1. “Flowers for Algernon” & Limitless
Film & literature
“Flowers for Algernon” &
Limitless

2. Today’s journal prompt (4 Oct)
When is ignorance ‘bliss’? When is intelligence ‘a curse’?
Today’s journal prompt (4 Oct)

3. Listen to others’ contributions & feel free to add ideas of your own
Literature circle
In your group, share the notes you took for the 1st part of “Flowers for Algernon”
Listen to others’ contributions & feel free to add ideas of your own

4. The viewpoint is measured in distance from the events in the story
Point of view
Any story requires a viewpoint character – one through who’s eyes & experience the story is told
The viewpoint is measured in distance from the events in the story
1st person (narrator is the protagonist; ‘I’ / ‘me’ / ‘my’ / ‘we’)
2nd person (narrator speaks to other characters; ‘you’ / ‘you’re’)
3rd person (narrator speaks to reader about other characters; ‘she’ / ‘he’ / ‘they’ / ‘them’ / ‘it’)
3rd person limited
3rd person omniscient

5. In the 1st person point of view, the narrator is the main character
Uses 1st person pronouns
See the example below from Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises
“I could picture it. I have a habit of imagining the conversations between my friends. We went out to the Cafe Napolitain to have an aperitif and watch the evening crowd on the Boulevard.”

6. Uses 2nd person pronouns Very rarely used – limited usefulness
2nd person point of view
In the 2nd person point of view, the narrator speaks directly to other characters in the story
Uses 2nd person pronouns
Very rarely used – limited usefulness
See the example below from Jay McInerny’s Bright Lights, Big City
“You are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time of the morning. But here you are, and you cannot say that the terrain is entirely unfamiliar, although the details are fuzzy.”

7. 3rd person point of view
In the 3rd person point of view, the narrator tells the reader/viewer about what the other characters are doing
3rd person limited
Narrator is one of the characters; can tell only what she/he sees and hears
3rd person omniscient
Narrator is ‘God’; can tell what everyone is experiencing & thinking at all times.
Uses 3rd person pronouns
See the example below from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
“When Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley before, expressed to her sister how very much she admired him.”

8. Limitless (2011) stars Bradley Cooper as Eddie Morra, who uses a drug (NZT) to greatly increase his intelligence (“4-digit IQ), perception, and physical ability
Based on the novel The Dark Fields (Alan Glynn), itself inspired by “Flowers for Algernon”
All are works which explore human performance enhancement (transhumanism)
Limitless

9. Watch the clip from the film Limitless
As you watch, consider the following:
Who appears to be a more reliable narrator: Eddie or Charlie? Why?
What might some of the other characters’ views be of…
Eddie’s life (Lindy, ex brother-in-law)
Charlie’s life (Miss Kinnian, Drs. Strauss & Nemur, Charlie’s co-workers)
Discuss with a partner, and share your ideas with the class

10. Wrap-up
Read remainder of “Flowers for Algernon”
Download pdf from most recent blog post
Select a Lit Circle role and journal accordingly
Discussion Director, Summarizer, Word Master, Connector
Only 4 roles, so two students will have to double-up