Independent Book Project
By: Sam Armes, Book: Flowers for Algernon
Highlight of the Main Characters
Mrs. Kinnian: She is Charlie's teacher at the beginning of the book and she encourages him to try to be the one they perform the operation on. After the operation she teaches Charlie to read and write better than he could before. Then she starts to fall in love with Charlie and they go out on a date. Towards the end of the book She doesn't talk to Charlie a lot until he goes back to his mentally challenged phase.
The Crucial Plot Point
Their are two crucial plot points in this story. One of them is when Charlie has the operation to increase his intelligence it changes his life and I think it is a crucial point. The second one is when Algernon bits Fay because she was trying to pick him up even though he was crashing because the operation is failing.
Underlying Message
The book brings up various ethic questions, and there are no answers for what is right or wrong. Not only about the right to Charlies opperation but also about properly relationships and nurturing. This includes; was it right of Alice to start a relation with Charlie although she knew what he was going through? And what about his parents, do you think that they gave up Charlie because they had got something better?
Significant of the Title
Before Charlie had his operation he meet a mouse named Algernon, and Charlie was told that Algernon had the same operation that he is going to have. Then they go to a science convention so the professors can explain the operation and how they used. Charlie started to grow close to Algernon, and then Algernon died because the operation failed. The last thing that Charlie says in the book is "Don't forget to put flowers on Algernon's grave."
Significant Quotes
"P.S. please if you get a chanse put some flowers on Algernon's grave in the bak yard." (pg.311)
"Dr Strauss says I shoud rite down what I think and remembir and evrey that happins to me from now on." (pg.1)
"They found my sister Norma who lives with my mother in Brooklin and she gave permissen for the operashun." (pg.9)