Charlie's Operation In Daniel Keyes Flowers For Algernon

If given an opportunity, most people would do anything to boost their intelligence. In the short story, “Flowers for Algernon,” written by Daniel Keyes, a mentally handicapped man named Charlie Gordon is given the opportunity. Charlie undergoes an operation that will triple his low I.Q. of 68 and he begins to see the world in a whole new way. As Charlie gains more and more knowledge of the changing world around him, he effectively transforms from a feeble-minded man to a man of high brilliance. Sadly, Charlie learns that the operations effects only last for a few months and the memorable feelings and thoughts he collected will soon be forgotten. Many may argue that the operation done to Charlie is both morally wrong and defective. Others may say that the operation gave Charlie a new look at life and a new understanding of the people he knows. Though temporary, the effects of Charlie’s operation can be seen as beneficial because the procedure gave him a new view on life, an increase in …show more content…
within months. For one thing, Charlie wins a maze race against Algernon, the mouse. He begins to see his intellectual improvement and says that he “must be getting smart to beat a mouse like Algernon.” This proves that the operation is taking effect because Charlie, initially, is not able to beat Algernon no matter how hard he tries. Another instance of improvement is his advancement in his spelling and grammar skills. Initially, Charlie spells his each of his progress reports as “progris riport” but after the operation, he spells this, and many other words, correctly. Also his grammar increased drastically because in the beginning he had almost no grammar and slowly he becomes more aware of grammar rules and beginnings to follow them. As you can see the operation has had a positive effect on his life and without this operation he would not be where he is right

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Charlie's Operation In Daniel Keyes Flowers For Algernon