Bryce-Flowers+for+Algernon

__ Flowers For Algernon __

Author's Biography
**Daniel F. Keyes** was born August 9, 1927 in Brooklyn, NY. He gew up with a fairly normal life. At age 17, Daniel Keyes joined the U.S. Maritime Service as ship's purser. After he left the service, he resumed his studies at Brooklyn College where he received his B.A. Degree in psychology. He was given a job as an associate fiction editor, then left editing to enter the fashion photography. Keyes later earned a license to teach English in the New York City schools. He taught days and wrote weekends. Keyes returned to Brooklyn College at night for post- grad courses in English and American literature. After receiving his Masters degree, he left New York to teach creative writing at Wayne State University. He joined Ohio University in 1966, and was appointed Professor of English and Creative Writing. Brooklyn College awarded him with its 1988, "Distinguished Alumnus Medal of Honor." Over the course of his career he wrote around 4 novels and recieved multiple awards, with his most praised and acclaimed piece being called __Flowers For Algernon.__ [|Biography]



Plot Synopsis




__Flowers For Algernon__ chronicles the life of a man named Charlie Gordon. Charlie is a mentally retarded adult chosen by a team of scientists to undergo an experimental surgery designed to boost his intelligence. Charlie is recommended by his teacher, Alice Kinnian, at the Beekman College Center for Retarded Adults. The scientists and directors of the experiment, Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur require Charlie to create a journal. The entire novel is composed of the progress reports that Charlie writes in his journal.

Charlie works at Donner's Bakery as a janitor. The employees often pick on him, but Charlie can't understand that he is the subject of their cruel jokes. He thinks his coworkers are good friends. Charlie first starts the experiment with a massive amount of tests including a maze-solving competition with a mouse named Algernon. Algernon has already had the experimental surgery performed on him and is incredibly smart. Once the tests are completed and the scientists believe they have the right candidate, they decide to go ahead with the operation. Charlie is disappointed that there is no immediate change in his intellect. With work and help from Alice though, he starts improving. He begins to read books (for adults), filling his brain with knowledge from everywhere. He also begins to recover lost memories of his childhood, most of which involve his mother, Rose, who hated and often brutally punished Charlie for not being normal like other children.

As Charlie becomes smarter, he notices that he really likes Alice. She wants to keep their relationship professional, but she likes him too. Charlie, soon after the operation is fired from the bakery because the other workers are afraid of the sudden change in him, and Donner sees that Charlie no longer needs his charity. Then Charlie starts to grow closer to Alice, though he experiences a sensation of panic and fear when they get too intimate. Charlie remembers his mother beating him for even thinking about girls, and he realizes that this is why he cannot have sex with Alice yet.

Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur take Charlie and Algernon to a science convention in Chicago. Charlie becomes frustrated by Nemur's refusal to recognize him as a human. He thinks that Nemur treats him like just another lab animal. Charlie frees Algernon from his cage while they are onstage and creates chaos. Then he flies back to New York alone with Algernon and gets an apartment near Central Park. While he is alone, he does research and finds that the scientists made an error and his intelligence might only be temporary.

Charlie meets his neighbor at his new apartment. Her name is Fay. Charlie does not tell Fay about his past, and for some reason he is able to have a sexual relationship with her and they are great friends. When Charlie asks the foundation that has funded his experiment if he can do some of his own work, they give Charlie whatever he needs. He returns to the lab but his commitment to his work begins to consume him, and he drifts away from Fay.

Algernon's intelligence begins to slip. Charlie worries that whatever happens to Algernon will soon happen to him. Fearing he will go back to his previous level of intelligence, Charlie visits his mom and sister to try to understand his past. Charlie's mom, who is now an old woman, is ecstatic about his accomplishments. His sister is also happy to see him. However, his mom goes into a delusional flashback and attacks Charlie with a knife. He leaves and he feels that he has finally overcome his painful background and become a fully developed individual.

The rest is for the reader to find out.



What Worked... What Didn't
Daniel Keyes' appeal to the emotions and sentiment in his audience is definitely what worked the greatest for this book. The way He uniquely used Charlie's Progress Reports somewhat as chapters worked very well because it was very interesting. Overall the good things in this novel outweighed significantly the bad.

There is not a lot of negative things to say about this novel. The one and only thing that i feel is a damaging effect in this book is that it is a little predictable.



Literary Inf o
Genre: Science Fiction Style: In the format of small passages labeled as "progress reports " 

The Whys and the Whats
Why was this book placed on the list of outstanding books? Because it is challenging to read and contains a great theme that can be carried with us students to college and throughout our lives, and that is to treat other people as human beings because that is what they are even if they are slow or retarded. Why would you recommend this book to someone else? I would recommend this book to anybody who is looking for a great, emotional, tear-jerker. What makes the book outstanding? The book is outstanding because it is very unique and almost introduces a new style of literature. It is full of emotion and can be read be read by anybody, people of all ages will enjoy this wonderful novel.

Links
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