Character Analysis: Flowers For Algernon

In this novel, Flowers for Algernon, written by Daniel Keyes, a man named Charlie Gordon has an operation done to increase his intelligence. He started as a mentally retarded man and slowly became a genius. He seemed to soak up information like a sponge and he was able to figure out the most complex scientific formulas. The only problem with the operation is that it does not last for ever and in his remaining time he tries to figure out why it is not permanent. He will eventually lose everything he learned and become worse off than when he started, so Charlie was better off before he had the operation.

Imagine being three times smarter than you already are through a simple, painless surgery, but there’s a catch. The effects of the surgery that can make you a genius could be temporary, and have not been studied and may be dangerous. Flowers for Algernon, a short story, describes a character who is intellectually disabled. He has to make a choice between having doctors conduct an experiment that involves surgery on him to make him three times smarter or staying the way he is. Charlie Gordon should not have the surgery because it is highly experimental and theoretical, as well as the negative social effects.

“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”-James Madison. In the science fiction story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes Charlie Gordon always wanted to have the power of knowledge. Ever since he was a boy, his life goals were to be smart, have friends, and be respected. All of this was hard for him, as he only had an IQ of sixty eight, so he agreed to an A.I. surgery that would hopefully triple his IQ. Charlie Gordon’s life was much better and easier after the A.I. surgery. After the operation Charlie finally had an imagination, experienced adult emotions, and had a second chance to contribute to the real world and science.

Have you ever wanted to know several languages, be able to learn everything easily, or even have an IQ of at least 200? Charlie Gordon, in the story “Flowers for Algernon,” was a man who had an IQ of 68, but he went through a surgery that made him smarter than his own teacher at a school for the mentally challenged, and his own doctors. Charlie’s IQ was tripled after the surgery once he began to practice different languages as well as the English language. Charlie soon reverted to his former self at the end of the story, and this tripled intelligence that he possessed once before was soon back to the IQ of 68 Charlie had it easier in life after the surgery.

In the story "Flowers for Algernon," by Daniel Keyes, Charlie Gordon had a brain operation that would boost his IQ by 3x the amount he had already had. Charlie, being a man with an IQ of 68, had a major change in thought. He not only grew intellectually, but he grew emotionally too. That is what I am here to prove to you today. Now there may be some controversy on this topic but, based upon the context we can only assume that over all, the operation was more beneficial to Charlie than it was harmful, this is mainly because it gave Charlie a chance to have a taste of intelligence, which is what he had always wanted, and it strengthened his friendships, that is beneficial because any strong relationship is worth so much more than a simple one.

The story “Flowers for Algernon”, by Daniel Keyes, is about a character named Charlie Gordon who undergoes an experimental surgery that will, in theory, make him “smart”. The surgery goes as plan, but only for a certain amount of time. The “smartness” later wears off. After reading the story, I believe that it was not the beneficial for Charlie to get the surgery.

Fanny explains how Charlie went against nature by getting the surgery to increase his intelligence. Furthermore, Charlie Gordon a thirty seven year old man with a low IQ of 68 gets an operation done on him to raise his intelligence. But what he does not know the many problems the surgery will cause him. In the story “Flowers for Algernon” a science fiction short story by Daniel Keyes, Charlie Gordon should not have had the operation in order for him to increase his

Imagine you were given the opportunity to have a surgery that would make you the smartest person in the world, having the largest I.Q. out of anyone, and being able to fulfill your life dreams! That was the situation Charlie Gordon was in. Charlie Gordon was a thirty-seven year old man who lived in New York, in the story ¨Flowers for Algernon¨ by Daniel Keyes. Charlie was a mentally disabled man with only an I.Q. of 68. One day he was interviewed and was chosen to receive a surgery to, at the least, triple his I.Q., making him the smartest man in the world. Charlies biggest dream was to be smart and with the artificial intelligence (A.I.) operation, he could finally fulfill his biggest dream. The life that Charlie Gordon lived improved significantly after the artificial intelligence surgery. Charlie had been given the opportunity to feel new emotions, have an increase I.Q., and

In the modern world, patients expect their doctors to aid them and to support them. In the short story, “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur conducted an intelligence enhancement experiment on a man named, Charlie Gordon and changed his life. With an IQ of sixty-eight, the scientists altered him and tripled his IQ. However, this operation has not been ethical because the procedure was abstruse to Charlie, the doctors were rushing, and Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss were acting selfishly.

Critics argue that Charlie shouldn’t have gotten the A.I surgery because he regressed more than his normal I.Q of 68. Nevertheless, Charlie was very happy to have contributed to science and doesn’t regret a thing about it. In a letter Charlie wrote,”Yet for sake of science I am grateful for the little bit that I here to add to the knowledge of the human mind and of the laws governing the artificial increase of human intelligence” (Keyes 239). In addition to that Charlie now is more knowledgeable of the world around him. “I have reread my progress reports and seen the illiteracy, the childish naivete, the mind of a low intelligence peering from a dark room, through the keyhole, at a dazzling light outside”(Keyes 237). This evidence proves that Charlie’s life became substantially better after the surgery.

Charlie Gordon, a once naive but curious boy grew up with the obsession of becoming smart. As a child, Charlie’s mother gave him the mindset that he would never be as smart as all the other kids because he was considered different. This obsession and negative mindset is what motivates Charlie to push himself and makes sure that one day he can become as smart as everyone else. In addition, the key past event that ultimately changes Charlie’s mind set is when he underwent surgery that promised him a higher IQ. From this moment on, Charlie was a completely different person. Due to Charlie becoming smarter, he would soon find out that intelligence comes with a price. Charlie Gordon’s conflict with an experiment that makes him smarter teaches the reader that intelligence does not always bring positive outcomes in life through Charlie losing his job/coworkers, losing those close to him, and being depressed due to being smarter than everyone else.

What if an incredible new medical procedure was developed? This treatment can create an instant genius, except there is a catch. It has never been tested on a human before and may have some… side effects. Charlie Gordon, a man with an intellectual disability, is given the opportunity to be the first human subject for this experiment in the short story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, but this opportunity is one he should not take. Charlie is a happy man with a happy life but he longs to be intelligent. Two doctors ask him to be the test subject in an experiment to help him reach his goal of being smart. After the surgery, Charlie becomes smarter, but there are other, unexpected results. He realizes that his old “friends”

Character development is the core for Daniel Keyes endeavor to convey themes to his audience by developing the character of Charlie Gordon. One way to develop his character is through relationships with other characters, which is critical in conveying the themes in the book. Another way through which Keyes develops Charlie Gordon’s character for his audience is through letting in the audience on the thoughts of the character in the book so they get on a ride with his emotion, conflict, and dilemmas. Flowers for Algernon illustrates how cruel the society treats the mentally disabled with the use of literary elements. Daniel Keyes conveys the message that the grass is not always greener on the other side through character development.

Have you ever wanted to be smarter than you are? In the story ¨Flowers for Algernon¨ the main character Charlie is a 37 year old man and he has an IQ of 68. He gets offered the chance to be the first human to triple his intelligence and become really smart. He decides to go through with the operation and he becomes really smart. He was smart for a while but he lost it.

Imagine having your dream come true but then regretting it all and not being able to reverse it. The short story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, is a tale about a learning delayed adult name Charlie Gordan who is given the opportunity to increase his intelligence by artificial means. It is through the character’s stages of intellectual development that one is able to see the second chance provided to change oneself. Despite any positive outcomes associated with the surgery, Charlie Gordan is better off with his natural IQ.