How Does Flowers For Algernon Change

Due to the dynamic nature of change, not all outcomes are positive. In Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, Charlie learns change can have a negative impact on one’s life. The lesson Charlie learns from the surgery helps him develop a better understanding of the real world. Charlie’s friendships, situations, and the conclusions he draws in his writing teach him change can be bad. First, through Charlie’s realization about fake friends and his distasteful co-workers Charlie discovers positive personal change can have a negative social results. For example, Charlie becomes smart while his friends and co workers still dislike him. Fanny tells him, “You used to be good, dependable ordinary man… Who knows what you've done to yourself to make

An important event in his life is seen when Frank and Joe invite Charlie to a party after he has become astute. There they make fun of him, but this time Charlie realizes it. This situation reveals to him an unforeseen consequence of becoming more intelligent. The consequence of changing himself was that he did not have friends anymore, and had to have heartbreaking feelings. In particular, Charlie did not realize until he was smart and watched the dishwasher boy laugh with the people who were making fun of him that “people of honest feelings and sensibility would not take advantage of a man born without arms or legs or eyes...people think nothing of abusing a man born with low intelligence” (Keyes 299). Before Charlie becomes smart he thought no one could be mean or inconsiderate. Becoming intelligent he is disturbed to learn he is incorrect about people. Also, once Charlie realizes he needs a job to pay rent, he goes back to the factory and gets his janitor job back. The day he starts this new job a new co-worker comes up to him and makes fun of him. This is an example of how no matter how much someone changes, others will always find a flaw to point out and use against you. Consequently, situations altering Charlie’s character traits helps him realize change is not always