I intend to write an essay based on the novel Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. I hope to allude to the ‘Mistreatment of the intellectually disabled' through the eyes of the main character Charlie Gordon, and how this comments on particular aspects of society.
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In the novel ‘Flowers for Algernon’ written by Daniel Keyes the event of the new ‘Dishwasher Boy’ was used to show the theme of the “Mistreatment of the intellectually disabled” to comment on an aspect of society. Through the first person diary format of Charlie Gordon we get front seat to an event that was able to express the ‘mistreatment’. This is what makes ‘Flowers for Algernon’ so powerful because it has the reality of society and the world we live in. Thus, …show more content…
“Onlookers cheer and begin with there joking comments”, the Boss comes out “Alright you dope, get a broom, get a broom you idiot”. We notice how nasty and abusive these people are towards a simple mistake made by an intellectually disabled. As the readers we feel saddened that people are so cruel towards “another human being”. The mistreatment is highlighted as this event plays out as Charlie realises they are “teasing him because he’s retarded”, at this point I think Keyes wanted us to see the power unbalance between these people and the “poor” dishwasher boy. This ‘power unbalance’ plays a huge part in the ‘Mistreatment of the intellectually disabled’ as we see “the boy begin to mirror their smiles, unaware that the joke is about him”. When they feel “like their half asleep”, and aware of the situations around them, this gives the abusers this feeling of superiority, feeling of power, knowing they cannot react in any way that could potentially ruin their reputation. The quote by an unknown “Blowing someone else candles doesn’t make yours shine any brighter”, in society people often believe by hurting someone else makes you a better person. This is where the factor of ‘power unbalance ‘comes in again, against the intellectually disabled. In the film ‘I am …show more content…
“hey Sonny, you missed a spot” “C’mon do it again” simple comments like these become “nasty” after a while, the “crowd becomes rowdier” essentially becoming crueler. We as readers understand that the actions and reactions of others is what influences this form of mistreatment. “He’s not that dumb, its easier to break them than wash them” “hahaha good one!”. The reaction of a comment as such just shows how people are often influenced by others and how they react to your actions. When you think about it we live in a society where the “others” factor is what influences our decisions, how we look, what we wear and in this case how we treat the intellectually disabled. The quote by the write Robert Hansel “The greatest disability is the inability to see a person as more”, the person with the disability is not the one with the low intelligence but those who don’t and cannot see them as just “another human being”. This major theme shows that people in society care too much about what others expect that we often forget about manners, morals and
XXXXXXX(more)
In the novel ‘Flowers for Algernon’ written by Daniel Keyes the event of the new ‘Dishwasher Boy’ was used to show the theme of the “Mistreatment of the intellectually disabled” to comment on an aspect of society. Through the first person diary format of Charlie Gordon we get front seat to an event that was able to express the ‘mistreatment’. This is what makes ‘Flowers for Algernon’ so powerful because it has the reality of society and the world we live in. Thus, …show more content…
“Onlookers cheer and begin with there joking comments”, the Boss comes out “Alright you dope, get a broom, get a broom you idiot”. We notice how nasty and abusive these people are towards a simple mistake made by an intellectually disabled. As the readers we feel saddened that people are so cruel towards “another human being”. The mistreatment is highlighted as this event plays out as Charlie realises they are “teasing him because he’s retarded”, at this point I think Keyes wanted us to see the power unbalance between these people and the “poor” dishwasher boy. This ‘power unbalance’ plays a huge part in the ‘Mistreatment of the intellectually disabled’ as we see “the boy begin to mirror their smiles, unaware that the joke is about him”. When they feel “like their half asleep”, and aware of the situations around them, this gives the abusers this feeling of superiority, feeling of power, knowing they cannot react in any way that could potentially ruin their reputation. The quote by an unknown “Blowing someone else candles doesn’t make yours shine any brighter”, in society people often believe by hurting someone else makes you a better person. This is where the factor of ‘power unbalance ‘comes in again, against the intellectually disabled. In the film ‘I am …show more content…
“hey Sonny, you missed a spot” “C’mon do it again” simple comments like these become “nasty” after a while, the “crowd becomes rowdier” essentially becoming crueler. We as readers understand that the actions and reactions of others is what influences this form of mistreatment. “He’s not that dumb, its easier to break them than wash them” “hahaha good one!”. The reaction of a comment as such just shows how people are often influenced by others and how they react to your actions. When you think about it we live in a society where the “others” factor is what influences our decisions, how we look, what we wear and in this case how we treat the intellectually disabled. The quote by the write Robert Hansel “The greatest disability is the inability to see a person as more”, the person with the disability is not the one with the low intelligence but those who don’t and cannot see them as just “another human being”. This major theme shows that people in society care too much about what others expect that we often forget about manners, morals and