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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Truly touching, August 11, 2000
I read this book for school when I was in 7th grade, and just finished re-reading it ten years and a degree in biology later. I loved it when I was a teen, and (after forcing myself to ignore my instinctive scientific skepticism) still love it today.It's a very thought-provoking story, all the more so when you consider that it was written about 40 years ago when society was a bit less tolerant of the mentally retarded than it is now. Charlie is a man in his 30s with an IQ of 68 when the book starts; through a controversial experimental operation, his IQ gets higher and higher until it soars at one point to 185. The story is told through the journal entries that he is told to keep for the researchers in charge of the study. Through Charlie's words, you can see how sharply his intellect grows and how difficult it is for him because as smart as he becomes, his *emotional* intelligence is still that of a child. Charlie's emergence from ignorance is painful for him; imagine learning all of life's hard truth's in a matter of weeks rather than the normal development from innocent child to worldly adult. And the ending of the book is heartwrenching. Everyone should read "Flowers for Algernon" at some point in their life. It's a classic.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Great Book! Very Original! Very Good!, February 17, 2000
By A Customer
Flowers For Algernon is a very powerful book about a retarded man named Charly, who has an experimental operation done on him to make him a genius. I enjoyed this book for many reasons, one was the craft. The book is written in the form of Charly's journal, and as Charly gets smarter his spelling, grammar, vocabulary, etc. become more advanced. This allows the reader to see how he gets smarter through other means than what the book tells one. I also liked the characters, Charly in particular. I found it very interesting how Charly described being able to remember complicated things when before the operation he struggled to learn simple things. I also thought that all of the characters were very interesting and essential to the story. Flowers For Algernon is also one of the most original books I have ever read. Its craft, characters, and plot were all very original and unlike any other book I've ever read. Overall a must read; I strongly advise you read Flowers For Algernon.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Very Touching Book...A Must Read, May 7, 2007
I was so surprised by this book. Flowers For Algernon was one of the best books I've read this year and I really wasn't expecting it.
It is the story of Charlie Gordon, a man in his thirties with mental retardation. Charlie is the subject of a psychological research project at a university that is examining the effects of a new surgical procedure on mental retardation. Charlie's estranged sister gives the university permission to perform the procedure on Charlie. The procedure proves to be at least a temporary success and Charlie goes from having mental retardation to having an IQ of 185 in a manner of weeks.
The experiment is initially tried on a white mouse named Algernon. Algernon is tested through a complex maze where he is rewarded by food after reaching the end. Charlie races Algernon with a maze of his own and receives a shock if he goes the wrong way. At the beginning of the book, Algernon beats Charlie to the finish line every time. But Charlie soon soars past Algernon and through the process grows close to the mouse.
The book is written in the form of journal entries kept by Charlie for the experiment. At the beginning of the book, words are misspelled, ideas are vague, and relationships are simple. As the book progresses, so does Charlie's thought process and so do his relationships. Charlie learns what true love is as he falls in love with his teacher, Alice. He learns what physical love is as he comes into contact with his artistic and eccentric neighbor, Fay. And he learns the pains of relational love as he relives memories of his family and friends.
What was most touching to me about this book were these flashbacks and moments of recognition. When Charlie was still mentally retarded, he didn't realize when people were laughing at him or making fun of him. He didn't realize that when his mother was crying it was because she was ashamed to have him as a son. But now that he has had this operation he is able to look back on these situations and realize what was going on. You can imagine the pain of this.
