1. “Flowers for Algernon” - 1
Would you rather be the most popular person in your school or the smartest person in your school?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of popularity? Of intelligence?
What sacrifices do people make to fit in?
What is good or bad about being unusual?

2. Literary Focus
SUBPLOT – A minor plot that relates in some way to the major story.
PARALLEL EPISODES– Repeated elements of the plot.
EX. Golidlocks tries the bears’
beds three times, etc.
CONTEXT CLUES– Hints that will help you understand the meaning of a word.

3. Vocabulary – Pg. 32 Misled – v. fooled; led to believe something wrong
Tangible – adj. capable of being seen or felt
Refute – v. prove wrong using evidence
Invariably – adv. Always
Regression – n. return to an earlier or less advanced condition

4. Vocabulary – Pg. 32 Verified – v. confirmed Obscure – v. to hide
Deterioration – n. used as adj.: worsening; decline.
Hypothesis – n. theory to be proved
Introspective – adj. looking inward.

5. What is Charlie supposed to do on the Rorschach test?
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What is Charlie supposed to do on the Rorschach test?
What does Charlie’s reaction to the test reveal about him?

6. PLOT – A series of events that make up a story.
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PLOT – A series of events that make up a story.
The exposition introduces the characters and their conflicts. Describe the main character in this story. What conflict does he face as the story opens?

7. PAGE 35
Progress Report 3 is the first appearance of the title character, the mouse Algernon. What do Charlie and Algernon have in common and what might their relationship be? Literary Term? SUBPLOT

8. Page 36
What is the first major hurdle Charlie must overcome? How is it resolved?

9. Page 36
What does the comparison of Charlie with Algernon suggest about the way the doctors regard Charlie?

10. How would you describe Charlie based on Dr. Strauss’s assessment?
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How would you describe Charlie based on Dr. Strauss’s assessment?
Motivated
Cooperative
Hardworking

11. Page 37
Why might the author have included the bad luck omen at this point in the story?

12. Page 37
The subplot of Algernon will parallel the main plot involving Charlie. What are Charlie’s feelings about Algernon at this point in the story?

13. Why does Charlie want so badly to be smart?
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Why does Charlie want so badly to be smart?

14. PAGE 38
Progress Report 7 is the first time that Charlie has raced Algernon since the operation. What do these events indicate about the outcome of the procedure?

15. Page 39
What do Dr. Strauss’s comments about Algernon indicate about Charlie’s own prospects for improvement?

16. Page 39
What can you tell about Charlie from his laughing at his own ridicule and his certainty that the men at work are actually his friends?

17. Why do the other factory workers make fun of Charlie?
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Why do the other factory workers make fun of Charlie?

18. Page 39
In what ways does Charlie’s progress reports show that he is getting more intelligent?

19. Page 40
Did you know?
“Flowers for Algernon” is actually considered science fiction.
There is no operation that improves intelligence.
The story focuses more on character development, though, than technology.

20. PAGE 40
What does Charlie’s comment: “The late late late late late show” reveal about him?

21. What tricks do the factory workers play on Charlie?
PAGE 40

22. PAGE 41
How does the April 6th episode with Algernon differ from previous ones? What does it indicate about Charlie?

23. What might Miss Kinnian have to be scared of when she sees Charlie?
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What might Miss Kinnian have to be scared of when she sees Charlie?

24. PAGE 41
What do Charlie’s feelings about Robinson Crusoe suggest about Charlie’s future?
Isolation

25. PAGE 42
Does Miss Kinnian really get something in her eye? What else might explain her sudden exit?

26. PAGE 42
How does the April 16th (the commas) entry illustrate both the progress Charlie is making and how far he still has to go?
I love commas!

27. Why is Charlie learning so fast?
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Why is Charlie learning so fast?

28. Why doesn’t Charlie need to race Algernon anymore?
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Why doesn’t Charlie need to race Algernon anymore?

29. PAGE 43
How do Charlie’s feelings about this drinking episode differ from the earlier ones?
SHAME
Self Awareness

30. What does it mean “to pull a Charlie Gordon”?
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What does it mean “to pull a Charlie Gordon”?

31. “Flowers for Algernon” - 2

32. PAGE 44
What phrase in the third paragraph of April 21st entry suggests that Charlie is becoming exceptionally intelligent and increasingly confident?

33. Social skills? Emotional Maturity?
PAGE 44
Charlie thinks that getting smarter will solve his problems. Do you think he is right?
Social skills?
Emotional
Maturity?

34. PAGE 45
How is Charlie different from the way he was the first time he took the Rorschach test?
SUSPICIOUS
ANGRY

35. PAGE 45
How has Charlie’s attitude about lying changed from the last time he took the test?

36. Why do Joe Carp and Frank Reilly refuse to go to lunch with Charlie?
PAGE 46
Why do Joe Carp and Frank Reilly refuse to go to lunch with Charlie?

37. PAGE 46
What kinds of feelings does Charlie seem to be developing for Miss Kinnian?

38. PAGE 46
The relationship between Charlie and the two doctors is one of the story’s ongoing subplots. Do the doctor’s seem to have Charlie’s best interests at heart?

39. PAGE 46
What does Charlie’s reaction to his encounter with the doctor’s suggest about how he is changing?

40. PAGES 48-49
What do Miss Kinnian’s remarks suggest about Charlie’s future? What might she be frightened of?

41. PAGES 48-49
Do you think Charlie is really in love with Miss Kinnian? Why or why not?

42. PAGES 48-49
How has Charlie’s intellectual growth led to conflict with his co- workers? What is the outcome of this conflict?

