How Is The Surgery Shown In Flowers For Algernon

What if you were mentally ill and had the chance to obtain inhuman intelligence but after the peak of your life you lose everything? "Flowers for Algernon" is a science fiction novel written by Daniel Keyes. The novel follows the story of Charlie Gordon, a man with an IQ of 68, who undergoes an experimental surgery to increase his intelligence. The surgery had previously been performed on a mouse named Algernon, who became three times as intelligent as before the surgery. The experiment is successful on Charlie, and he becomes a genius. However, as Charlie becomes more intelligent, he also becomes more isolated from the people around him. He realizes that his former friends and colleagues were only pretending to like him, and he struggles

We can see this as he states, "Miss Kinnian told me. I don't care if it herts." (Keyes 1). In this quotation, Charlie admits that there are risks related to the surgery but still desires to have it done. This reveals how Charlie's only concern was becoming smart since his handicap prevented him from experiencing life to the fullest. This also further demonstrates Charlie's desire to get smarter as a normal human desire, and it would be cruel to prevent Charlie from accomplishing this goal. One argument against this perspective is that the surgery was too dangerous and that the potential advantages were overshadowed by the negative effects. Though he gained so much expertise in such a short period of time that the advantages of the surgery greatly surpassed the

Charlie had the chance to show through the procedure that brilliance is not just a genetic trait, but also a product of upbringing and education. We can see this as Charlie says “I am sorry, however, that my own contribution to the field must rest upon the ashes of the work of two men I regard so highly.”(Keyes 9). As Charlie's intelligence increased, he was able to contribute to the scientific community in ways that he never thought possible. His accomplishments in both his personal and professional lives disproved the idea that mental disabilities are a barrier to success and showed that mental potential can be awakened through education and encouraging environments. A counterargument is that the surgery changed Charlie's personality and ultimately led to his decline. However, the text suggests that Charlie's decline was due to the limitations of the surgery, not the surgery itself. As Charlie's intelligence declined, he began to rediscover his own humanity and form deeper connections with those around him. The text suggests that Charlie's decline was a necessary step in his personal growth and understanding of the