| Home | Daniel Keyes | "Flowers for Algernon" (the Short Story) |
Flowers for Algernon (the Novel) |
Charly (the film) |
Resources |
|---|
As Charlie's intelligence increases, he is able to realize that people have always been making fun of him, expressing their superiority. His co-workers at the factory treat him as intellectually inferior and the scientists treat him like a guinea pig, rather than a human being. Charlie finds himself being demeaning towards his new inferiors, criticizing them for not being more broadly educated. Charlie shames the customers, as well as himself, at the diner for laughing at the busboy when he breaks the dishes. Despite Charlie's knowledge and experience from being mentally handicapped, he realizes that he is committing the same mistreating acts towards his inferiors and the mentally disabled.
At a low intelligence state, Charlie is rather isolated. While he works at the factory he has friends that he spends time with, but he is unable to grasp the meaning of their jokes. He is unable to find lasting relationships that do not revolve around charity. His low I.Q. essentially alienates him from being normal.
As Charlie's I.Q. dramatically increases, his intelligence isolates him once again. He can no longer discuss concepts with Alice because he is smarter than her and she can no longer understand what he talks about. He becomes arrogant and unpleasant to be with, physically isolating himself from others. Charlie inadvertently alienates himself by becoming selfish and unpleasant, even though his frustrations are well justified. As Charlie begins to regress, he is once again alienated because no one can understand what he is going through and he is constantly forgetting everything he has learned. He shuts himself away to try to stop the regression from happening and to keep Alice and the scientists for feeling sorry for him.
While at a low I.Q. state, Charlie is very friendly and warm hearted. He is very eager to learn and is respectful. However, as his I.Q. increases, he becomes more cold and arrogant. He starts to distance himself from others and has a hard time communicating with them. There is an incompatibility of Charlie's intellect and emotion. With Alice's help, he is able to incorporate intellect and emotion together.
Biotechnology is "the use of microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeasts, or biological substances, such as enzymes, to perform specific industrial or manufacturing processes" (Dictionary.com). The scientists in the story use a special technique involving enzymes to improve or enhance intelligence. This biological aspect enables the idea of "What if we could increase human intelligence artificially?" It also establishes a moral debate, making us question our motivation as well as our right to tamper with God's will. The scientists want to find a way to improve many people's intelligence, creating superhumans. Some will question their right to change the person from the way God made them. If the experiment were to have worked, there would need to be an ethical code regarding the use and manipulation of the technology to ensure stability and morality.
