Surgery In Flowers For Algernon By Daniel Keyes

Like a coin, science has two sides. Even if science exists for the better of humanity, there will always be some bits that will be more negative than positive. Even though making things, such as surgery, may be good, some side effects, like affecting your health, are unwanted; just like in the book, “Flowers for Algernon”, by Daniel Keyes. Charlie Gordon, a thirty-seven-year-old man, with an IQ of sixty-eight because of a mental disability, understands he isn’t smart but wants to be smart. He undergoes surgery, only chosen because of his motivation to want to be smart. The surgery works, and he realizes a few things: his “friends” are bullies, he loves Miss Kinnian, he grows a bond with Algernon the mouse, he has better grammar, and he can

For instance, this event occurs when Charlie goes to visit Algernon, but Algernon starts to act differently. Charlie noted in his progress report, “...he has regressed mentally. Motor activity is impaired; there is a general reduction of glandular activity; there is an accelerated loss of co-ordination… Algernon died two days ago”(Keyes, 301) Taking a look at what Charlie wrote down, this shows us that the surgery has unwanted side effects. Days later, Charlie started to have the same effects as Algernon: having amnesia, slowly regressing, getting headaches, loss of coordination, and more. Since Charlie shares the same side effects as Algernon, and Algernon dies in the end, he probably will share the same fate. However, some who believe he should have gotten the surgery argue that he didn’t know of the side effects. In reality, if only the scientist had waited longer, they could have seen the side effects of Algernon. They could have seen the side effects, and not do the surgery on

While still being able to write, Charlie narrated,” … Mr. Donnegan showed me the petition. Eight hundred and forty names ... Miss Kinnian came to the door but I said go away I dont want to see you”(Keyes, 295 & 303). What we can infer from this quote is that people from his job viewed him as a monster, and were afraid of him. This is evident by all the names signed at his job, showing they wanted him fired. He also broke Miss Kinnian’s heart because he knew he would forget her. Miss Kinnian broke up with her fiance, and quit her studies to teach Charlie, and he broke up with her, leaving her with nothing. Some may say that at least he got to experience love. Nonetheless, he will forget when he did love Miss Kinnian, only memories of his love for her are documented on his progress reports. He only got to love her for a short period of time until he started to