We have all been labeled something we don’t like in life like bad test taker, or bad math student. Well imagine being labeled mentally retarded. And then on top of being labeled that you're mentally retarded you're bullied by the people you thought was your friend. That's how Charlie felt, he felt like everyone was labeling him stupid, retarded, and just downright dumb. That’s why Charlie felt the surgery was not just necessary but required. And we all know if we were given the opportunity to change something we did not like about ourselves we would all do it, so why not Charlie. Charlie is just like the rest of us. In the story Flowers for Algernon Charlie was deemed feeble minded by everyone who met him. The only person in the story who was on Charlie's side was Ms.Kinnian. Charlie just wanted to be a regular person, he wanted to be able to think like the rest of us and be able to understand things that we find so small. That's why Charlie felt the surgery was very important to him. Imagine what Charlie had to go through everyday being called a name. Imagine what great deal of depression that Charlie would have went through if he realized what was going on. and at the point when he finally realized that he was being taunted by everyone he encountered himself with, at that moment that is when Charlie realized he needed to get the surgery. …show more content…
We always have something constantly telling us that we need to change something about ourselves. So why isn't Charlie able to change himself like the rest of us. Charlie should be able to change himself according to the way he wants to
Charlie should have chosen to have had the operation because he got to achieve his ultimate dream, he got to form new relationships, and he was able to contribute new information to others; One argument that can be made for why it was beneficial for Charlie to have the surgery is because he got to live out his dream. Prior to having the IQ increasing procedure done to him, Charlie, was an optimistic and good-hearted man. Unfortunately for Charlie though he was disabled and had a low IQ, this caused Charlie to dream of becoming smart and fit in with others. One quote that can support the claim that Charlie got to achieve his dream of becoming smart is, “Im glad I got a second chanse to be smart becaus I lerned alot of things that I never new were in this world and Im grateful that I saw it all for a littel bit (245).
Charlie shouldn’t have had the surgery because it was dangerous. To begin with, the doctors didn’t even know what all would happen with the surgery, which is dangerous. They only knew that the surgery should triple IQ, and it could ware off. The surgery killed Algernon, which is obviously a sign of danger. The surgery could’ve been dangerous to the rest of the world if Charlie’s smarts would’ve reached to the outside world more.
Charlie wasn’t capable of knowing what was going to happen to him. The doctors didn’t tell Charlie that the operation was going to effect his outside life. One tip for making an ethical decision is to be as neutral as possible, but Charlie wasn’t (Dobrin). The doctors got Charlie smart for a little, but then his intelligence went way back down to this old IQ of 68. When Charlie was smart people were scared of how smart he was.
Charlie had two key things, which is why the doctors chose Charlie. The two key things were Charlie's motivation and Miss Kinnian. Miss Kinnian could teach Charlie after the operation, and the doctors Charlie's motivation showed that Charlie really wanted the operation. The doctors chose Charlie, without considering the benefits and harms for him, but only of those key things. The doctors only saw benefits for themselves.
Should Charlie have had the operation? In the story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, Charlie isn’t very intelligent. His teacher Mrs. Kinnian thinks he would be good to get to operation. Charlie is willing to lose his personality and everything about him already, just to get an operation that is supposed to make you intelligent. It may be temporary, but he goes for it. If he never had gotten the operation he wouldn’t have lost everything he had, such as his personality and most of all Mrs. Kinnian.
The Temporary Genius Man The death of a human being is not worth intelligence. Charlie Gordon is a thirty-seven year old, mentally handicapped, with a childlike but very kind personality. Charlie goes to doctors, Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur, to get a life-altering surgery. Knowing that Charlie is not fully aware, I feel they take advantage of Charlie.
