Flowers for Algernon Group

Question:

xbookreader101x
xbookreader101x
Student
High School - 9th Grade

What do you guys think the theme  of Flowers for Algernon?

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Posted by xbookreader101x on Wednesday May 6, 2009 at 5:53 PM and tagged with other, reference.

Answers:

  1. wallardice
    wallardice Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    One theme of "Flowers for Algernon" is the struggle in all of us to accept who we are and those around us.  Throughout the book, most of those around Charlie see see him as inferior, really 'stupid', and make fun of him as an attempt to make themselves seem superior.  Due to Charlie's mental capacities, he does not realize this until after his operation.  It is difficult for the characters who make fun of him at the beginning, to accept his new found wisdom.  We see the other characters struggle to accept Charlie after his operation.  They can accept him before only because he is someone they can be above.  We also see Charlie's struggle to accept himself as limited when he realizes that he was considered "stupid" and is no longer feeble.  Charlie also has a difficult time accepting the other characters once he is enlightened as to their interactions with him before his operation.  He has considered them friends.  He realizes that they were friends in a limited capacity.  He was not as smart as they were and therefore fit in.  In the end, Charlie has learned that there is nothing he can do about his limited mental capacity.

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    Posted by wallardice on Friday May 8, 2009 at 7:38 PM