Flowers For Algernon
Uploaded by Gotskillz on May 05, 2004
Charlie, the human test subject, and Algernon, the shrewd mouse, are similar in several different ways. Charlie is awfully empathetic towards the astute white mouse because he realizes that Algernon’s situation is at the same time much like his own and at other times, even more patience trying. Charlie attempts to make a genuine bond with Algernon because he himself notices the many similarities they share.
At first, on pages (516-517) Charlie is exasperated because he persistently loses to Algernon when they compete at the maze. Charlie is very mystified at how clever Algernon is, while at the same time he is disappointed in himself. Charlie reassuringly tells himself that white mice are apparently more intelligent than other mice. After Charlie’s operation, he begins to understand Algernon’s scrupulous situation much better. Charlie sympathizes with Algernon on page (522). He also complains in one of his many progress reports that he doesn’t think it is just to make mice crack puzzles in order to eat. Charlie’s animal-human relationship grows when he realizes the torment Algernon must go through each and every day in the laboratory.
Before Charlie is given an opportunity to supposedly better his condition through science, he feels as though he is an outsider because he is not normal like others. On page (515) he belittles himself by admitting his stupidity. He also explains that all he ever wanted was to be smart like other “pepul”. Like Charley, Algernon ought to also consider himself different from other mice because he is so much smarter. Charlie obviously realized that he and Algernon are both outsiders. Seemingly, the only reason Charlie does go through with all the painstaking experiments is to be normal.
Charlie, knowing first hand how difficult it was to get smarter, connected with Algernon because he knew that similar tests were done on him. On page (520) Dr. Strauss tells Charlie that Algernon is three times smarter then he was before the operation they conducted on him. Charlie must have felt a need to bond with Algernon because he knew that they were both in this entire ordeal together. After all, they were the only two who had ever been researched on regarding this experiment.
Charlie’s connection with Algernon was tremendously potent because of a vast number of unlike reasons as you can tell by my lucid and coherent evidence. Charlie was Algernon’s friend because they both had been experimented on in...