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At the beginning of the story, Charlie is of low intelligence, but is the happiest character in the story; he is unaware of all of the cruelty going on around him. Though Charlie’s happiness is sought after, it is based misconception of the people in his life, making it undesirable. After the procedure, he is disillusioned; although he becomes more intelligent, he subsequently becomes more unhappy. 

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This idea is presented at various times during the novella. The way that the author portrays this message to the reader is by using the technique dramatic irony. The first time we see this technique used  is when Charlie is spending time with his ‘friends’ who use him as a source of entertainment, and make jokes at his expense. In this situation, Charlie’s differences are leading to him being mocked and ridiculed by those who deem him to be unfit to be considered ‘normal’, and by incorporating the use of dramatic iron using phrases like ‘I dont remember how the party was over but I think I went out to buy

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Difference from society leads to either isolation or mockery:

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Difference from society leads to either isolation or mockery:

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This idea is presented at various times during the novella. The way that the author portrays this message to the reader is by using the technique dramatic irony. The first time we see this technique used  is when Charlie is spending time with his ‘friends’ who use him as a source of entertainment, and make jokes at his expense. In this situation, Charlie’s differences are leading to him being mocked and ridiculed by those who deem him to be unfit to be considered ‘normal’, and by incorporating the use of dramatic iron using phrases like ‘I dont remember how the party was over but I think I went out to buy

a newspaper and coffe for Joe and Frank and when I came back there was

no one their. I looked for them all over till late.’ These parts of the story convey a message to the audience that the characters in the story are not aware of. After his procedure, Charlie’s intelligence progressively triples over a period of time During these few months Charlie becomes so isolated from his former friends and workmates that he is fired from his job, simply because people felt he was too different and it made them uncomfortable, thus showing us that difference leads to isolation.

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Intelligence does not lead to social equality

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Intelligence does not lead to social equality

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In society, people are alienated to be different. In “Flowers for Algernon”, Charlie was taken advantage of by his “friends”, and he thought that becoming more intelligent would lead to him seen as a normal human being. However, it turned out that Charlie was more isolated compared to before the operation. The sudden change of Charlie’s intelligence led to the majority of people in the story becoming scared of him. This then led to Charlie becoming exiled from his workplace, and also less contact with Frank Reilly and Joe Carp. Charlie’s life became miserable as his intelligence grew, until Charlie made the decision to start his life over in New York. The story shows how Charlie thought that intelligence would lead to his social acceptance, but he learned the hard way that it was not to be.

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From the beginning of the text, Flowers For Algernon, Charlie Gordon experiences huge amounts of self doubt and low self-esteem. Charlie mentions several times in his progress reports that he believes he failed the test and won’t be used for the experiments: “I had a test today. I think I faled it. and I think that maybe now they won’t use me.” and “1 dont think I passd the raw shok test.” Around this time, Charlie is introduced to Algernon, the mouse that was also used for the experiment. Algernon could be seen as a symbol of Charlie’s self-doubt. When Charlie is experiencing heavy amounts of low self-confidence in himself, Algernon (Charlie’s low self-esteem) is alive and thriving, however, when Charlie is at his ‘smartest’ point post-operation, Algernon becomes ill and dies; symbolising the rise of Charlie’s self-esteem too, which drives him to write his own report on this matter.

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Throughout the story, the technique dramatic irony is utilised to portray the way Charlie’s ‘friends’ treated him. Charlie thinks his friends like him and they have fun and laugh all the time, but he does not realises that his friends are continuously mocking him and making rude jokes about him, for instance, they made fun of him by saying “Don’t be such a Charlie Gordon”. The author uses dramatic irony in this instance to suggest that not all people are what they seem like. The effect it has on the audience is that the audience feels more sympathy towards Charlie, since this shows how innocent he really is. It also makes us hope that he will eventually become smarter after the surgery he undergoes. After the treatment, Charlie gradually starts gaining intelligence and soon comes to the realisation as well. He distances himself from his so-called friends after a while.

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Intelligence without wisdom alienates people

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Intelligence without wisdom alienates people

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The idea “intelligence without wisdom alienates people” is a result of Charlie’s lack of social skills partnered with his increased intelligence. Although Charlie better understands humans and their behaviour his lack of understanding alienates him from people and ultimately decreases his happiness. A technique present to highlight this theme is irony, as ultimately when seeking to boost his happiness by becoming “smart” Charlie grew sadder. Having irony present deepens the themes to the audience and allows them to better understand the morale.

