Exceptional intelligence is often regarded as an unattainable pinnacle of human achievement. In the case of Charlie Gordon from Daniel Keyes’ “Flowers for Algernon,” it is clear that his skills are far below those of an average person, though he believes he is leading a fulfilling life. However, through a treatment designed to increase intelligence, Charlie goes from barely being able to work at his local bakery to contemplating the works of Aristotle and Plato. Despite his heightened abilities, Charlie becomes unable to find true bliss, which brings light to the fundamental message that an increased intelligence can lead to the destruction of happiness.
Working at the bakery, Charlie sees his coworkers, who routinely bully him, as his best friends that provide all the
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However, at the scientific convention, he realizes that his friends, as well as most others, have been treating him with condescension, even the scientists that he had entrusted with his life. This turning point in Charlie’s mental abilities highlights his turn from blissfully ignorant to a disillusioned genius. When Professor Nemur, the scientist who worked with Charlie, gives his presentation, he calls Charlie one of “nature's mistakes and by [his] new technique [... he has] created a superior human being” (103). Though Nemur has always been polite to Charlie’s face, he sees him as a simple test subject and nothing more. Being dehumanized by Nemur angers Charlie, especially once he is able to comprehend what Nemur explains to the convention. As a result of Charlie’s increased intellect, he also finds himself more cynical towards others, commenting on how “Burt was right when he praised Nemur and Strauss for devoting themselves to