Flowers For Algernon Vs. Charly

The novelette "Flowers for Algernon", and the movie Charly, both recount of a man named Charlie Gordon, who struggles with a mental disability. This young man later experiences a procedure that is intended to increase his knowledge. He later discovers that this procedure's effects are only temporary. Although "Flowers for Algernon" and Charly are similar in conflict, they greatly differ in their characters and setting.
To begin with, the conflict between "Flowers for Algernon" and Charly is very similar. In both of the stories, Charlie Gordon, yearns to be on the equivalent intellectual scale as his friends and co-workers. He tolerates continuous mocking from others, while maintaining his happiness and peace. He struggles taking tests to determine if he is capable of going through with the operation to increase his intelligence. He battles later on with himself, knowing the operation he endured is not a lasting resolution. In the end, he desires distance from others, hoping to cause no harm to his loved ones. Throughout, the stories have a similar conflict, and …show more content…
In Charly, the setting is in Boston, whereas in "Flowers for Algernon" the story is set in New York. Additionally, in "Flowers for Algernon" Charlie works at a plastic box factory, although in Charly he works at a bread factory. He worked as a janitor in both stories, but in "Flowers for Algernon,” he helped advance the factory production exposing how lazy the workers had been. He is eventually terminated because of a petition from his co-workers. In Charly, he also is let go, but it is because he gets upset with his fellow workers and receives a pink slip saying that he is no longer needed at the factory. Also, the setting in "Flowers for Algernon" is portrayed through details in words while in Charly it is expressed through a visual representation. The setting in both of these stories is exceptionally