The classic book Flowers for Algernon, which was written by Daniel Keyes in the late 1900’s, explains the story about a middle-aged man named Charlie Gordon and the struggles he faces from having a mental disability. Charlie Gordon worked at Donnegon’s Box Company, but while working there, he was made fun of and called stupid for something he can’t control. Charlie had a wish for all people to love and accept him, but couldn’t understand that there is always going to be someone that wouldn’t like him which made him feel unwanted and unappreciated. Throughout Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes develops a theme of self-acceptance to explain how people shouldn’t change themselves to fit in with others. Charlie demonstrated self-acceptance throughout …show more content…
Mr. Donnegan thought it was for the best to let Charlie go. There was a petition going around to get Charlie fired. There was 840 names on the petition and Charlie noticed that a certain person didn’t sign it, Fanny Girden. Charlie got upset when Fanny questioned him on how he got so smart so fast. He got angry because she was saying how it wasn’t possible for it to happen so quickly and Charlie just wanted to prove her wrong. On page 366, Fanny says, “that I don’t think there’s something mighty strange about you, Charlie. Them changed. I don’t know. You used to be a good, dependable, ordinary man-- not too bright maybe, but honest. Who knows what you done to yourself to get so smart all of a sudden. Like everybody around here’s been saying, Charlie, it’s not right.” Charlie’s response to that was, “But how can you say that, Fanny? What’s wrong with a man becoming intelligent and wanting to acquire knowledge and understanding of the world around him?”Charlie was disappointed in Fanny when she said that it wasn’t very possible for Charlie to become smart that quickly. This is another very important event that happens in this story because Charlie tries to change himself to fit in and then realizes that’s not what matters. What matters is that he’s happy and it doesn’t matter what other people