Edward Bulwer-Lytton's Inciting Flowers For Algernon

In 1839, an English novelist and playwright by the name of Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote that “the pen is mightier than the sword.” This famous line reveals the tremendous potential of the written word, and its ability to change society. An ordinary story, which, at first, may only appear to be lighthearted, holds the potential to convey a message much more powerful than would first be expected. Literature is a labyrinth, and only by reading further and deeper into the story will the reader be able to navigate the maze, leading them to the end where the author’s intent and true message will be evident. Literature is a way for authors to challenge the reader’s opinion on a subject in a seemingly less intrusive manner, with the intent of inciting …show more content…
Charlie has the opportunity to undergo a new surgery that, if successful, will be able to increase his I.Q. to beyond the level of a genius. In the process, Charlie realizes that the situation he looks forward to, doesn’t live up to his expectation. This raises the question as to whether it is morally and ethically right to tamper with what has been given to you for self improvement, or if it is better to accept what one has and to be grateful for it? Charlie believes that with this experimental procedure his life will turn out to be exactly what he had hoped for and all of his problems would be solved. However, Charlie comes to the rude awakening that his problems will not be solved and in fact, as Dr. Strauss states, “‘The more intelligent you become the more problems you’ll have, Charlie.’” (Keyes 47). Prior to the operation, Charlie believes he is friends with those whom he worked with at the bakery. After the operation, Charlie realizes that his coworkers have never been his true friends and that his sudden increase in intelligence causes him to ostracize himself from all those who he is close to. With an increased awareness of the way he fits into society and by “learning that people are hypocritical, deceitful and cruel… and through some painful experiences and self analysis he realizes that the old, retarded Charlie, maimed by his mother’s desperate ambitions, is still inside him” (Fremont-Smith 1). This poses one question to the reader, when was Charlie was better off? Before the operation where he was ignorant to the way people had treated him, or after when his intelligence enabled him to understand the ways he had been treated and taken advantage