Flowers for Algernon

1. Flowers for Algernon By Daniel Keyes

2. Story Background • Revolves around the main character, Charlie Gordon (who is the narrator) • a thirty-two-year-old man with a mental disability • is chosen by a team of scientists to undergo an experimental surgery designed to boost his intelligence

3. Story Background • Alice Kinnian, Charlie’s teacher at the Beekman College Center for Retarded Adults, has recommended Charlie for the experiment because of his exceptional eagerness to learn • The directors of the experiment, Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur, ask Charlie to keep a journal • The entire narrative of Flowers for Algernon is composed of the “progress reports” that Charlie writes (a narrative)

4. Themes Mistreatment of People with Mental Disabilities • The fictional idea of artificially augmenting or diminishing intelligence enables Keyes to offer a telling portrayal of society’s mistreatment of people with mental disabilities • As Charlie grows more intelligent after his operation, effectively transforming into a genius, he realizes that people have always based their attitudes toward him on feelings of superiority.

5. Themes Mistreatment of People with Mental Disabilities, cont. • For the most part, other people have treated Charlie not only as an intellectual inferior but also as less of a human being than they are

6. Themes Intellect vs. Emotion • The fact that Charlie’s mental disabilities affect both his intellectual and emotional development illustrates the difficulty—but not the impossibility—of developing both aspects simultaneously and without conflict. • Charlie is initially warm-hearted and trusting, but as his intelligence increases he grows cold, arrogant, and disagreeable.

7. Intelligence?? • How do we view intelligence in our society? • What’s the difference between “book smarts” and “street smarts”? • Are they both legitimate forms of intelligence?

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