Daniel Keyes's Flowers For Algernon

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Technology is all around us, helping in many different ways. We use it for math, science, and its being used right now to write this essay. But when does it go to far? In what ways should we use this magical tool? “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes is a science fiction short story about this important question. Charlie Gordon is a mentally disabled 37 year old adult who is chosen to take place in a operation to make him smarter. He doesn’t know about the possible side effects or what kind of changes he will go through. It turns out once he reaches the peak development of his intellect, he makes a scientific discovery that changes everything. It states that artificially enhanced intelligence deteriorates at a rate directly proportional to the quantity of the increase. As Charlie loses and gains his intelligence he experiences much emotional pain and even suicidal thoughts. Charlie Gordon clearly should not …show more content…
Just the thought of this puts charlie into depression. He writes in his journal that “I’ve touchy and Irritable. I feel the darkness closing in. It’s hard to throw off thoughts of suicide(…) Some of the things I’ve learned. Oh, God, please don’t take it all away,”(Keyes 23). The pain Charlie suffers is clear as day, and very upsetting. He is in misery, desolation, and has suicidal thoughts. The cause of this is his loss of intelligence. Imagine working hard to earn a million dollar salary, then having it all taken away until you land in a third world country. What Charlie is experiencing is very possibly worse. The saddest thing about this story is that God does take it all away. He retains no knowledge about the operation and what he learned. He doesn’t even remember why he lost his intelligence. For all of Charlie's woe, he got absolutely nothing in return, nothing to validate his despondency. But some
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