Flowers for Algernon: Student Edition | Daniel Keyes

Flowers for Algernon: Student Edition | Daniel Keyes | Psychological Sci-Fi

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Flowers for Algern...

	Flowers for Algernon: Student Edition Daniel Keyes Harvest Books, 2004 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 438 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Breathtaking

I don't know how I missed this jewel until now, but I'm glad I finally found it. I haven't been this moved by a work of fiction in a long, long time. I found myself so drawn to Charlie and to what was happening to him, to his longing for acceptance and love, and to his quest to make sense of his world. The desire for acceptance and love--from oneself and from others--is something all people have in common regardless their IQ. I cried as Charlie regressed, all the while knowing what was happening to him, realizing the profundity of his loss, yet finally being grateful for the short period of intellect and what that contributed to science.

I can't disagree more with the reviewer who says the book's ending was predictable. For a while, I thought the book would be about the trick of combining great intellect with human love. When Fay put the female mouse in with Algernon, I kept waiting to see if this theme would be played out, first with the mouse, later with Charlie. One possible ending would have been to let Charlie have his high IQ but, unlike Algernon, be able to integrate intellect with emotion. Another ending would have been to go back to the lower IQ, and have a completely sterile existence devoid of anyone. This of course did not happen as the people at the bakery also showed growth by the book's end and were able to truly take Charlie in and befriend him. I think the author came up with a good ending by causing Charlie to lose the intellect, but to have gained self-love and the love of others, things he did not have at the start of his journey.

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Psychological Sci-Fi

This book is about a 32-year old retarded man, Charlie, who is made smart through surgery. Scientists had previously tried this surgery on mice and though the mice got smarter, they rapidly declined. Finally a mouse comes along that seems to stay smart (Algernon), and the scientists decide it's time to try the surgery on a human.

Charlie is selected as the best candidate for the surgery, and he wants very much to be made smart. The surgery appears to work, and Charlie becomes smarter every day. Eventually, Algernon, the mouse, begins to decline. This worries everyone that the same thing will begin to happen to Charlie.

What's interesting is that Charlie has become so smart that he is now smarter than the scientists who made him that way, and he begins to search for his own cures so he will not decline like Algernon.

The book is written as a series of journal entries. The grammar, spelling, and punctuation greatly improve after Charlie's surgery. Charlie is really a lovable character in the beginning series of journal entries.

This is a good book with an interesting story to tell. At the peak of Charlie's "smart period" the book becomes a little tough to follow, but overall it was fun to read.

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INSTANT CLASSIC WITH A TANTALIZING PLOT

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes is sure to be a classic that will be remembered by the hearts and minds of all those who read. It is the story of a mentally retearded man who receives an operation that will help him learn faster and easier than any normal person. He is then given the opportunity to live a normal life- somethimg he nas never had the chance to experience. Along the way you see his grammar, spelling, and social skills improve through his progress reports. The main character, Charly Gordon spends much of his time writing about the painful flashbacks he experiences that force him to remember his bad childhood as he is made fun of and pestered. You see Charly transform from a child in a mans body to a regular person which helps you to see that the difference between misfit and "normal" is not a very large gap. His IQ improves nearly 100 points and his social skills jump considerably. AThroughout his journey he encouters Miss Kinnian, who he falls in love with, Alghernon, the mouse who has the same operation as Charly, and his next door neighbor Fay. As his mental capacity increases, he begins to experience new emotions such as jealosy, hate, and love. A great read that is difficult to put down, Flowers for Algernon is sure to entertain all who read it. I would recommend this book to all who are capable of comprehending the story and willing to alot enough time to read page after page in this great book. It really is a great book that should be read.

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Flowers for Algernon- Instant classic with a tantalizing plot

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Better acted out?

I have a feeling I would enjoy this story a lot more by viewing the movie or the play. The way the book was written is perfect for a screenplay. I quess I was expecting more pathos. Granted, the story was touching, but I never really felt connected with the writing style.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, page 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

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