One of the themes of this novel is the role and definition of family. Explain how Keyes develops this theme. How do you define family? (Not Webster’s or any other dictionary). Daniel Keyes develops the idea of family throughout “Flowers for Algernon” by constantly reminding the reader of Charlie’s life at home with his family. The information is given to the reader through flashbacks and memories of Charlie, telling different events that take place in his strange day to day life. The role of each member of the family is normal for the time of the mid 1900’s. Matt, the father, is the man of the house, earning a living at the barbershop. He is constantly standing up for Charlie, trying to hold everything together in the household. The reader
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Explain the irony in the situation when Charlie reunites with his mother. Do you think Keyes is laughing at Rose Gordon? Why or why not? The irony in the situation when Charlie returns home is the places of him and his mother. Rose is now in the spot of where Charlie was at a younger age, with a mental illness. On the opposite side Charlie is now the more intelligent of the two. They have completely swapped roles as they have been beforehand. Keyes would most likely see the situation as justice for the troubles that have happened in Charlie’s early life and what his mother has put him through. More irony can be found where Charlie desires more friends than he already has. He believes that once he becomes smarter, that he will acquire more friends. What he doesn’t realize is that originally his friends do not treat him well, but only finds out when he becomes smarter. When he does become smarter, he loses all the friends he already had, and finds it very difficult to make and keep new ones. Another instance of irony is that of the original question posed by the scientists. Charlie is the one that the question is being tested on, yet he finds both the flaw and the answer to it “Nemur’s conclusions had been premature. For both Algernon and myself, it would take more time to see if this change would stick. The professors had made a mistake, and no one else had caught it”
Explain the irony in the situation when Charlie reunites with his mother. Do you think Keyes is laughing at Rose Gordon? Why or why not? The irony in the situation when Charlie returns home is the places of him and his mother. Rose is now in the spot of where Charlie was at a younger age, with a mental illness. On the opposite side Charlie is now the more intelligent of the two. They have completely swapped roles as they have been beforehand. Keyes would most likely see the situation as justice for the troubles that have happened in Charlie’s early life and what his mother has put him through. More irony can be found where Charlie desires more friends than he already has. He believes that once he becomes smarter, that he will acquire more friends. What he doesn’t realize is that originally his friends do not treat him well, but only finds out when he becomes smarter. When he does become smarter, he loses all the friends he already had, and finds it very difficult to make and keep new ones. Another instance of irony is that of the original question posed by the scientists. Charlie is the one that the question is being tested on, yet he finds both the flaw and the answer to it “Nemur’s conclusions had been premature. For both Algernon and myself, it would take more time to see if this change would stick. The professors had made a mistake, and no one else had caught it”