Within the novel Flowers for Algernon written by Daniel Keyes, the theme of not all things being as perfect as they seem is prevalent. The main character, Charlie Gordon, was born mentally retarted and currently in adulthood has a deep desire for greater intelligence: “I hope they use me becaus Miss Kinnian says maybe they can make me smart. I want to be smart” (Keyes 1). This shows Charlie’s wish for intelligence. He wants to be used since the college he attends for retarted adults is doing a study trying to artificially increase the intelligence in someone. This shows his desire to be smart. He thinks it will increase his quality of life. “If…I get smart ill be abel to find my mom and dad and sister to show them. Boy woud they be surprised to see me smart” (12). Charlie …show more content…
His I.Q. during childhood and in the beginning of the novel is slightly less than 70. Charlie does wind up being chosen for the experiment and he receives brain surgery. The surgery is a success and Charlie’s intelligence quickly soars. He is happy for a while being able to learn many new things and have mature, adult conversations with others. However, this quickly takes a turn for the worse when his I.Q. surpasses everyone he can have a relationship with, which makes his life more boring and sad: “I am just as far away from Alice with an I.Q. of 185 as I was when I had an I.Q. of 70” (126). Alice, or Miss Kinnian, was Charlie’s teacher when he attended the college for retarted adults when his I.Q. was about 70. He maintained a friendly and semi-romantic relationship with her when his intelligence soared and he left the college class. Now that his I.Q. is so high he is feeling distant with people with even above average intelligences. His wish for intelligence is not solving his problems with relationships and is not making his life perfect. Close to the end of the novel Charlie is regressing rapidly with his