Can being intelligent and realizing things the way they are affect you in a negative way? Well, in my opinion it can because in flowers for Algernon Charlie Gordon has disabilities, however he gets an operation that makes his knowledge increase. In the beginning of the short story, Charlie’s co-workers make fun of him but it doesn’t have a negative effect on him. Throughout the story Charlie’s knowledge and understanding increases mentally and emotionally.
For example, Charlie’s knowledge increases mentally because he becomes incredibly smart, he can read, comprehend and write and do many activities, his knowledge increases emotionally because he realizes that the people surrounding him have him around to make fun of. Charlie progresses in his knowledge throughout the story. Mainly, how would you feel if you found out that something you think is funny is actually is a type of teasing or bullying? Charlie improves his knowledge of learning throughout the story. In the short story Flowers for Algernon Charlie’s coworkers make fun of him by saying to “Pull a Charlie Gordon.
In the beginning of the story Charlie thinks that his co-workers are being funny by saying to “Pull a Charlie Gordon” but as Charlie got smarter he realized that they were actually teasing him, and he feels ashamed. Pulling a Charlie Gordon is basically doing something ridiculous. The story states “Now i know what it means when they say to “Pull a Charlie Gordon” I’m ashamed. ” (Keyes, 209). Charlie realizes that “Pulling a Charlie Gordon” is not a nice thing to say, he feels ashamed because he realizes that Joe and Frank, and the others have him around to make fun of him.
This proves that Charlie progresses his knowledge of learning throughout the story. Therefore, do you ever notice when your doing something dumb? Well, Charlie Gordon doesn’t realize he does dumb stuff until the middle of the story. For example, in the beginning of the story Joe and Frank took him out to Muggy’s, a somewhat bar, and they got him drunk and Charlie didn’t know he was doing wrong. Later on in the story they take him out again, and Charlie refused to drink, however he ended up drinking and fell and everybody started laughing at him.
The evidence based term “I think its a good thing about finding out how everybody laughs at me. ” I thought about it a lot. Its because im so dumb and I dont even know when im doing something dumb. People think its funny when a dumb person can’t do things the same way they can. ” (Keyes, 209). Charlie realizes that everybody laughs at him because he didn’t realize when he was doing dumb stuff, he said that people found it funny when people with disabilities can’t do the things the same way a regular person can.
For example, they found it funny when Charlie got drunk and fell, his co-workers got him drunk on purpose so that he can act like a fool. Charlie progresses in his knowledge of learning throughout the story because he realized that people laugh at people with disabilities. In addition, has there ever been a time where you can relate to something going on, however it was not a pleasant situation you were able to relate to? In flowers for Algernon Charlie Gordon, the main character was able to relate to an uncomfortable situation.
There was a boy in the restaurant that had disabilities, and they were making fun of him, Charlie was able to realize that he relates to that boy because at one point he had a disability and they made fun of him. The story states “I felt sick inside as i looked at his dull, vacuous smile, the wide, bright eyes of a child, uncertain but eager to please. They were laughing at him because he was mentally retarded. And I had been laughing at him too. Suddenly i was furious at myself and all those who were smirking at him.
I jumped up and shouted, “Shut up! ” (Keyes, 215). Charlie realizes that things are not how they appear. He sees how they treat the boy. He can relate to the boy because at one point Charlie had disabilities, but he didn’t realize they used to make fun of him because of it. He stands up for the boy because it’s the right thing to do. Charlie can truly understand how the boy feels because he has been through the same thing, and he realizes that some people are not how they appear to be.
Ultimately, can being intelligent and realizing things affect you in a bad way? I think it can because in Flowers for Algernon being intelligent affects Charlie Gordon in a negative way. It affects him in a negative way because he realizes that some things that he realized can be heartbreaking, they can also have a huge negative affect emotionally, however being intelligent had a positive effect because he learned how to read and write. Throughout the story Charlie progresses in his knowledge of learning.
