“All my life I wanted to be smart.” When Charlie Gordon was offered a chance to get smarter, he took it—without realizing that there were any dangers or side effects of that operation. In the fictional story Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes creates the theme that if one tampers with natural humanity, especially for petty approval, consequences will occur.
Algernon demonstrates the theme, showing how his change affected others in the story. Unnatural changes don’t always forge positive impacts. For example, when Charlie was in the process of getting smarter, he wrote, “I had lots of tests and different kinds of races with Algernon. I hate that mouse. He always beats me” (49). After Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur made Algernon smarter, Charlie lacked in self-confidence and determination by comparing himself to the mouse. Additionally, the scientists and doctors felt the impact of Algernon's failed operation. They felt false hope, along with the delusion that they had an almighty power. Dr. Nemur was …show more content…
First of all, Charlie wasn't aware of the side effects or dangers of the operation. His illness prevented him from comprehending much of the operation. Algernon’s experiment hadn't run its course, so neither the doctors nor Charlie knew how it would end. The person who Charlie seemed to trust the most, Miss Kinnian, didn't even realize there were dangers to the operation, but after Charlie got smarter, she told him that she wasn't sure about recommending him. Additionally, Charlie didn't know how the procedure would change his point of view. After the boy in the diner got mocked for dropping a plate, Charlie noted, “Only a short time ago, I learned that people laughed at me. Now I can see that unknowingly I joined with them in laughing at myself. That hurts most of all” (65). Before the procedure, he thought he had great friends, without realizing that they always made fun of
Algernon demonstrates the theme, showing how his change affected others in the story. Unnatural changes don’t always forge positive impacts. For example, when Charlie was in the process of getting smarter, he wrote, “I had lots of tests and different kinds of races with Algernon. I hate that mouse. He always beats me” (49). After Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur made Algernon smarter, Charlie lacked in self-confidence and determination by comparing himself to the mouse. Additionally, the scientists and doctors felt the impact of Algernon's failed operation. They felt false hope, along with the delusion that they had an almighty power. Dr. Nemur was …show more content…
First of all, Charlie wasn't aware of the side effects or dangers of the operation. His illness prevented him from comprehending much of the operation. Algernon’s experiment hadn't run its course, so neither the doctors nor Charlie knew how it would end. The person who Charlie seemed to trust the most, Miss Kinnian, didn't even realize there were dangers to the operation, but after Charlie got smarter, she told him that she wasn't sure about recommending him. Additionally, Charlie didn't know how the procedure would change his point of view. After the boy in the diner got mocked for dropping a plate, Charlie noted, “Only a short time ago, I learned that people laughed at me. Now I can see that unknowingly I joined with them in laughing at myself. That hurts most of all” (65). Before the procedure, he thought he had great friends, without realizing that they always made fun of