Flowers for Algernon | Social Sensitivity
Written during the height of the civil rights movement in the United States, Flowers for Algernon shows a profound concern with the rights of individuals to be treated as individuals, no matter what their condition in life. The early pages of the novel paint a grim portrait of how the mentally handicapped are treated, as Charlie is continually abused, verbally and physically, by his coworkers at the bakery. And when he becomes a genius, he is subject to a different sort of dehumanization, as the scientists in charge of the experiment regard him "as if I were some kind of newly...
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See Also:
- - For teachers, the Flowers for Algernon Lesson Plan.
- - Flowers for Algernon summary and study guide in the eNotes.
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