1. Classical Humanities Spring 2017
Flowers for Algernon
Classical Humanities
Spring 2017

2. Writing Workout #1 (RB #2)
Choose one of the following statements and then write whether you agree or disagree and WHY.
Being mean to people is okay if they don’t know or understand.
People are born they way they are meant to be—we shouldn’t play God and change that.
Technology should not be used to improve people physically or mentally.
Family members should never desert each other.
The smarter a person is, the happier he or she is.
The abilities to reason and remember are what make people human.
Emotion is more important than intellect.

3. Rorschach Test
Using your phone or one of my ‘puters, go to theinkblot.com and take the short online test.
What were your test results? Discuss!

4. TAT Test
Instructions for adults are: (Murray, 1943) “I am going to show you some pictures, one at a time, and your task will be to make up a story for each card. In your story, be sure to tell what has led up to the event shown in the picture, describe what is happening at the moment, what the characters are feeling and thinking, and then give the outcome. Tell a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end. Do you understand? I will write your stories verbatim as you tell them. Here’s the first card.” These instructions can be modified for children or for adults with limited education/intelligence: “I am going to show you some pictures, and I would like you to tell me a story for each one. In your story, please tell: What is happening in the picture? What happened before? What are people thinking and how are they feeling? How does it turn out in the end? So, I’d like you to tell a whole story with a beginning, middle, and ending. You can make up any story you want about the picture. Do you understand? I’ll write down your story. Here’s the first card.”

6. Flowers for Algernon
Flowers for Algernon is a science fiction short story and subsequent novel written by Daniel Keyes. The short story, written in 1958 and first published in the April 1959 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in  The novel was published in 1966 and was joint winner of that year's Nebula Award for Best Novel (with Babel-17).

7. Flowers for algernon
The eponymous Algernon is a laboratory mouse who has undergone surgery to increase his intelligence by artificial means. The story is told by a series of progress reports written by Charlie Gordon, the first human test subject for the surgery, and it touches upon many different ethical and moral themes such as the treatment of the mentally disabled. Although the book has often been challenged for removal from libraries in the US and Canada, sometime successfully, it is regularly taught in schools around the world and has been adapted many times for television, theatre, radio, and as the Academy Award-winning film Charly.

8. background
The ideas for Flowers for Algernon developed over 14 years and were inspired by events in Keyes's life, starting in 1945 with Keyes's conflict with his parents who were pushing him through a pre-medical education despite his desire to pursue a writing career. Keyes felt that his education was driving a wedge between him and his parents, and this led him to wonder what would happen if it were possible to increase a person’s intelligence. A pivotal moment occurred in 1957 while Keyes was teaching English to students with special needs; one of them asked him if it would be possible to be put into a regular class if he worked hard and became smart. Keyes also witnessed the dramatic change in another learning-disabled student who regressed after he was removed from regular lessons. Keyes said that "When he came back to school, he had lost it all. He could not read. He reverted to what he had been. It was a heart-breaker." Characters in the book were based on people in Keyes's life. The character of Algernon was inspired by a university dissection class, and the name was inspired by the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne. Nemur and Strauss, the scientists who develop the intelligence-enhancing surgery in the story, were based on professors Keyes met while studying psychoanalysis in graduate school.

9. censorship
Flowers for Algernon is on the American Library Association's list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999 at number 43. The reasons for the challenges vary, but usually center on those parts of the novel in which Charlie struggles to understand and express his sexual desires. Many of the challenges have proved unsuccessful, but the book has occasionally been removed from school libraries, including some in Pennsylvania and Texas. Source: "Flowers for Algernon." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 07 Dec

10. Can you read this?
I cnduo't bvleiee taht I culod aulaclty uesdtannrd waht I was rdnaieg. Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghhuot slelinpg was ipmorantt! See if yuor fdreins can raed tihs too.

11. Let’s Read!
We will spirit read till the bell.
Your homework for tomorrow is to read to p. 25 (through March 24).