In the book Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, Charlie Gordon is faced with a new physiologically straining life after a groundbreaking new science experiment. Charlie’s new life brings him a new personality, perspective, and new experiences he could never imagine. Because of this, Charlie is split into two; his young and mature self. Throughout the course of the book, we see these two personas come and go. However as the story progresses, the reader can realize that the two personas are one in reality. Therefor, Charlie’s fundamentals do not change and ‘young’ Charlie is always present with ‘mature’ Charlie through emotion, behavior, and love.
Glimpses of the “young” Charlie are shown when “mature” Charlie is experiencing more passionate emotion that usual. People tend to show what is going on in their head more openly when they are enraged with emotion. This is evident
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At the peak of Charlie’s intelligence, he says, “...I had the cold feeling he was watching...A switched perception, and I was out on the fire escape again, watching a man and woman inside, making love on the couch.” (219-220) While making love with Fey, Charlie starts to view himself through the eyes of the younger version of himself. Although Fey isn't someone Charlie truly loved, they definitely had a strong connection that can be related to the love of a friend. However, before meeting Fey, Charlie spent his time with Alice, his only love. Earlier, when he is with her, he says, “There in her arms I cried myself to sleep, and I dreamed of the courtier and the pink-cheeked maiden. But in my dream it was the maiden who held the sword.” (113) This quote symbolizes Charlie’s experience with love and women from a young age. The maiden is meant to resemble his fears and insecurities with women, in which most likely came from his abusive relationship with his mother from when he was