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Before the experiment, Charlie is content with his life; he has a good job, good friends and a good life. Using dramatic irony, it is clear to the reader that Charlie has a very different life. Society does not respect him because of his mental incapabilities and his friends tease and trip him for their own amusement. At the beginning of the story, Charlie is of low intelligence, but is the happiest character in the story; he is unaware of all of the cruelty going on around him. Though Charlie’s happiness is sought after, it is based misconception of the people in his life, making it undesirable. After the procedure, he is disillusioned; although he becomes more intelligent, he subsequently becomes more unhappy. This is evident when he realises in his April 20 report, "Now I know what it means when they say 'to pull a Charlie Gordon.' I'm ashamed." He realises how lonely his life is and throws himself into his research. Once Algernon’s intelligence begins to deplete, Charlie doesn’t want the same to happen to him. Despite being happier when he was mentally disabled, he would rather be intelligent and respected; he doesn’t want people to make fun of him and him not be able to realise it.  Once his own intelligence deteriorates, he shuts himself out from the world, leaving him lonelier than he was at any point before.
Keyes draws important consideration to the value of intelligence in comparison to the value of happiness, and whether one should be sought after more than the other, making the reader question whether ignorance really is a bliss or a curse.

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If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

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If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

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Isolation became very apparent following charlie’s surgery. After Charlie discovered out that Algernon’s intelligence was receding and returning to his normal state prior to the surgery (and after he died), he began to Isolate himself from everyone else to study and experiment on raising intelligence himself in an attempt to stop what was “too good to be true” from receding in himself. A quote on page 302 “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. I have become touchy and irritable. I feel the darkness closing in.” shows this.

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Charlie has always been alone most of his life. From when he was mentally disabled to when he becomes a genius, Charlie has always been isolated. His dumbness made it hard for him communicate with others, however his intelligence made it hard for others to understand him. This massive gap between his intelligence and social skills made it difficult for Charlie to create stable relationships with people. ‘Now I’m more alone ever before,’ is something Charlie stated which is very true to this theme. He feels so alone because no one can understand him. This drove a wedge of self-doubt in him making it hard to find out who he was as a person. Dramatic Irony is also used here, as we the readers know that Charlie is being shunned for being different and this results in his isolation. It sickens the readers to know that Charlie could not understand this when he was dumb, and makes us sympathise even when he knew what was occurring when he was intelligent.

His personality suffered for being isolated and abused all his life, and this resulted in confusion for himself and others on an intelligence, social and emotional level. As he left for New York, Charlie stated that he was sorry for causing trouble for so many, and that he will try to become smarter and remember things again. He finally realised that after living both lives of a mentally disabled and genius person, that every person should embrace their selves and push themselves. This emotional enlightening Charlie undergos shows him that no one should please others but please themselves, and if people did not appreciate you for that they do not deserve your time.

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Flowers for Algernon brings attention to the way the mentally ill are treated. Charlie is evident to have a good heart through his honesty and care although he is treated unfairly by society because of his mental illness. This is not evident to Charlie until he becomes more knowledgeable but it is a common theme through the novella because of the use of irony. It also questions the authority of the scientist who used Charlie in the first place, if  Charlie were to have a well-working mind he would have noticed how wrong the experiment was to be conducted. The scientist took advantage of Charlie's situation, which is only evident to the readers.

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Foreshadowing is a technique utilised by the author in Flowers for Algernon to effectively portray and express the dread Charlie is experiencing when he discovers that his increased intelligence will only be temporary, with him stating in a summary of his discoveries in a progress report that “artificially increased intelligence deteriorates at a rate of time directly proportional to the quantity of the increase”. He concluded this by studying Algernon’s progress, allowing for accurate results as he preceded Charlie in terms of the experiment. As Algernon is a manifestation of the operation, Charlie witnesses how the effects of the increased intelligence behave and change throughout time, with each milestone being reached by Algernon being reached by Charlie a short time afterwards. Algernon is therefore an example of symbolism which is also used to foreshadow Charlie’s aftermath of the operation, and discovering the connection between himself and Algernon as a result of his experiments forced the immense depressive force that is dread upon him. This dread becomes apparent following his discoveries, worsening over time, with Charlie recording in progress reports multiple signs of dread seeping in to his emotions: “I guess the same thing is or will soon be happening to me [Algernon’s mental deterioration]. Now that it's definite, I don't want it to happen”; “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”; ‘Dr. Strauss comes around almost every day, but I told him I wouldn't see or speak to anybody. He feels guilty. They all do. But I don't blame anyone. I knew what might happen. But how it hurts”

