Algernon is a white lab mouse in the lab run by Professor Nemur and Dr. Strauss. Algernon is initially just an average mouse, but he undergoes an experimental operation that
makes him three times as intelligent as a regular mouse
. The scientists at the lab continually monitor Algernon's progress.
Why is Algernon important in the story?
In “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, Algernon is very important
because Charlie follows in his footsteps
. The intelligence experiments Dr. Nemur and Dr. … Charlie knows that his fate is tied up with Algernon's, so he begins his own research, hoping to find an answer and a cure.
Who is Algernon in this story?
Algernon is
a laboratory mouse who has undergone surgery to increase his intelligence
. The story is told by a series of progress reports written by Charlie Gordon, the first human subject for the surgery, and it touches on ethical and moral themes such as the treatment of the mentally disabled.
What is the goal of the operation Dr Strauss performs in Charlie?
Before the operation, Charlie is perceived as a “good, simple man” and a “likeable, retarded young man.” His main goal in undergoing the operation is
“to be smart like other pepul so I can have lots of friends who like me.”
Who is Algernon and how does Charlie feel about him?
He mourns when Algernon dies because he identifies so strongly with him. Both before and immediately after the operation, Charlie sees Algernon as
a competitior
. Charlie thinks Algernon is a “pretty smart mouse” before his operation because the mouse can beat him by finding his way through a maze faster than Charlie.
How is Algernon special?
Algernon is a white lab mouse in the lab run by Professor Nemur and Dr. Strauss. Algernon is initially just an average mouse, but he
undergoes an experimental operation that makes him three times as intelligent as a regular mouse
. The scientists at the lab continually monitor Algernon's progress.
What is Charlie's IQ?
Before Charlie has his operation in “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, he has an
IQ of 68
. The average IQ according to most psychologists is between 95 and 105, so Charlie's IQ is very low. He would be considered mentally handicapped and would have been in special education classes at school.
Does Charlie Gordon have autism?
The story of Charlie Gordon, the tale's protagonist , builds on stereotypes that are popular now about
Autism Spectrum Disorder
. His condition goes from Intellectual disability to stereotypical descriptions of Asperger's Syndrome .
What does Algernon symbolize?
Algernon, the lab mouse, is symbolic of the part of Charlie that is viewed as a science experiment, the piece of Charlie that resents the professor for not treating him like a human being. … For Charlie, Algernon symbolizes his own identity and struggles. For the reader, Algernon symbolizes
fate, reality, and death
.
What does the name Algernon mean?
Algernon is a given male name which derives from the Norman-French sobriquet Aux Gernons, meaning “
with moustaches
“.
What does Charlie do at the end of the story?
At the end of the novel, Charlie returns to the Warren Home School, and, in his last letter,
he asks someone to put flowers on Algernon's grave
, also suggesting that he knows he is going to die soon.
Why do the doctors use Charlie in their experiment?
Why do the doctors use Charlie in their experiment?
He is the only person willing to try it.
They know he needs a better job. He is the only person willing to try it.
What is Charlie job?
Charlie is a thirty-two-year-old intellectually disabled man who lives in New York City. At the start of the novel, he works at Donner's Bakery as
a janitor and delivery boy
.
Why doesn't Charlie tell his father who he is?
Charlie is unable to bring himself to reveal his identity to Matt because
he knows that he is no longer the
Charlie Matt once knew. Just as the bakery workers are not proud of Charlie's new intellect, Charlie fears that Matt will have no reason to feel anything but threatened by his genius son.
Is Charlie Gordon a real person?
The Inspiration for Charlie Gordon
But
Charlie Gordon is not real
, nor is he based on a real person: he is imagined or invented, probably a composite of many people I know — including a little bit of me.
What were his feelings about them before the operation?
Before the operation the
workers treated him with little respect and would make fun of him just to be funny
, but after the operation, the workers respected him and felt sorry for him. if someone made fun of him, the workers would stand up for him.