Charlie is initially excited about "becoming smart". He's been teased throughout his life for "being a moron" and has been the subject of people's amusement. What Charlie soon finds is that acceptance is a hard thing to come by. Charlie goes straight from mentally retarded to genius. As a genius, he is seen as arrogant and absurd and is once again estranged by his peers.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
A Masterpiece...And Another One, August 12, 2005
Okay, this might sound like blasphemy to all the Dan Keyes fans, but there's a similar book out there that at least one critic thinks is actually better than Flowers for Algernon. Tim Lasiuta, editor at penguincomics.net, is that guy. Now, I've been a fan of Flowers for Algernon since I was a kid, and found the claim to be audacious, maybe even foolhardy. After all, didn't Keyes' book win both the Hugo and Nebula Awards? Didn't Cliff Robertson love the story so much, he produced and starred in the novel-inspired movie "Charly," which won him the Oscar for best actor? Hasn't the book sold millions of copies in dozens of languages, and continue to sell well today? How dare Tim Lasiuta claim there's a better book! So I bought the book- An Audience for Einstein, by new author Mark Wakely- and I read it with a skeptical eye, fully expecting to prove Mister Lasiuta wrong. So I finished Wakely's book, and now I have just one thing to say to Lasiuta, just one thing:
You're right.
If there was ever a "must-read" for fans of Keyes' book, An Audience for Einstein is it. Do yourself a favor and read it.
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110 of 144 people found the following review helpful:
I like this book oh so much because its smart....., May 3, 2002
I saw this book at the store and picked it up so I mite be smart in reeding it. It looked nice. I reed it when I was littel but didnt remember. So I picked it agin. The storie unfoles like a flower. Witch mite be how it got the titel. I'm still not sure on that. I know that Charlie Gordon isn't to smart in the begining but later he starts to get smarter. I liked that part. It was after some sort of operashun to his brane. And then Charlie's knowledge base begins to expand and things start to become clearer. But with this improved clarity comes a realization that previously held friends may not have been so friendly. And growing up as a moron wasn't necessarily such a bad thing. Does he have friends now that he's getting smarter? Charlie begins his ascent into genius level as his IQ passes 150. But the accumulated knowledge that he soon possesses can't prepare him for the retarded emotional state that he still finds himself in. The barriers he must break down are monumental and seemingly insurmountable. Can he do it? Does he want to do it now that he knows more about the world around him? Is the operation a success? Or a failure? Will Charlie remain at genius level or slide back into idiocy? Reed the book to find out more. Its a good book to. I like it a lot. I think Ill reed it agin sumtime. Now I just have to remember were I put it...
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
Absolutely Amazing, October 3, 2000
By A Customer
This is absolutely the most important book I ever read in my life. "Travels" by Michael Crichton comes close in some ways, but basically this story is one of the most gripping I've ever encountered. It has been a short story, a novel, a movie, a Broadway play, and (I think) forms the basis for the 70s song "What's it all about... Char-liiieeeeeee..." Daniel Keyes drew upon Plato's cave allegory for a lot of the basic structure of the tale. ..Keep a box of kleenex beside you as you read this. Charlie Gordon is a retarded man in his 30s, who is selected to be the subject of a new, highly experimental technique which will triple his "intelligence". What he does with the intelligence, and how he deals with it, are up to him, and he certainly runs into a lot of problems. I think in some ways, Keyes is not only writing about the relationship of the individual to capital-K "knowledge", but also about how we can get along with each other when we are all at different levels. Charlie's newfound, firey compassion for others in his old position, e.g. a retarded boy working in a restaurant who gets mocked, is compelling. You will want to meet Charlie Gordon, you can't help but respect hm as he grapples with major human issues... I first read this as a child, I would guess I was 9 or 10, and at that age I was most impressed with the "coolness" of the idea -- you can watch Charlie's intelligence climb steadily as he improves his spelling with each successive "progris riport" he writes. As an adult, I appreciate the different models of Mind that Keyes was playing with here, and how Charlie comes face to face with one human problem after another. The story also has a lot to say about the basic human drive to understand the universe and his place in it. I think this book could be quite inspiring to people with learning disabilities -- the image of Charlie totally flunking