Flowers For Algernon By Daniel Keyes

Austin Bastidas

Mrs. Zozi

English Pd:1

9 March 2023 “Flowers for Algernon” Essay Intelligence doesn’t determine happiness in life. In the story “Flowers for Algernon'' by Daniel Keyes explains both pros and cons about Charlie being better off in life with his natural IQ. Charlie Gordon is a 37 year old man with an IQ of 68. Charlie is given the opportunity to triple his intelligence with a brain operation. Charlie does get smart in the end and his IQ does triple, but after Algernon dies Charlie starts to lose his intelligence. Charlie Gordon is better off in life before the operation with his natural IQ (little intelligence). With an IQ of 68, Charlie has many advantages

One negative aspect that Charlie experiences when he becomes smart is that everyone is afraid of him. An example of this can be seen in the text when Charlie comes back to work and is smart and everyone is frightened of him because of his increase of intelligence. Everyone is so shocked that Charlie is so smart now that they’re scared of him. “Everybody seems to be frightened of me. When I went over to Amos Borg and tapped him on the shoulder, he jumped up in the air. People don’t talk to me much any more or kid around the way they used to. It makes the job kind of lonely” (Keyes 326). In this scene, everybody at Charlie’s work are frightened of him. When he went over to someone named Amos Borg at his work he jumped in the air, shocked. Charlie’s also noticing that people aren't making jokes about him anymore and Charlie says that he feels lonely because of it. This example is a disadvantage for Charlie because he feels left out and knows that his increase of intelligence is making people afraid of him. Another negative aspect that Charlie experiences when he becomes highly intelligent is that he becomes lonely. An example of this can be seen when Fanny is on Charlie’s side and refuses to sign the petition to fire Charlie. Charlie has gotten fired from his old job at the Donnegan’s Plastic Box company. “Once again now I have the feeling of shame burning inside me. This intelligence has driven a wedge between me and all the people I once knew and loved. Before, they laughed at me and despised me for my knowledge and understanding. What do they want of me? They’ve driven me out of the factory. Now I'm more alone than ever before” (Keyes 329). In this scene, Charlie feels ashamed, he also feels like all the people he ever knew and loved have just created a barrier against him. Also in this scene, Charlie’s now just realizing that they