Book details
Flowers for Algernon
by Daniel Keyes
1966 · Turtleback Books
About the book
Charlie Gordon is a janitor with an IQ of 68 who undergoes a surgical procedure designed to triple his cognitive ability. The experiment is managed by Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur, who first tested the method on a white mouse named Algernon. Following the operation, Charlie’s mental capacity accelerates rapidly, allowing him to master languages, mathematics, and complex social theories. However, as his intelligence surpasses that of his mentors, he gains a painful awareness of how people previously mocked him. When Algernon begins to regress and eventually dies, Charlie faces the realization that his own intellectual gain is temporary and his mental decline is inevitable.
This novel is for readers interested in the ethics of human experimentation and the psychology of isolation. It attracts those who want to examine the relationship between mental capacity and emotional happiness. Readers walk away with a stark view of how society treats people with intellectual disabilities and a technical understanding of the temporary nature of experimental science. The story provides a direct look at the burden of self-awareness and the loss of identity that occurs when one's cognitive faculties change or disappear.
Details
- Published
- 1966
- Publisher
- Turtleback Books
- ISBN
- 9781417670802
- Language
- EN