Flowers for Algernon response

          The book Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes, tells the fictional story of a mentally disabled man named Charlie, who although he works hard and tries to "get smart", never seems to make progress. He goes through a surgery that has been tested on a mouse named Algernon to raise his IQ, and he takes us through the experience through his diary. He experiences emotional hardships and discovers that some things are not how he used to think they were. He also takes us through his troubled past through flashbacks, where we see just how hard it was for him his whole life. One of the interesting relationships in the book is of his with Algernon. They are not constantly together throughout the book, but they are alike in many ways and have a deep connection.

          Algernon and Charlie have very similar situations, as they both were born with very low IQs and underwent the procedure. Since Algernon underwent the surgery before Charlie as a test subject, he can show the reader in advance how Charlie will be affected by the procedure in some ways. At first, Algernon passes through the mazes with ease while Charlie struggles, giving us insight that Charlie will improve and become more intelligent as time wears on. But when Algernon starts behaving strangely and having trouble with simple mazes, we can tell that Charlie will soon start deteriorating too. It's an interesting way of foreshadowing, and while it gives us an idea of what will happen, it isn't blunt and doesn't spoil the storyline.

          The two also have other connections that are shown when they are presented at a scientific convention near the end of the novel. Charlie is tired of being treated like a "guinea pig" for the experiment. He's also frustrated that the scientists are acting as if he wasn't a human before the operation and that they act like they created him. Since Algernon went through the same thing, the two understand each other and decide mutually to escape from the convention and the experiment altogether. Charlie opens Algernon's cage and creates mayhem, allowing them to escape from the convention. This is the turning point in the book where Charlie starts deteriorating, but also realizes that he should cherish his time instead of trying to prolong it.

          Although Charlie and Algernon are different things (a mouse and a human), their struggles and changes make them very alike. They go through hard times, lows and highs, and have the same train of thought. They know that they are their own being and are not guinea pigs. This story and relationship shows the struggles of life for those who are disabled, but also how hard it is to change.