In the novel "Flowers for Algernon," by Daniel Keyes, the main character, Charlie Gordon, is a man with an IQ of 68 who undergoes a surgical procedure to increase his intelligence. The story follows Charlie's journey as he goes from being a mentally disabled man to a genius, and ultimately back to his former state of intellect. The question of whether ignorance is bliss in Charlie's case is a complex one, but ultimately the answer is no, he would not have been better off without the operation. Before the operation, Charlie's life was filled with hardship and discrimination. He was constantly belittled and mistreated by others because of his intellectual disability, and he was unable to fully understand or participate in the world around him. He worked as a janitor in a factory and had no friends or family, his only companion was his mouse Algernon. He had a dream of being smart and educated, but that seemed impossible with his current state. He was not able to read or write, and had difficulty communicating with others. As Charlie stated in his progress report "I am very unhappy because I am such a dull person" and "I wish I was smart like other people" This evidence shows that …show more content…
He was able to read, write and communicate effectively, experiences friendships, understand people's motives and emotions. He was able to live a more fulfilling life for a brief period of time. He was able to work in a laboratory, and was able to have meaningful conversations with his co-workers and friends. As Charlie stated in his progress report "I am very happy now because I am smart like other people" and "I am so happy because I can read books and write stories and I can understand what people say" This evidence shows that the operation was beneficial for Charlie and it improved his life, as he was able to live a life he always wanted to