43. PAGES 48-49
How does the episode with Fanny Girden differ from earlier episodes with Charlie’s co-workers? What effect does this episode have on the conflict Charlie faces as a result of his operation?
ALL ALONE

44. Part 1 – Response and Analysis Pg. 50 (1-5) and (a.-d.)
Being popular can be deceptive if people like you for the wrong reasons. High intelligence can distance you from people. People sometimes sacrifice self-esteem or special abilities in order to fit in.
“Crazy tests” - Possible context clues include pictures and make up stories; race, box with a lot of twists and turns, amazed (maze), mice.
Like Adam and Eve, Charlie is eager for knowledge but experiences shame, rejection, and isolation after he possesses it.

45. Part 1 – Response and Analysis Pg. 50 (1-5) and (a.-d.)
4. He means it takes determination, struggle, and talent for a person of Charlie’s mental ability to learn to read and write. His statement is validated by how long it takes Charlie to learn. 5. Intolerance (narrow mindedness, prejudice) makes them sad or angry.

46. Part 1 – Response and Analysis Pg. 50 (1-5) and (a.-d.)
It is supposed to dramatically improve his intelligence.
Dr. Strauss recognizes that Charlie is strongly motivated and hardworking.
Algernon is a white mouse who has already had the operation. Algernon beats Charlie the first time they race.
His writing improves; he is more aware of what people think; he recognizes images in the Rorschach test.

47. The opposite of what is expected.
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What is ironic about Dr. Strauss’s reminder that Charlie must speak and write simply so that people will understand him?
IRONY
The opposite of what is expected.

48. What is Charlie’s relationship with the two doctors like now?
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What is Charlie’s relationship with the two doctors like now?
Uncomfortable

49. PAGE 53
How has Charlie’s heightened intelligence created difficulties with Miss Kinnian?

50. PAGE 53
What kind of unexpected complication has the operation produced for Charlie?

51. PAGE 53
What is ironic about Charlie’s plan to review Vrostadt’s equations on Levels of Semantic Expression? X
SIMPLE

52. PAGE 53
How does the dishwasher’s experience resemble episodes from Charlie’s own life? What literary term is this an example of? (Repeated Events)
Parallel Episodes

53. Why is Charlie furious at himself as well as the joking crowd?
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Why is Charlie furious at himself as well as the joking crowd?
“I WAS
JUST LIKE HIM!”

54. PAGE 55
“A child may not know how to feed itself, or what to eat, yet it knows of hunger.”
What does it mean?
Even if you don’t know exactly what you want, you still know when you are missing something.

55. PAGE 55
Why does Charlie decide to work to increase human intelligence? In what way is his decision to step forward in his personal development?

56. PARALLEL EPISODES: Algernon and Charlie What is happening????
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PARALLEL EPISODES: Algernon and Charlie What is happening????

57. Why do the doctors ask Charlie to stay away from the lab?
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Why do the doctors ask Charlie to stay away from the lab?

58. What complication has made Charlie so conscious of time?
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What complication has made Charlie so conscious of time?

59. What is driving Charlie?
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What is driving Charlie?

60. Will Charlie remain intelligent?
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Will Charlie remain intelligent?
Why do you think Charlie feels that he must not become emotional at this time?

61. PAGE 57
Charlie’s Hypothesis: The more artificial intelligence you gain, the faster you lose it.

62. How is the experiment involving Algernon concluding?
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How is the experiment involving Algernon concluding?

63. PAGE 58
Why is Charlie so upset when Algernon dies? What does this event suggest for Charlie?

64. PAGE 58
How does Charlie’s behavior start to mirror the behavior of Algernon at an earlier point in the story?

65. PAGE 59
What is the meaning of the word senility in the beginning of the first paragraph on this page?

66. PAGE 59
“…slipping away like sand through my fingers.” Simile = not meant to be taken literally.

67. What signs do you see of Charlie’s increasing decline on this page?

68. Why might Charlie think of his parents at this point in the story?
PAGE 59
Why might Charlie think of his parents at this point in the story?

69. PAGE 60
How is Charlie’s current situation similar to how he grew up as a child living with his parents?
Neglected
ALL ALONE

70. Why does Charlie send Miss Kinnian away?
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Why does Charlie send Miss Kinnian away?

71. Why is it ironic that Joe and Frank act as Charlie’s protectors?
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Why is it ironic that Joe and Frank act as Charlie’s protectors?

72. PAGE 62
So what is the ending like? Have all subplots and “loose ends” been tied up? What more do students want to know?

73. All about our Author
Daniel Keyes

74. PART 2 - Homework Charlie will probably die because Algernon did.
2. Charlie identifies with him; the mouse has gone through the same procedure he has.

75. PART 2 - Homework Charlie’s races with Algernon. dishwasher.
Charlie’s parties with his coworkers.
The ridicule of both Charlie and the
dishwasher.
The regression of both Algernon and
Charlie.

76. PART 2 - Homework
When Charlie deteriorates, he tells Miss Kinnian he doesn’t like her anymore, even though he still loves her, to make her leave so she won’t laugh at him. Later, he returns to her class by mistake, upsetting her. Charlie then decides to leave New York and start over where no one knows him.
Was the experience worth the sorrow and loss he feels? Charlie does not regret his choice.

77. PART 2 - Homework
Few friendships stand on equal footing, but humiliation is a poor foundation for any relationship.
Is engineering exciting or disastrous?

78. PART 2 - Homework
Dr. Strauss is angry with Charlie for not writing reports, and Charlie is disappointed to find that his doctors are less intelligent than he is. Charlie has a hard time speaking simply enough for people to understand him, so he is lonely.
He first laughs at the boy, then gets angry at the crowd’s insensitivity.
The surgically increased intelligence does not last.
He becomes forgetful, absent-minded, touchy, and irritable.
He does not want people to feel sorry for him.