Flowers for Algernon
By Daniel Keyes
Study Questions-Key
progris riport 1: martch 5 1965
1. What does the many misspelled words and ungrammatical sentence structures suggest about Charlie?
Mentally challenged
2.
Why do the Drs. want Charlie to keep a diary?
Help the Dr. keep track of his progress
progris riport 2 – martch 6
3. Based on his approach to the inkblot test, what is revealed about Charlie?
He tries very hard to please People and wants to succeed. He is unable to see beyond the surface
appearance of things.
progris report 3 – martch 7
4. What inferences can be made about Miss Kinnian’s character from what Charlie writes about her?
She is kind and caring. She recognizes and appreciates hard work.
5.
Who is Algernon? He is a white mouse used in lab tests
6.
What competition do Algernon and Charlie have? Who wins?
Working through a maze. Algernon runs through a maze built inside a box, while Charlie’s maze is drawn
on a piece of paper so he can solve it with a pencil. Algernon wins.
progris riport 4 – Mar 8
7. How does the author reveal that Charlie is a highly motivated person?
Charlie says that he will work hard to become smart. Miss Kinnian says he has already “done so much
with so little”. Dr. Strauss says that Charlie has good motivation.
progris ript 5 – Mar 10
8. How does Charlie feel before the operation?
Frightened
Progress Report 7 – mar 19
9. How does Charlie’s relationship with Algernon change immediately after Charlie’s operation?
Charlie is angry with Algernon because the mouse still wins the maze game.
Progress Report 8 – Mar 23
10. How do Charlie’s “friends” treat him before the operation?
Laugh at him
Progress Report 9 – April 3
11. What is the purpose of the TV the doctors gave Charlie?
Learn while he sleeps
12. Three weeks have now passed since the operation. What signs are there that Charlie’s intellectual
capacities is changing?
Charlie’s writing is improving slightly. His joke about the late show and his understanding of the concept
of the subconscious mind reveal increased intelligence. His use of a dictionary shows improved reading
ability and greater language sophistication.
13. How would you characterize Joe and Frank based on the two men’s behavior?
The men’s cruelty to Charlie indicates that they are not his true friends and that they are abusive.
14. Why is no one at the saloon when Charlie returns?
The men played a trick on Charlie by sending him out for a newspaper and then leaving.
15. What important event occurs on April 6th? Why is it so important?
Charlie beats Algernon at the maze game for the first time. It provides concrete evidence that Charlie is
getting smarter.
16. Why is it so important Charlie finish Robinson Crusoe?
It was the first time he’d finished such a difficult book
17. Why is Charlie’s use of punctuation humorous? What does this reveal about his attitude toward learning?
Charlie thinks he is using punctuation correctly, but his writing is a complete mess. It is ironic and funny
that when Miss Kinnian tried to correct his overuse of commas, the result was far worse. Nonetheless, his
wild punctuation shows his exuberance and love of learning.
18. How does Charlie’s increasing intelligence affect his reactions to situations?
As Charlie becomes more intelligent, he also grows more perceptive and self-conscious. He sees flaws and
short-comings in his coworkers.
19. What does Charlie realize about his coworkers?
They have been making fun of him all along while he thought they were his friends.
Progress Report 11
20. Why is Charlie angry when he takes the Rorschach test on April 22nd?
He now thinks they tried to trick him into failing
21. What does Charlie do at the factory that shows his intelligence?
He figures out a new, money-saving way to line up the machines in the factory
22. How do Charlie’s coworkers treat him now that he is more intelligent?
They are frightened of him and try to avoid him.
23. Why did Charlie once think of Miss Kinnian as “very, very old” even though he is actually older than she
is?
Before his operation Charlie was like a child, far behind Miss Kinnian mentally, so she seemed much older.
Now he is quickly catching up to her, so she no longer seems as old.
Progress Report 12
24. What event initiates Mr. Donnegan asking Charlie to leave the factory?
Mr. Donnegan wanted to avoid trouble at the factory. The employees put enormous pressure on him to fire
Charlie. All the workers, except one, signed a petition demanding that he leave.
25. Why are books and music so comforting to Charlie?
His intelligence has become so high that speaking to people on everyday matters is impossible
26. Compare the behavior of the diner customers to the way Charlie was treated by his coworkers.
The customers are enjoying their jokes at the boy’s expense. He cannot detect the cruelty in their remarks, but
sees their smiles, so he smiles in response. Similarly, Charlie used to laugh when his coworkers played mean
jokes on him.
Progress Report 13
27. Summarize the changes in Algernon.
He first became irritable, uncooperative, and apathetic. Then his muscular activity, coordination, glandular
activity, and memory declined.
28. What might the changes in Algernon’s behavior mean?
The positive effects of the operation appear to be wearing off. The changes in Algernon’s behavior may mark
the start of a decline in his intelligence.
29. Why do the changes in Algernon worry Charlie? What might they suggest will happen later in the story?
They have both had the same operation. Algernon’s success or failure probably indicates whether Charlie will
keep his increased intelligence. The changes might foreshadow Charlie’s eventual deterioration.
30. What is the author’s purpose of Charlie using very difficult language in his letter to Dr. Strauss?
To show Charlie is becoming a genius
31. Paraphrase the results of Charlie’s research.
The greater the increase in someone’s intelligence (as a result of the surgery), the faster his or her intelligence
will decline. Since Algernon and Charlie’s intelligence was tripled, it will deteriorate very rapidly.
32. What is the final result of Algernon’s deterioration?
He dies.
33. What happens that shows Charlie is reverting back to his original level of intelligence?
He got lost and could not find his way home.
July 7 34. How do you know that Charlie’s condition has worsened since his last progress report?
Charlie has started to make errors in his writing, such as using run-on sentences and omitting the apostrophes
in contractions. The simple errors show how far he has regressed. Although Charlie’s sentences have been
getting much shorter, this is the first time he has made a mistake since much earlier in the story.
July 2735. Why does Charlie want his old job back?
He wants to support himself
36. What does Mr. Donnegan mean when he tells Charlie he has “guts”?
He is courageous
July 28 –
37. Charlie has put flowers on Algernon’s grave ever since the mouse died. What does Charlie’s gesture
symbolize? Why does he want it continued when he is gone?
Algernon was Charlie’s companion in this experiment and in the suffering. His death left Charlie more alone
and isolated than ever, so Charlie honors the memory of his friend. He doesn’t want Algernon’s sacrifice to be
forgotten; in this way, perhaps his own contribution won’t be forgotten either.
Literary Elements
38. Who is the protagonist? Charlie
39. Who or what is the antagonist? His mind
40. What is the physical setting? March 5, 1965; lab
41. What is the psychological setting? Honest, humorous, innocent, compassionate
42. What is the point-of-view? 1st person
43. Who is/are the dynamic character(s)? Charlie
44. What is the theme?
45. What is the main conflict? Man vs. self (Charlie vs. mind)
46. Where does the climax occur?