Hunter Straub
9/10 Honors
2012-2013
An Essay For Algernon
An analysis of the book Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes shows one overarching theme: the mistreatment of the mentally disabled. Throughout the book, the peers of main character Charlie Gordon (having higher IQ’s) harass him. Charlie is patronized throughout the beginning of the book and also abused on many occasions.
The most prominent of these occasions would be during Valentine’s Day, when Charlie was 11. He wanted to give a Valentine to his crush, Harriet. He asks a fellow classmate to write “”Dear Harriet, I think you are the most prettiest girl in the whole world …Your friend, Charlie Gordon.” (Keyes 52). The next day, however, the two older brothers of Harriet find Charlie at school. One brother tells him “You keep away from my kid sister, you degenerate.” (Keyes 54). His classmate who wrote the valentine to Harriet wrote what she thought would get Charlie in trouble. This shows that Charlie was taken advantage of even as a child, in a relatively safe place, such as at school.
Another example of Charlie being mistreated would be his mother constantly beating him. On multiple occasions she would hit, yell at, and bully him. “She comes towards him, screaming that he is a bad boy” (Keyes 75) Shows that his mother was intolerant of his actions, and could not control herself around him. “He’s better off dead.” (Keyes 185) states Charlie’s mother, showing how little his community, and even his own parents, cares about him. Never able to escape the mistreatment, Charlie’s parents even plan on sending him away.
The third and final example of the mistreatment of Charlie throughout the book Flowers For Algernon would be the abuse he receives at work. For having a low IQ, his fellow workers constantly harass him. Tripping him, laughing at him, it never stops until his IQ rises [awkward - rework for clarity]. Even then he is shunned,[remove comma] for being “too smart” for them. Charlie states “If your smart you can have lots of frends to talk to and you never get lonley by yourself all the time.” (Keyes Unknown [?]). This shows his desire to be smart, so he will have friends who truly care about him. Not until after the surgery does he find a true friend- his schoolteacher.
These three points show that Charlie was indeed mistreated throughout the book. One could even go as far to say he was not even treated as a human being until after his IQ was raised. Through hard work and sacrifice Charlie became smart, and realized he still couldn’t get what he always wanted- for people to like him for who he was.
9/10 Honors
2012-2013
An Essay For Algernon
An analysis of the book Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes shows one overarching theme: the mistreatment of the mentally disabled. Throughout the book, the peers of main character Charlie Gordon (having higher IQ’s) harass him. Charlie is patronized throughout the beginning of the book and also abused on many occasions.
The most prominent of these occasions would be during Valentine’s Day, when Charlie was 11. He wanted to give a Valentine to his crush, Harriet. He asks a fellow classmate to write “”Dear Harriet, I think you are the most prettiest girl in the whole world …Your friend, Charlie Gordon.” (Keyes 52). The next day, however, the two older brothers of Harriet find Charlie at school. One brother tells him “You keep away from my kid sister, you degenerate.” (Keyes 54). His classmate who wrote the valentine to Harriet wrote what she thought would get Charlie in trouble. This shows that Charlie was taken advantage of even as a child, in a relatively safe place, such as at school.
Another example of Charlie being mistreated would be his mother constantly beating him. On multiple occasions she would hit, yell at, and bully him. “She comes towards him, screaming that he is a bad boy” (Keyes 75) Shows that his mother was intolerant of his actions, and could not control herself around him. “He’s better off dead.” (Keyes 185) states Charlie’s mother, showing how little his community, and even his own parents, cares about him. Never able to escape the mistreatment, Charlie’s parents even plan on sending him away.
The third and final example of the mistreatment of Charlie throughout the book Flowers For Algernon would be the abuse he receives at work. For having a low IQ, his fellow workers constantly harass him. Tripping him, laughing at him, it never stops until his IQ rises [awkward - rework for clarity]. Even then he is shunned,[remove comma] for being “too smart” for them. Charlie states “If your smart you can have lots of frends to talk to and you never get lonley by yourself all the time.” (Keyes Unknown [?]). This shows his desire to be smart, so he will have friends who truly care about him. Not until after the surgery does he find a true friend- his schoolteacher.
These three points show that Charlie was indeed mistreated throughout the book. One could even go as far to say he was not even treated as a human being until after his IQ was raised. Through hard work and sacrifice Charlie became smart, and realized he still couldn’t get what he always wanted- for people to like him for who he was.