masFlowers for Algernon: Charlie’s Psychological TraumasMedical operations are carried out everyday, but for some, an operation canchange a person’s life.
One experiment was done on a mentally retarded personto try to raise his intelligence. The experiment worked, but after months, thepatient regressed dramatically. In the book, Flowers for Algernon, by DanielKeyes, this intelligence operation was preformed, and the patient was CharlieGordon. After the operation, Charlie was very bright, but experiencedpsychological traumas, loneliness, disillusionment, and social inadequacies. Charlie’s psychological traumas or emotional upset was caused by his memoryrecalls. After his operation, he remembered every aspect of his childhood,whether it was good or bad.
“. . . He’s normal! He’s normal! He’ll grow up likeother people. Better than others.
. . ” Charlie had dreams of how his mother wasashamed of him. His mother always thought her son was normal and would grow upand be somebody. “.
. . He’s like a baby. He can’t play Monopoly or checkers oranything. I won’t play with him anymore. .
. ” Charlie’s sister also ignored him. To her, Charlie was dumb and could not do anything. Charlie had dreams of hissister yelling at him and making fun of him. He also had memories of the nighthis parents took him to the Warren Home. He was terrified and his dad wouldnever answer his questions.
Charlie remembered his childhood and through hismemories, he felt guilty for hurting his family. After the operation, Charlie also suffered from disillusionment. In thebakery he used to have friends. Friends that would talk to him and care abouthim. “.
. . Why? Because all of the sudden your a bigshot. You think you arebetter than the rest of us. .
. ” Charlie then realized that he had no friends butmerely knew people that made fun of him. The bakery employees just liked himbecause they could blame their mistakes on Charlie. Then, they could not dothis after the operation, so they all turned against Charlie.
“. . . I had to findout just how much they knew.
I found out. Nothing. . . ” “Both frauds” Charliealso found out about Nemur and Strauss. He realized they were not professionals,but two men that were taking a shot in the dark.
Charlie felt like anexpendable lab specimen. Thus, Charlie had lost his friends and knew now he wasjust a like a lab rat. Charlie had lacked faith in his fellow man. “. . .
Thoughts of suicide to stop it all while I am still in control. . . “Everyday Charlie lost a piece of himself. He was starting to regress andthought about suicide to end his up and down life. He became irritable and edgyaround people at the university.
He would become mad at people very quickly andthen yell at them. His self-centered and arrogant personality was a symptom ofhis regression. People stayed away from him because he was becoming a madmanand was unpredictable. Because of this, Charlie became lonely in his last weeksbefore he regressed totally. “. .
. Intelligence without the ability to give and receive affection can leadto a mental breakdown. . . ” Charlie experienced social inadequacies while he wasintelligent.
“. . . You know as well as I do, you don’t need to work hereanymore. .
. ” Charlie lost his job because he was to smart to work in a bakery. He could not socially interact with people he worked with and the people he met. Also, Charlie could not perform with Alice or Fay.
“. . . I saw him watching mewith his eyes wide open. I couldn’t do it.
. . ” He experienced illusions when hetried to make love with Alice. The “Charlie” inside of himself emerged andstarted to regain control of his mind. All in all, Charlie suffered from thepain of not knowing how to deal with his peers and decisions. Therefore, after the operation, Charlie became a smart man but he had topay the price for it.
He had psychological traumas, suffered from lonelinessand illusions, and did not know how to act with his peers. Charlie regressedand finally went to the Warren Home, but he at least experienced the worldthrough normal eyes. On the other hand, Charlie might of been better offwithout the experiment. He would still have friends and a job, but mostimportant of all, he would have a life.English
