Daniel Keys's Flowers For Algernon

Flowers for Algernon is a scientific fiction written by Daniel Keys about a man who was not smart but was happy. Mentally retarded 37 year old Charlie Gordon volunteers for an experiment tripling his intelligence quotient from 68. After being an experiment lab rat, Charlie gets smarter but his life changes for the worse. Before the experiment, Charlie was able to look forward to going to work and hanging out with his friends. Once his IQ tripled, Charlie realized his “friends” were making fun of him, and he gets fired from his job because his artificial intelligence made his co-workers feel inferior to him, giving Charlie depression. He was better off before surgery. The doctor did not help Charlie.He lost his happiness and became lonely after his increase in intelligence. The operation had made Charlie less satisfied with his daily life. The experiment began impacting every aspect of Charlie’s daily life. Eventually, his intelligence exceeded his teachers and doctors. His mind became so complex that he craved so much knowledge that he busied himself in work to the point where he became lonely. On April 30th, Charlie said “Now I’m even more lonely than ever before”. Charlie says his intelligence drove a wedge between all …show more content…
The university idolized intelligence, education, and knowledge but overlooked the idea that the intelligent and educated isn’t worth anything if it has no human affection. Charlie argues, “Intelligence is one of the greatest human gifts. But all too often, a search for knowledge dries out the search for love”. When Charlie was retarded he had lots of friends. With his advanced intelligence, he lost his friends. He knows lots of people but doesn't have any real close friends.Charlie doesn't have a friend in the world that means something to him, and there is no one he means anything to. Charlie became too smart for his own good, It is important to find balance within you