the operation to increase his intelligence failed, with devastating consequences. Undoubtedly, the operation should not have been performed on Charlie for a number of reasons. First of all, it introduced him to the inhumane society that he lived in. Secondly, he was treated as if he was an experiment, not a human being. Charlie’s life would never be the same again; Moreover, it was possible he regressed to an even worse state than before the surgery. Nothing hurt Charlie more than being giving a taste of the ‘perfect’ life, only to have it diminished before his eyes. His fate was beyond anyone’s control at that point. All he wanted was to be accepted, but what he received was rejection!
It is better to try research and figure out something, and solve a problem, Rather than never try something and never find out if it works. In “Flowers for Algernon” and Awakenings, it Shows that it is ethical for doctors and other medical professionals to perform experimental surgery. The movie and the book also show that a chance of fixing a problem can give people a second chance in life even though it may be short. Those two It is worth it. The book and the move also show how a second chance may affect the person and everyone around them. It is ethical
The doctors began the operation immediately after Charlie had been allowed to be in the operation. Dr Struass had wanted Charlie to be the first human, and wanted to take it slow. Dr Nemur had rushed the operation wanting to be famous otherwise his wife would leave him. An example was when Charlie writ in his journal about how the only reason Dr Nemur was doing the experiment was because he wanted to impress his wife. From that quote, and some inferencing, the doctors hadn't acted ethically by not telling Charlie everything that could go
Every second of everyday people go through surgeries which sometimes end up in unpredicted symptoms.”Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes is about a 37 year old man, named Charlie Gordon who has a mental disability. When taking a part of an operation/experiment to gradually escalate. Before Charlie had the IQ of 68 but with help of the surgery, he gains the capacity to see the world how it really is. Charlie was better off when he took the surgery because he now has the knowledge to see how people are when it comes to somebody who is different that they are. Also, he gains visual intelligence when finally seeing a image on a card. But after the surgery he becomes depressed because the surgery was not the dramatic break of a man becoming a genius with a surgery. He pushes everyone away he loved due to the operation being a failure.
Charlie Gordon doctors did not act ethically when they preformed the surgery to make him smarter. They didn’t inform him on many mishaps that could happen during the procedure, or many other things. They failed to inform him what the out come could be in every case. The doctors were most care of the procedure, that they didn’t care to tell or warn Charlie in any sort of way. "Ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues." Patients have rights to know the risk when going though such a surgery, especially one with such a life changing effect.
In the story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keys, a man named Charles Gordon decides to receive brain surgery. He was hoping that the surgery would increase his intellectual ability, but he should not have chosen to receive the operation. All of the mice, including Algernon, died during the experiment. While Algernon was relapsing, Charlie was expelled from his job. After he lost his job, his intelligence started to deteriorate and had a high probability of dying. Although the surgery on the mice was successful in the beginning, Algernon later lost the intellect he gained.