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Book Review By David Fletcher
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Charlie Gordon's IQ is below 70. He works as a janitor in a factory and he is the butt of practical jokes by his coworkers. Charley attends night school and wishes he could learn to read and write. Charley is accepted for a new program where he is paired for study with a mouse named Algernon that has undergone a brain operation. The procedure accelerates the rate of comprehension making the subject incredibly intelligent. Algernon beats Charlie over and over in a race to run a maze every time, thanks to his new found "brains".

Finally, Charley has the operation. He keeps a journal of his progress and we are astounded at the progress he makes by the improved language skills he begins to display in the diary. Charley's rapidly increasing IQ has several side effects. He falls for his schoolteacher, Miss Kinnian, he begins beating Algernon with ease, and he outgrows his friends and his menial labor position at the factory. He has lost himself in the course of gaining a new mind.

The story takes a tragic twist as it is determined that Algernon is not only losing the temporary gains in intelligence but he pays the ultimate price and suddenly dies prematurely. The story closes with Charley losing his gained knowledge, knowing he is reverting back to his former self and likely to the same fate as Algernon.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - depressed
Time/era of story - 1960's-1970's
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality

Main Adversary
Identity: - natural phenomena

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 ()
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast
Misc setting

Writing Style
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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