out of school, but then years later sitting still in a library, flipping pages of books at one page/second as he reads about the etymology of ancient languages, Hindu history, calculus, etc... It's just so inspiring. Good things happen to him because of his will to keep pushing himself, but also because he is naturally thoughtful, even when retarded, and likes to be reflective.... The ending will make you cry, I guarantee it. I was sort of reminded of the servant that Caesar used to take through the streets with him, when on parade, whose job it was to keep whispering in Caesar's ear "remember that you are mortal". Charlie is mortal too, and as his newfound brilliance wanes, and breaks down in the end, the reader is left feeling bewildered at the magnitude of the loss, and confused as to what to do with all the energy this book stirs up. I'm not sure what Keyes wanted us to do with that energy -- maybe turn it inwards, maybe use it to reach out to others... probably a little of each. Please read this story, and just mull it over a little. You won't regret it.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
excellent!!, October 17, 2001
Charlie Gordon's "progris riports" make up the majority of the text in Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon. In his early thirties, mentally challenged Charlie works at a bakery, cleaning up and running errands. The only thing that Charlie has ever wanted in life is for people to like him. He thinks that if he were smart, people would want to be his friend. Charlie tries hard to learn how to read and write, but it is a long, ongoing process. Charlie decides to take part in a study conducted by some professors at the school he attends. The experiment involves Charlie's having an extraordinary brain operation that will help him to become extremely intelligent. After the operation, Charlie's new IQ helps him to understand how common it is for people to be cruel to others. Charlie soon realizes that all his life, people have been laughing at him, not with him. As Charlie becomes smarter, vivid memories of his childhood begin to disturb him. Unfortunately, after a few months Charlie's intelligence begins to fade and he regresses to a worse mental state than before the experiment. This book truthfully portrays how people treat others different from themselves and how unkind we can be to each other. We are able to get a glimpse of what it feels like to be made fun of and looked down upon by others. Unfortunately, this book is on the Banned Book List. Censors claim that "explicit love scenes were distasteful." It also contains limited profanity and references to drinking. I believe that these scenes are essential to understanding how Charlie is progressing mentally as well as emotionally. They also are necessary to help us understand the characters' personalities. I feel certain that eight graders and above would be able to handle this book. I would certainly recommend it to adults as well as young people.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent, February 23, 2007
A Kid's Review
"Dr Strauss says I shoud rite down what I think and remembir and evrey thing that happins to me from now on. I dont no why but he says its importint so they will see if they can use me. I hope they use me becaus Miss Kinnian says maybe they can make me smart. I want to be smart."
And 32-year-old Charlie Gordon is made smart. In Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, Charlie, a mentally retarded adult, undergoes surgery to increase his intelligence. All goes well, and Charlie's I.Q. eventually skyrockets to uncharted levels. However, Algernon, a mouse who the experiment was previously tested on, begins to show signs of mental deterioration soon after he reaches the peak of his intelligence. Charlie, now smarter than even the scientists, realizes that he too will decline back to his old self. Knowing this, Charlie sets out to enjoy his intellect while he still has it. Flowers for Algernon is perfect for anyone searching for a powerfully moving character in an excellent book.
One aspect of the novel I enjoyed is that it is written in Charlie's point of view. This way, you can always see what is going on in his head. Also, by directly reading Charlie's thoughts and feelings, it is much easier to relate to him. Finally, with the first-person viewpoint, Charlie's increase in intelligence and eventual deterioration are clearly shown with changes in his spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
The book's ever-present air of mystery is another feature I found appealing. First, you wonder if the procedure will work at all, and if Charlie's "rabit's foot" and "luky penny" have paid off. As Charlie becomes smarter and smarter, he begins to view people differently than he did before. He realizes how his "friends" used to treat him, and he nearly reaches the limit, while you always question if he might hit the breaking point. Lastly, there is always the suspicion that the surgery wasn't as successful as many think, and Charlie doesn't have much longer.
