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Flowers for Algernon

Dive into the thought-provoking novel Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, which raises questions about the relationship between intelligence, happiness, and self-acceptance. Explore the impact of artificially increasing intelligence and the ethical considerations surrounding it. Follow Charlie Gordon's journey as he faces challenges, navigates relationships, and searches for meaning in a society that values intelligence above all else.

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Flowers for Algernon

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  1. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

  2. Central Questions • Does intelligence hold the key to happiness or peace of mind? • What would happen if it was possible to artificially increase someone’s intelligence?

  3. Daniel Keyes • He had been employed as an associate fiction editor, a fashion photographer, and school teacher, and a Professor of English and American literature Ohio University. • Keyes' award-winning first novel Flowers for Algernonwas published in 1966 and has never gone out of print. It has been widely translated and is studied in schools and colleges around the world.

  4. Topics Addressed • IQ – Intelligence Quotient – Assesses your ability to think, reason and problem solve. It doesn’t measure your knowledge; it measures your ability to learn.

  5. Rorschach Test The Rorschach test ( also known as the Rorschach inkblot test, the Rorschach technique, or simply the inkblot test) is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both. Some psychologists use this test to examine a person's personality characteristics and emotional functioning. It has been employed to detect underlying thought disorder. Hermann Rorschach created the Rorschach inkblot test in 1921.

  6. Rorschach Test

  7. Rorschach Test Take a look at the following inkblots and think about what you see.

  8. Anticipation Guide – Do You Agree or Disagree? 1. Intelligence makes a person more likeable. 2.  The more you read the smarter you become. 3.  It is possible to be too smart. 4.  The more intelligence a person has, the more successful they are. 5.  If surgery could increase someone’s intelligence, it should be done. 6. Testing (Experimenting) using animals is okay. 7.  A person of low intelligence deserves just as much respect as someone of high intelligence. 8. A person may not read or write well, but may be wise.

  9. Charlie Gordon • Charlie Gordon is a 37 year old man with • An IQ of 68. He knows that other people have something (intelligence) that has been denied him. He wants to be “smart” more than anything in the world. He thinks that it will help him make friends and feel more a part of the world; no longer shut out. • He wants to be the first human subject of an experimental operation to increase intelligence. • First, he must undergo some tests: • Rorschach (Inkblot test); • Thematic Apperception Test; and a • Maze test with Algernon.

  10. Thematic Apperception Test The TAT is a personality test. The subject looks at a series of pictures and is asked to make up a dramatic story for each one, including: • what has led up to the event shown • what is happening at the moment • what are the character(s) feeling and thinking, and • what is the outcome of the story.

  11. What has lead up to the event?What is happening? What are the characters feeling? What is the outcome?

  12. Algernon and Charlie compete in working through a maze.

  13. Major Characters • Charlie Gordon • Alice Kinnian • Dr. Nemur • Dr. Strauss • Frank Carp • Joe Reilly

  14. The Movie Version • Cliff Robertson won an "Oscar" for his performance in the movie version of Flowers for Algernon, "CHARLY."

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