Coming Of Age In Look Me In The Eye and Flowers for Algernon Essay

Coming of Age and Belonging and Acceptance in John Elder Robisons

Look Me in The Eye and Daniel Keyes Flowers for Algernon

Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all -- the apathy of human beings." - Helen Keller. In John Elder Robisons Look Me In The Eye and Daniel Keyes Flowers for Algernon there is a reoccurring theme of belonging and acceptance. In Robisons Look Me in The Eye, John tells his life story and how he found support through family members, therapists and most importantly his hobbies. John grew up known as the trouble maker and was often shunned because his disability Aspergerss was not known about by many people at the time. Over time John has learned what people expect in common social situations. So [he] can act more normal and theres less chance [hell] offend anyone (11). Charlie from Keyes Flowers for Algernon is a middle aged man that is not accepted by society because like John he has a disability. Charlie is not shunned by people but is often the center of their jokes unknowingly. Although Charlie doesntt understand many things that happen to him or are said to him he thinks that people are his friends and that he is accepted by them, but once he completes an operation and becomes an intelligent man he quickly finds out that he was the one everyone was laughing at and becomes frustrated and embarrassed. Despite their many similarities, John and Charlie over come many obstacles in very different ways to be accepted by society. Charlie and John both grow up in different ways and become accepted by many people throughout their journeys because of their changes throughout the novels. Although Charlies disability seems to be more severe than Johns they both have many of the same support systems and patterns of thinking, as well as the way they relate to others.

Near the start of Look Me in The Eye John states that he wanted to be accepted and was hurt when people didnt accept him because he was different. [He] stopped trying with and of the kids. The more [he] was rejected, the more [he] hurt inside and the more [he] retreated.(11) Charlie from Flowers for Algernon also states that [he] just wants to be smart like other [people] so [he] can have lots of friends that like [him].(9). Charlie wants to be intelligent to be accepted because he is lonely, but when he gains knowledge and becomes intelligent after his operation he finds himself even lonelier than before because who he thought were his friends because he learned that people laughed at [him] and he unknowingly joined them in laughing at [himself].`(139) John, like Charlie wanted to gain knowledge to be accepted. He thought that he would gain the knowledge from adults but realized that adults just adapted to whatever he said because he was a kid unlike the other children. John became more accepted by people by using his skills and talents unlike Charlie who only used his knowledge. When Charlie became intelligent from his operation he became accepted by people once they realized how smart he is and they see the potential in him. Unlike Charlie, John was accepted by making pyrotechnics for the rock band KISS and going on tour with them. John was then known as the guy that could make the show amazing, sparks, explosions and fire was what he was known for, and he also had groupies after him, but was not interested in them. Both characters became accepted into society in different ways but had the same goal in the beginning; to just be accepted.

Charlie and John both have symbols that they are both attached to in some way that reflect who they are in the end. Charlie is very similar to the mouse, Algernon who has had the same operation done to it as Charlie has gotten done to himself. The way Algernon developed was a predictor of Charlies future, but when the mouse started to lose its intelligence, there was fear that Charlie would soon begin to lose his as well. Algernon also symbolizes how Charlie is the subject of the scientists, basically locked up in a cage. Charlie is supposed to follow what the scientists want him to, he is supposed to complete various tests and procedures just like the mouse Algernon which allows little freedom and individuality. When Charlie frees Algernon from his cage and his reoccurring decision to leave the laboratory makes Algernon a symbol of his own independence, he wants to"make [Professor Nemur] understand that he did not create [him]. (145). Unlike Charlie, John is very similar to cars which is a great love [he] had grown up with. (212) He gathers himself together and gets his own ideas to be successful, like a brand new car would be, new ideas and a new model. He then starts to not enjoy what hes doing and slowly starts to break down, then over time he breaks down completely and repairs himself and builds himself back together. From there he moves smoothly with bits of reassurance from himself along the way. The car idea symbolizes Johns emotional independence and how he needs to reassure himself that hes doing what he really loves and enjoys it at the same time throughout all of his challenges in the novel.

Flowers for Algernon and Look Me in The Eye are written in first person perspective but they are both set up differently than the other. Look Me in the Eye the is set up like a proper novel with correct spelling, grammar, chapter numbers and titles, but Flowers for Algernon is set up in progress reports, has incorrect spelling and grammar and also does not make sense sometimes. Throughout Flowers for Algernon the spelling and grammar changes from being very bad at the beginning to being very proper as Charlie progresses and becomes intelligent. Once Charlie begins to lose his intelligence the spelling beings to worsen again and start to not make any sense like the beginning of the novel. The changes in spelling, grammar and punctuation shows how Charlie is becoming more intelligent and becoming an independent person. In Look Me in The Eye the spelling is very proper throughout the novel because the novel was being told in a grown up sort of way as it was written about the authors early life once he has already aged. This shows that John is very independent and organized and likes to do what he wants, not anybody else. The novel also doesntt talk about more than one thing in a paragraph, John usually finishes talking about one thing before he switches over to another topic. This shows that he still doesnt like to mix things together like when he was a child and blue blocks went with blue blocks, and red blocks went with red ones.(1)

In Conclusion the characters from both novels grow in many ways to become better people and fit in in society. They are both continually faced with new challenges every day and they overcome these challenges with and without the help of others. Charlie and John are continually underestimated and fall to others peoples standards that are given to them, but they both continue to raise the bar for themselves. John and Charlie are very intelligent and people do not usually see that, they only see a disabled person that is considered stupid, or in the way

Works Cited.

Robison, John Elder. Look Me in the Eye. New York: Crown Publishers.

Keyes, Daniel. Flowers for Algernon. New York: Bantam Books.