Stephan Rhoden October 10th 2011

The New Yorker

Manhattan, NY. - Flowers For Algernon is a novel written by Daniel Keyes. set in 1960s New York City, this science fiction novels follows the life of Charlie Gordon, a mentally retarded middle aged man, who becomes eligible to undergo an experiment to raise his I.Q level. The story follows the theme of discrimination and hardship. The plot of the story follows the science experiment preformed on a mentally retarded man by the name of Charlie Gordon. The story is told in a first person point of view, in the form of progress reports that the main character writes throughout the novel, based on his development throughout the experiment. In theory, this experiment is supposed to help a person with a mental deficiency such as Charlie Gordon, by raising their I.Q level to that of a normal person. The novel is a very important testimony of the trials and tribulations of those who have mental disabilities. The novel also shows the effort that the scientific community continue to put into finding solutions for these disabilities, and diseases such as cancer and aids. I believe that this novel is important, due to the fact that it has the ability to stimulate awareness to society, about the important topic of mental disabilities. Throughout the story, Keyes walks the reader through a day in the life of the mentally disabled main character, and the discrimination that is brought upon him, as well as how the things that may seem easy to a nondisabled person, are a challenge for the character. This awareness is crucially important, because if people dont know that there is a problem to fix, they do not have any reason to help.

Flowers For Algernon shows the effort that scientists continue to put in to finding solutions to help people who have to bear the burden of mental, and physical disabilities The book shows an example of how science can help

a disadvantaged person so that they can function in society at a high level. I think that this is important because if the community recognizes the hard work and dedication of these scientists to help other people, then that community may be more inclined to donate their time and money into the cause to try and help these people as well. I believe that Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Will be read one-hundred years from now. The fact that it gives a very interesting insight on the life of a mentally disabled person, by having the book narrated by them throughout the duration of the story, shows their actual point of view. I have never read a book that has showed the life of a handicapped person in such detail, and had really made me feel like i was one of the people around that person, the way this book made me feel. The other reason that I am convinced that this book will still be read one-hundred years from now, is that it is possible that in the time from now until then, cures for such diseases, like the type discribed in the novel, may very well of been found. If the cures have been found by then, then it would be very likely, that the history of such diseases would want to be known, and what it is that has actually been cured.