But, the reason why was all because he was starting to feel things. Emotions are normal and that surgery made him feel like that. Itś honestly not a bad thing. Other readers may also think he shouldn't have had the surgery because it led him to get fired from his only job, however, it wasn't his fault. The other guys were uncomfortable and were afraid only because if they tried to pick on him, that Charlie would out-smart them all. One last reason people with my opposite idea believe that he shouldn't have had the surgery because in the story, Charlie says he didn't want anyone to feel sorry for him, so he left New York. However, most people wouldn't want anyone to feel bad or sorry for them and Charlie made a good choice because if Miss Kinnian was going to cry when she saw Charlie, he wouldn't want to hurt her more even though he was hurt by himself
In addition, due to the surgery, Charlie was more aware of his surroundings and he was able to see how people reacted to specific things, and how they treated others. Charlie isn’t “blind” anymore. “It’s a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the time to make fun of me (April 18).” Charlie was confused by the phrase “stop pulling a Charlie Gordon”. The surgery opened his eyes to the cruelty
Before the surgery Charlie's “friends” could laugh at him without him even realizing it. “Joe Carp said I should show the girls how I mop out the toilet in the factory and he got me a mop.” (Keyes 290). This quote shows his “friends” being able to make fun of him without him even realizing it. After the surgery he learned his “friends” where not really his friends.
People now days treat others with disrespect and look down upon on other who are mentally challenged, and this is not right. In the story “ Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, Charlie gets the opportunity to get an operation that could potentially make him smarter. The bad news is it could have side effects and he could lose everything he has learned from the operation and it not work. I believe in this story Charlie should have gotten the operation.
First of all, why Charlie shouldn’t have gotten the surgery is because he started understanding everyone and how they felt. This stressed him out a lot. He felt like he didn't belong with others. “Now I know what it means when they say “to pull a Charlie Gordon.” I'm ashamed.” (209). In this sentence, Charlie recognizes why his friends liked having him around so much. It was so that they could make fun of him and play tricks on him for their own fun. Also Charlie had felt bad about a kid at a restaurant. “I jumped up and shouted, “Shut up! Leave him alone! It's not his fault he can't understand! He can't help what he is! But for
The surgery made Charlie see the things his friends did to him. Before Charlie had the surgery people at work picked on him and he didn't understand what was happening “Sometimes somebody will say hey look Joe or Frank or George , he really pulled a Charlie Gordon. I don't know why they say that but i always laff.” (Keyes 227) if Charlie wouldn’t have had the surgery he would have been made fun of and picked an and even hurt by his so called “friends”.
After the operation, in only a couple of months, Charlie starts showing signs of new intelligence. His grammar, improved, and he is able to reflect on what his does in the past something he wasn’t able to do before. He had finally gotten something use had always desired. Then, everything and everyone turned on him. In “PROGRESS REPORT 12” April 30th (pg. 60) Charlie writes: “now, they hate me for my knowledge and understanding. What in the name of god do they want of me? They’ve driven me out of the factory. Now I more alone than ever before…” Charlie got what he always wanted, and now he lost everything he had. It was a sacrifice it sounded like he didn’t want to make. I can tell just be the tone of his writing. This shows that we should embrace everything that we have. Charlie didn’t embrace everything, although he appreciated most of the thing he never became happy not being able to just enjoy life as it is.
He had the operation and it would not be permanent, it will make people not expect him to be the Charlie he was, and he then had no friends, or jobs, and he put his life in danger. Will Charlie ever change his mine? . I think that it's hard to do things, or pick something that may be a dream at first, and then have it become something that wasnt expecting. When Charlie thought that the operation was going to make him smarter, it turned out that everything he cared about, or was close to him,all slipped through his
Charlie wanted to be left alone because he is not a “guinea pig any more. I 've done enough. I want to be left alone now.” (Keyes 288). Charlie is fed up with how he has been treated by the doctors. He wants to be left alone, so he can do whatever he pleases. He “can’t afford to spend my time with anyone-there’s only enough left for myself” (Keyes 292). Charlie is beginning to shun his peers, and the people that love him. He has become devoured by his work, and is not able to give up any of his time to spend with loved ones. Charlie does not value the importance of having his loved ones around him, but prior to the operation, he had a strong motivation to have friends, and to be loved by his peers.