One more part of Flowers for Algernon that I found interesting is how Charlie matures throughout the book. At first, Charlie is a man with no true friends, shunned to the outskirts of society. Soon, he becomes one of the most intelligent people who has ever lived. However, Charlie grows in other ways too. He learns to not look down upon the people less brilliant than he is, and tries to see things from their point of view. Charlie also discovers the true meaning of intelligence, and how he can use his.
Possibly my favorite part of the novel is Algernon the mouse. Having had the procedure before Charlie, he is the only thing Charlie can relate to. You even feel sorry for Algernon, as he throws himself against the walls of his cage as he declines. And like Charlie, you even feel remorse for the mouse at his death. Flowers for Algernon is an enchanting book, destined all along to become the classic it is today.
Wade H.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
MOVING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING..., February 8, 2001
This is a wonderful and highly original novel about a mentally challenged man named Charlie who wanted to be smart. One day, his wish was granted. A group of scientists selected him for an experimental operation that raised his intelligence to genius level. Suddenly, Charlie found himself transformed, and life, as he knew it, changed.
His story is told entirely through Charlie's eyes and perceptions in the form of progress reports. The reader actually sees the change in Charlie take place, as his progress reports become more complex, well written, and filled with the angst of personal discovery and growth, as well as with his gradual awareness of his amazing and accelerated intellectual development.
The progress reports are a wonderful contrivance for facilitating the story, and the reader is one with Charlie on his voyage of self-discovery. What happens to Charlie in the long run is profoundly moving and thought provoking. It is no wonder that this author was the recipient of the Nebula Award which is given by the Science Fiction Writers of America for having written the Best Novel of the Year. This is definitely a book well worth reading.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
as a teaching tool--relevance to middle school students, February 7, 2006
Flowers for Algernon is the story of a man named Charlie who works in a factory. Charlie was eligible to partake in an experiment which would make him smarter. He was deemed low-functioning when he was approached about participating in the study and the researchers assured him that undergoing the operation in conjunction with the study would improve his cognitive capacity threefold. What he did not know was what the long-term repercussions of having this operation would be and whether the results would be permanent or not. The entire story line parallels the experience of Algernon- the mouse who the experiment is performed on at first. As the reader, we see Charlie's rise and subsequent deterioration follow that of the mouse.
The story follows Charlie's journal entries from the time he was a man with an IQ of 68 approaching the operation, to when he becomes a practical genius, having tripled his initial IQ. The story resolves itself as the reader follows the disintegration of Charlie's intellect back to the base from where he started, with the potential to drop even lower.
I think that this book is perfect for middle school-aged children because of the variety of issues that it addresses-both scientific and psychosocial. After Charlie undergoes the operation and his intellectual capacity nears its peak, Charlie's awareness of his self and the way that others perceive him, and did perceive him when he was low-functioning, becomes apparent to him. Charlie realizes that his coworkers made fun of him and he grapples with his ability to stay at a place where he had been treated with such little respect before.
Reading the story with middle schoolers, lends itself to discussing issues of tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion. It creates a forum to talk about disabilities and how to treat people we encounter who have disabilities. It forces the children to examine the idea of inclusion versus isolation and what that means and how that can impact children who exhibit no disabilities at all. The story also calls on readers to be critical about their own situations-how they perceive themselves, and what their level of awareness and consciousness is with respect to their peers and the social dynamics of their communities.
The story is also a great book to read with middle schoolers in the technology era because it lends itself to creating interdisciplinary units. The book is perfect for bringing in issues of medical ethics. It's possible to discuss topics with students like cloaning and cryogenic freezing-even robotics and reconstructive surgery. When do we take science too far and when does it do more harm than good?
Finally, this book is a great means for studying literary devices-like symbolism, metaphor, etc. Overall, the book is timeless in its application to life because it will only grow increasingly relevant as technology continues to confront us with moral and ethical dilemmas. The lessons that it teaches young teenagers about acceptance and tolerance are also invaluable.
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