Flowers For Algernon Characters Analysis
| Subject: | 📚 Literature |
| Type: | Analytical Essay |
| Pages: | 3 |
| Word count: | 779 |
| Topics: | Flowers for Algernon, 📗 Book |
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Table of Contents
Introduction
One of the leading characters in the short story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes is a mouse, and in spite of the name, he is not the protagonist. However, the mouse embodies the player of the game with feelings. The reason for this is the fact that Algernon and Charlie Gordon, the protagonist of the story, underwent the same surgery. This implies that everything that occurs to Algernon can eventually occur to Charlie. From the introductory scene of the story, mouse switches state at least three times. At the beginning, Algernon is an extremely intelligent mouse after surgery. Later, as the story progresses, he turns into an intractable one. At long last, he dies from the rapid deterioration of his brain. Algernon goes from being intelligent to being disobedient, and then dies because his mind is shutting down.
The development of the main characters in the story throughout the plot
Let’s start with the fact that Algernon was reasonable. On March 23, Charlie notes that Dr. Strauss reported that the mouse also underwent surgery. This happened after Algernon had defeated Charlie again in the labyrinth they were using to put Charlie through his paces. This operation was designed to triple intelligence. The story does not say when Algernon received the operation, but it is known that his intelligence increased by three times. This positions him ahead of Charlie Gordon with an IQ of 68. At last, on April 6, Charlie defeated Algernon for the first time. On the same day, Charlie posts that the examiner, Bert, claims that Algernon must complete the test in order to receive food. Each time the challenge is various, and Algernon is required to memorize something new. It also reveals how smart the mouse is, because it’s like a puzzle he has to figure out. This is a task to get Algernon to perform for food. An ordinary mouse wouldn’t be able to work through a lock that varies every day. However, Algernon’s mind cannot be constant.
Over time, Algernon begins to develop an uncooperative attitude. This causes concern and anxiety, because Charlie might lose his mind too. Charlie has handled Algernon in the past, so it’s surprising that he’s just promptly starting to bite. It is equally unusual that Algernon is no longer traversing the maze, because he was previously incentivized by the food. Currently, Algernon would not run for cheese. In addition, he refused to unravel the puzzle with the lock for a meal, indicating that he didn’t care whether he would starve to death or not. When a mouse becomes intellectually impaired, his cerebral cortex is destroyed. Algernon presumably lost his memories, thinking, and speech before he passed away. Algernon’s memory loss could have been demonstrated by the fact that he bit Charlie Gordon because he couldn’t recall anything. That may not be accurate, but it is conceivable. He could also become unable to think, causing him to be short-tempered. This could have been the reason he abandoned solving the moving padlock puzzle to obtain food, because he could have merely stopped attempting to reason and overcome challenges. However, Algernon instantly becomes more than just intractable.
Eventually, Algernon passes away from the decline of his brain. His cerebral gyrus had flattened, and his cerebral fissures had widened and deepened. This brain gyrus enabled a bigger brain area to stay inside the skull. Due to this form of brain, it can have billions of neurons and yet have comparatively small heads. This implies that Algernon’s brain contained a small surface area. He first began to fail on May 25, which meant that it was only 14 days before Algernon died after his brain gave out. The way Algernon’s brain went down demonstrates that there is a distinct benefit to having such a folded cortex. A thinner, more wrinkled cortex allows information to be transmitted from one part of the brain to another over a shorter distance and can occur much faster. Because Algeron’s brain was incapable of folding, information had to keep going. The information also traveled less slowly when his brain was straightened out. The deterioration of Algernon’s brain ultimately ends up taking him down.
Conclusion
Algernon seems to change from being intelligent to intractable to dead. Algernon appears to be smart after undergoing surgery to increase his intelligence. Over time, he grows heavy and obstinate. Lastly, he passes away from brain damage. These are his three primary phases. In Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, Algernon holds the reins. He achieves this by ensuring that it is clear that the main character, Charlie Gordon, is going to die. Algernon performed on feelings to the end. Algernon altered the story in three distinct manners.
Offered for reference purposes only.