Research Question: Does the protagonist in Flowers for Algernon undergo a transformation, and if so, what motivates it? Annotated Bibliography Keyes, Daniel. Flowers for Algernon. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1994. pp. 113-117. 2. What is the difference between a'smart' and a'smart'? In the first progress report within the novel, Charlie is introduced as a student who attends “a school for retarded adults”. Early on in the novel, he is explaining an operation Dr. Strauss says he can be used for where he goes on to express his desire for intelligence, stating, “I hope they use me because Miss Kinnian says maybe they can make me smart. I want to be smart.” I believe that this quote relates to the transformation Charlie goes through by demonstrating his willingness to undergo an experiment in pursuit of his goal to increase his intelligence. This quote serves as an introduction to his transformation by demonstrating Charlie's misspelled words, emphasizing his incompetence prior to the operation. By doing so, Keyes is able to demonstrate an …show more content…
A. Flowers for Algernon. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1994. pp. 113-117. 33. What is the difference between a '' and a ''? At this point in the novel, Charlie has now had the procedure and battles with the changes occurring within him as he experiences new intellectual growth. He reflects on his progress on April 13th, by stating, “now I know I’m getting a little smarter every day. I know punctuation, and I can spell good.” I believe this demonstrates his transformation because he was initially portrayed as a mentally disabled student with limited cognitive abilities, but due to his desire for self-improvement he undergoes the experiment. This quote is a demonstration of an increase in Charlie’s confidence as he begins to master basic skills that were a struggle for him prior to this. This serves as an inspirational example that education can change lives and provide opportunities for personal growth and