Charlie Gordon's Change in Flowers for Algernon Essay Example

Throughout “Flowers for Algernon”, the protagonist has multiple changes involving his knowledge; but did the experimental surgery truly improve his life? “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes shows a thirty-seven year old slow man, Charlie Gordon, who is in adult night school. Throughout the novel, he wishes to become smarter, however, he gets the opportunity to undergo an operation to gain intelligence. Charlie’s life worsened after having the surgery to alter his knowledge being that he soon became isolated and desperate to not lose his before gained knowledge.

To begin, after the operation, Charlie became isolated and pushed away everyone. The author wrote, “ Dr. Strauss came to see me again. I wouldn’t open the door and I told him to go away. I want to be left to myself.” (Keyes, 173). One can see from this that Charlie segregated himself from others. He pushed away others and was reclusive. The above relates to the claim due to the fact that if Gordon never had the surgery, he wouldn’t have the opportunity to lose the gained knowledge which he wouldn’t have pushed others away. Also from the text, “Dr. Strauss comes around almost every day, but I told him I wouldn’t see or speak to anybody.” (Keyes, 184) From this, even though Dr. Strauss visits him, Charlie stays isolated. This develops the claim since before the surgery, although mentally retarted, Charlie had normal human interaction. However, afterwards he changed for the worse. Therefore, after the surgery, Charlie Gordon degenerated.

Another reason, after the surgery, Charlie became begful to not lose knowledge he previously learned. From the text, “ I’ve got to try to hold on to some of it. Some of the things I've learned. Oh, God, please don’t take it all away.” (Keyes, 175). From this, Charlie begs to keep at least some of his previously learned knowledge. This conducts the claim due to the fact that before the experiment, he, although thinking it wasn’t enough, had gained knowledge and wasn't afraid of losing it. However, afterwards, he was anxious and begful of losing his gained intelligence. Also from the novel, “I learned so much and so fast. Now my mind is deteriorating rapidly. I won’t let it happen. I’ll  fight it. I can’t  help thinking of the boy in the restaurant, the blank expression, the silly smile, the people laughing at him. No--please--not that again. . .” (Keyes, 177). From this, Charlie realizes that he will eventually lose his knowledge. He gets increasingly upset and begs anyone to let him not lose all of it. This administers the aforesaid claim due to the fact that before the surgery Charlie thought that there was no way to gain knowledge and no way to lose it, until of course the surgery was called upon, but after the surgery, he knows he will lose it. In the end, after the surgery he has not improved. 

Admittedly, some would say that after the surgery Charlie bettered due to him gaining knowledge and experiencing it if only for a short time period. However, evidence clearly indicates that Charlie’s life has in fact worsened after the operation due to depression. From the author, “I feel the darkness closing in. It’s hard to throw off thoughts of suicide. I keep telling myself how important this introspective journal will be. It's a strange sensation to pick up a book that you’ve read and enjoyed just a few months ago and discover that you don’t remember it... I got so angry I threw the book across the room.” (Keyes 173-174). This evidence shows how when Charlie knows he will lose the knowledge he gained through surgery, he becomes angry, frustrated, suicidal, and overall depressed. The aforesaid evidence adds to the claim because although some say that Charlie improved, this evidence clearly shows that Charlie worsened due to him becoming suicidal and depressed. In conclusion, although some would say Charlie Gordon overall improved from the surgery, this documentation proves otherwise. It proves that Charlie worsened after the operation.

To conclude, Charlie worsened after the surgery due to the fact that he became self isolated and desperate. Charlie has an operation that causes him to become intelligent, however, throughout the ending it is very controversial of whether he improved or worsened. Some may disagree, but evidence clearly shows that Charlie worsened. In the end, however, Charlie Gordon overall worsened after receiving the opportunity to increase his intelligence. But what ever happened to Charlie?