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Dramatic Irony is used throughout the text to portray the theme of knowledge brings truth/realisation and also the kind of relationship Charlie has with his so called “friends”. Charlie’s “friends” use sly comments and insults towards Charlie that he doesn’t understand, until he becomes smarter. Charlie’s “friends” see him as entertainment because of his stupidity which he later realises. For the audience his realisation is a sign that he is becoming smarter and the surgery is working. The situation of Charlie’s shown the way it is allows the readers to sympathise for Charlie and help understand his struggles better.

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Societies obsession to fit everyone into the same personality ridicules those who cannot

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Societies obsession to fit everyone into the same personality ridicules those who cannot

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Throughout much of this short novel, the inevitability and truth of Charlie’s outcome or status is evident to the audience and society around Charlie but is blind to Charlie’s perception. This technique is known as Dramatic Irony and is used wisely by Daniel Keys to highlight society’s obsession to fit people into the same norms, which therefore segregates those who cannot fit into that society. An example of this is how Charlie’s colleagues continuously bully Charlie due to his unusual lack of mental capability which is on the other hand seen as a sign of friendship to the unaware Charlie. The use of dramatic irony in this relationship exposes how vulnerable Charlie is due to his innocence, but also highlights to the audience how he is ridiculed due to his incapability to fit in with the societies view of ‘normal.’

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Being who we want to be can change our perspective on the world

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Being who we want to be can change our perspective on the world

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All Charlie has ever wanted was to fit and” be smart like other people”(pg.287). After his operation, he himself grows as a person and discovers more about himself and the world around him. As his intelligence increases, he learns more about the cruelty of the world. When his intelligence drops, he might have forgot those things but he still has some threads of memory which he still holds on. He only learns that because of his increasing intelligence, he has started changing, even getting to the point where he laughed at someone just like him. The literary device exposition is used to explain the condition of human and society through his progressive reports. It also shows him growing as a person and in his literacy. The literary device Foreshadowing through examples of Algernon’s fate and the story of Adam and Eve shows that Charlie would eventually meet a doom. Because of this, Charlie realizes his fate and decides that his intelligence does not define him, rather his qualities and virtues. He accepts himself as he as.

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In the beginning of this story the author uses the technique of irony to show the relationship between Charlie and his ‘friends’ Joe and Frank. Charlie thinks that they are amazing friends and he always has a good time with them because they make him laugh, however what only the audience realises is that his ‘friends’ are really laughing at him. As Charlie starts gaining intelligence he realises that that they had been making fun of him and that not everyone is who they seem to be.

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Gaining one’s desires creates a barrier between others

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Gaining one’s desires creates a barrier between others

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Charlie underwent an operation which tripled is IQ in the hope of getting people to like him. In doing so, he became so intelligent he could no longer discuss concepts with Ms Kinnian and the doctors as they could not understand what he was saying anymore. This alienated him from society as he could not communicate with others. When he was not as intelligent he could still communicate with others as they could understand him with only a little bit of difficulty. The other workers in the factory used to use him for entertainment and ridicule but now they are somewhat afraid of him as he is no longer the mentally ‘🤬’ man who worked cleaned their factory.

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Throughout the book, irony is used to convey that intelligence doesn’t define humanity. Upon surpassing the intelligence of the neuroscientists who conducted the experiment on him, Charlie laughs at a mentally r*tarded boy. He realises the irony of the situation quickly and instead shows compassion towards the boy, looking at himself and realising he has become the enemy of his old-self.

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The use of knowledge solely depends on the beholder

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The use of knowledge solely depends on the beholder

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Parallelism is used to portray this idea, similar events occurred with how Charlie and Dr Neman used their knowledge. When Charlie’s IQ tripled, he used his knowledge to research more about what was happening to him and he wrote a report so it could help others like him. In his letter to the doctors he says, “I know I should

rest, but I'm driven on by something inside that won't let me stop”, he’s driven by his need to help others.

