Important Themes In Flowers For Algernon By Daniel Keyes

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

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.

In “Flowers for Algernon,” Daniel Keyes wrote that Charlie Gordon has an IQ of 68, and is in Mrs. Kinnian’s night class for slow adults. Charlie may be dumb, but he was so happy before the surgery and he had a job and “friends.” The reason that Charlie Gordon was better off before the surgery is because he had the motivation to become smart, and after the surgery he becomes depressed and realizes that the world plus the people in it are cruel.

While Charlie is suppressed to the lower levels of society, he has the courage to take huge risks which may possibly raise his status greatly in society. It is the language of science that is the key factor in contributing to the freedom of his thoughts, which raises his status high above others in society.

In the sci-fi story, “Flowers for Algernon”, written by Daniel Keyes, Charlie Gordon partakes in an experimental surgery to manipulate his intelligence. The experiment ends up backfiring, and his brain begins to deteriorate at triple the normal rate, but he doesn’t let that stop him from trying to be smart again. Despite him trying so hard, he still doesn’t understand what he once did when he was so brilliant. And so the question arises: is intelligence more important than motivation? Motivation is far more critical to possess than intelligence.

“ 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.

Did Charlie Gordon's doctors act ethically? Ethics are what a person feels , how a person feels , and what society accepts, ethics has nothing to being religious. Ethics are a set of guide lines. Charlie Gordon is a eager and hardworking man, he had a place to live and a job. There was only one thing wrong with him-he was "mentally retarded." All Charlie wanted was to be smart, he had an IQ of 68. Charlie Gordon's doctors didn’t act ethically.

“Motivation will almost always beat mere talent,” a quote from Norman Ralph Augustine. This quote shows how motivation is key to success. When you are motivated, you want to reach a certain goal. The motivation can give you a drive for it. You can do almost anything when you are motivated. Motivation is more important then intelligence.

All stories, even bestsellers, owe their wide-ranging success to their character and its personality; Daniel Keyes’ “Flowers for Algernon” is an example of its importance. The novel is a struggle between Charlie Gordon—the main character and protagonist—and the outside world. Charlie Gordon—mainly referred to as Charlie—is a mentally impaired man who strives to do better and become smarter, and the perfect opportunity arises when a chance to go under an operation that will increase his intelligence. This develops the making of a great story; however, if Charlie is not bold or pronounced enough, he loses his individuality, and, in turn, the amount of interest a reader will harness. In “Flowers for Algernon,” Charlie’s mindset and thought process also introduce antagonists Joe Carp and Frank Reilly, both of whom were his coworkers, and they also have unique mindsets. In this particular novel, Charlie is simple minded, and then—after the operation—brighter, while his coworkers are inconsiderate, and then become more understanding.

If all other people like your friends, family and coworkers had something you desperately hungered for, would you truly be content with what you had? How far would you go to get what they had? In Daniel Keyes’ science fiction short story “Flowers for Algernon” Charlie is a factory worker with the humble job of a janitor. He volunteers for an experiment to increase his intelligence by performing surgeries on his brain. The experiment works at first, sending Charlie to I.Q. levels unknown, but the trial of the human brain failed and he was sent back to his ignoble beginnings. Charlie should have had the experiment because he always wanted to be intelligent like other people, he did not regret the experiment afterward and he accomplished great things for science.

section is to point outis that intelligence has a ?threshold.? Once a person someone reaches a certain level of intelligence, they are indistinguishable from others in their same league and are ?smart enough? to do the things their equally intelligent counterparts are qualified to dofor. Once the threshold of intelligence is reached, Gladwell says, other factors begin to weigh in, and it is those factors are whatthat ultimately spellare the difference between success and failure, as is seen in the examples of Chris Langanm and Robert Oppenheimer. While an impoverished Langanm bowed his head and accepted defeat, Oppenheimer?s learned position of entitlement and his willingness to argue and fight for himself ultimately led to a successful career appointment. These contrasting e examples illustrate Gladwell?s final purpose that came across in ?The Trouble with Geniuses,? Parts 1 and 2for this section: , exploringes the important idea of ?practical intelligence,?, which can essentially be translated into what is commonly known as ?street smarts.?. The exact opposite of ?book

“I trust that everything happens for a reason, even when we’re not wise enough to see it” (Oprah Winfrey). In the novel, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, a man named Charlie Gordon is mentally challenged and cannot understand even the simplest of things. Charlie goes through an operation to become intelligent and it works; but it wears off in just a few months and he regressed back to where he started—the way he was his entire life. Many would say that this is a bad thing and that it is unfortunate for Charlie Gordon to not be able to realize obvious things—but is this really a bad thing? Some may believe that it is Charlie’s fate to be dumb so that he is blinded by the negatives of the world and remains in a constant state of happiness.

The novel Flowers for Algernon written by Daniel Keyes effectively explores the complex human experiences of disability and the impact that it has on individuals and society through its three major themes; Self-realisation , Alienation and loneliness and treatment of the mentally disabled by society. Through these themes this response will highlight the difficulties experienced by people with disabilities and the people in their lives.

Would it be worse to have an IQ of 204 or 68? Would it be worse to know everything but not be able to talk with anyone without frustration or know nothing but not be able to talk of anything more complex than third grade level? In the short science fiction story, “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, Charlie Gordon with an IQ of 68 and has a difficult time learning anything as simple as reading or writing is given the option to triple his intelligence with a suspicious surgery. Charlie, ignorant of the suspicion or risk that comes with this surgery is desperate to become intelligent as it is his only wish and nothing is more important to him. His teacher, Miss Kinnian recommend him for the surgery out of anyone in the class due to his egre and positive outlook on intelligence. However, after the surgery, Charlie finds intelligence was a nice treat but was far from an importance in life and only took him away from what truly mattered. One could believe Charlie was wrong to undergo the surgery because of the side effects that came with the surgery such as physical and emotional instability, and amnesia, the depresion it came with, and how he lost all of his friends and loved ones with his extreme intelligence.

We all know that in every story there are characters, setting, and plot. Also, there is theme, which is related to characters, setting, and plot but is also distinctly different. The theme for “every action there is and opposite reaction” shows itself in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Return of Simple, and “Flowers for Algernon”.