Charlie Gordon's Option In Daniel Keyes Flowers For Algernon

Approximately 16% of people in the world have an IQ below 85, which is considered below average(Dana Foundation). In the story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, Charlie Gordon has an IQ of 68 and undergoes surgery to triple his IQ. He writes in a notebook throughout the whole story. So, we get insight into what goes on in Charlie Gordons mind. Including feelings for Ms. Kinnian, his adult school teacher, emotional maturity, and so much more. Though in the end, it was only temporary and the story concludes with Charlies death. Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur chose Charlie Gordon as their test subject, though multiple ethics laws were ignored. Therefore, Charlie being chosen was not the best option.
One reason is that the doctors did not wait for their first test subject, a mouse named Algernon, to show signs of regression. In the story it reads,“They’ve been feeding Algernon, who now refuses to work the shifting-lock problem”(Keyes 16). Algernon started showing signs after they had already done the

“I want to be smart”(Keyes 1), and “I hope they use me”(Keyes 1), were things Charlie said in the beginning of the story, so it proves he did not think about the precautions. Charlie only wanted to do this in hopes to be smart and smart only, he did not know what he was getting himself into. Others may say that Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur told Charlie all the results, though while all the conditions were stated, they all went in one ear and out the other, Charlie only had one thing on his mind. Charlie wrote “ He rote somthing down on a paper and I got skared of faling the test”(Keyes 1). So, is only worry is not getting chosen, not death, not amnesia, he only wants to be smart. Charlie never once stated anything about the outcome of the procedure, which proves it wasnt on his mind. Charlie should not have been chosen since he should not make medical choices for