On the other hand, Dr Neman used his knowledge for fame, his intention of operating on Charlie was not to help him, “he wants people to take him for a genius”. This indicates that Dr Neman wants people to think that he’s a genius; he doesn’t want to earn his title. The use of parallelism was crucial for the representation of this message because it presented clearly that the use of knowledge solely depends on the beholder.

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Both dramatic irony and foreshadowing is used to convey that ignorance is bliss. When he begins to gain intelligence, Charlie realises that his friends are laughing at him, not with him. This is shown at the end of progress report 10:

“It's a funny thing I never knew that Joe

and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the time to make fun

of me. Now I know what it means when they say 'to pull a Charlie Gordon.' I'm ashamed.”

At the peak of his intelligence, Charlie devotes his time to researching whether his intelligence will remain. The future is foreshadowed by his calculations and the mental deterioration of the rat, Algernon. He realises that his mental state will rapidly devolve until he reaches his pre-experiment intelligence. Faced with this, he blocks himself from everyone he cares about. Without his improved intelligence, he would continue to live without knowledge that hurts him mentally.

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Isolation can be caused by lack of shared knowledge. 

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Isolation can be caused by lack of shared knowledge. 

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Isolation, for most of the story Charlie fells isolated from everyone around him, at the beginning of the story it is because he does not understand what people want him to do or what people are saying about him (pull a Charlie Gordon), during the middle of the story it is because the people around him do not understand what he is saying. Near the end of the story charlie doesn’t want to see people because of how much less intelligent he is compared to before.

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Society deceives people who are previously innocent, causing them to change their outlook towards the world

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Society deceives people who are previously innocent, causing them to change their outlook towards the world

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The technique of dramatic irony is utilised in the novella when Charlie believes he had wonderful ‘friends’, when in fact they are frequently mocking him. This emphasises Charlie’s innocence and mental disability, further accentuated by his eagerness to please. An excerpt from the novel states, ‘ Joe Carp said I shoud show the girls how I mop the toilet in the factory and he gets me a mop. I showed them and everyone laffed when I told them that Mr Donnegan said I was the best janitor he ever had’. It is clear to the reader that he does not have great friends, enabling us to feel sympathy for charlie, a technique of dramatic irony. When his intelligence advances, he realises his ‘friends’ have been deceiving him and were not his friends at all. Charlies was therefore loses his innocence becomes bitter and cynical towards the world.

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Isolation from society is usually triggered through fear of the different 

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Isolation from society is usually triggered through fear of the different 

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There were two occasions in which Charlie was isolated from the society, the first being his lack of intellect. His ‘friends’ invited him to parties but not because they liked him, but they wanted to make him a spectacle by humiliating him and establishing his role in the society they live in. However, when Charlie’s intelligence increased exponentially, they feared him because of his new intellectual change. They distanced themselves from him and Ms Flynn even told him that he was just like Adam and Eve when they ate the forbidden fruit, thus making religious insults against him. The point of view literary technique illustrated this theme because Charlie would often make statements about how he was different in his progress reports and also explained to the readers how he was being isolated for his unparalleled knowledge.

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Difference in intelligence should not segregate people

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Difference in intelligence should not segregate people

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Society can take advantage of mentally disabled people as they are often seen as different. Examples of this include the jokes made at Charlie’s expense by his co-workers, Joe and Frank. Charlie thinks because everyone is laughing, it showed they were friends, little did he know that they were laughing at him. The story is written from his point of view, so this miss treatment is constantly miss understood until near the end of the story. With this, dramatic irony is utilized, it is obvious to us that Charlie’s ‘friends’ are not actually his friends. This technique is use to allow the audience to empathise for him. Other ways he was treated differently was the way he was referred to as a ‘research animal’, not a human being, physical signs of abuse by his mother and cruel treatment of the dishwasher in the restaurant.

Role of intelligence in human relationships (links to main idea)

In human relations intelligence can play a role in people seeing you ‘above’ or ‘below’ them, so Charlie wanted people to think he is smart, very eager to learn to read and write. Charlie initially believes that his increased intelligence will impact positively on his various relationships but soon realises that this is not the case when it affects his relationships with people who genuine care.