Themes of Intelligence and Science in Flowers For Algernon Essay

To compare with other famous literatures of English, Flowers for Algernon is a quite recently published novel. However, it can be called as a classic because of its greatness. Daniel Keyes, the writer of this book, perfectly describes the internal changes of Charlie Gordon who is the main character of the novel. Charlie was born as with rarely low IQ, but his mother does not accept that his son is a boy who needs a special treatment. She gave her son many traumas so that it remained in core part of Charlies unconsciousness and became the desire of having higher intelligence. He is unconsciously thinking in his mind that he will solve many problems that he could not solve when he had low intelligence. He got an opportunity to do a surgery that will raise his intelligence level. This surgery was a surgery whichHowever, he can not help himself by raise his intelligence. After he gets high intelligence he thinks he can solve many problems. Intelligence, science and hope are key themes that rise up from this novel. Does intelligence can make us happy? This question leads us to another question. Can science make something different? This question leads us up to the final question. Can mens knowledge bring the

Intelligence is the most important theme of this novel. The novel is divided three parts by the transition of Charlies intelligence. The first part is before the surgery, the second part is after the surgery, and third part is regression of Charlies intelligence. Before surgery, Charlie works in a bakery. There, he has a job and friends. Even though he is retard, he lives almost like a person of normal intelligence. However, after the surgery people who were close to him start to be afraid of his intelligence. At the last, he loses all of his social relationships and isolated from society. Eventually intelligence does not help Charlie to have a happier life. Maybe Intelligence symbolizes unnecessary high education and competition in our society. Today many parents try to educate their children as much as they can because usually more education means higher social status in future. Many children suffer from competition and learning things in extreme level. Some of them even do not have talent in studying, and they are forced to do it. Their parents are just like Charlies mother who does not accept their childs ability. Teens in Korea spend most of their teen age lives for studying rather than experience new things in new places. Will they become a great people like what their parents expected? Knowledge without any experience is equals to a pile books that never had read by someone before. Knowledge and intelligence can not stand by themselves.

Science is one of the most commonly discussing topics of this century. In this novel, Keyes reveals may negative parts of the science, and he has a quite cynical view toward science. Throughout the whole book, Charlie and Algernon are treated as specimens rather than individuals. People around them think of them as results or creations of experiment. Charlie tries to tell others that he is an individual who must be respected like everyone else. After the party in honor of Welberg Foundation in there he expresses his feelings toward to Nemur and Strauss. They do not understand what he is talking about. They simply generalize him as an egoist, and say he is not thankful for the experiment. In the novel, Keyes shows us two psychologists who treat patients in really different ways. The first one is Dr. Strauss. He tries to save mentally retarded people by using surgery which can increase their mental ability. The second one is a Mr. Winslow who tries to treat patients in not very scientific way. However, Mr. Winslows work is greater than Dr. Strauss work. He says this to Charlie, Well, how many people do you know are prepared to take a grown man into his arms and let him nurse with the bottle? And take the chance of having the patient urinate or defecate all over him? You look surprised. You cant understand it, can you, from way up there in your research ivory tower? What do you know about being shut out from every human experience as our patients have been? Dr. Strauss ultimate goal is getting more fame, but Mr. Winslow takes care of those people who were kicked from the out side.

The resolution of this novel makes us ask a question about hope, because it is hopeless. Charlie loses all of his intelligence and reverts to his original level. The hopelessness of this novel is symbolized through two books that Charlie reads. The first book he ever reads is Robinson Crusoe who lives in an island alone which symbolizes lonely life that Charlie going to face. The last book he reads is Don Quixote which has nihilistic style of ending which is similar to this book.

The author wants to convey to us that scientific development should not just happen alone. If emotional and spiritual maturities do not develop with it, science is dangerous rather than useful.

Intelligence and science those big words are not the only things that bring the hope of the future. Our emotions and every piece our feelings also help us to be human rather than machines. Intelligence and Science are windows that can show us a different dimension of world that will be established in the future, but we can not open the door with them. Our spiritual and emotional developments are things that open the door of the bright future.