“Flowers for Algernon” Part 1 Test
Sample Answers/Responses
We will review the questions from the test and
identify each part of the questions.
You will be required to rewrite your responses
for homework tonight ONLY if you missed more
than 5 pts. on a question.
Remember TTQA!! Turn The Question Around!!
This will help you stick to the topic as well as
ensure you answer ALL parts of the questions.
1. Subplot is defined as a minor plot that relates in
some way to the main story. Conflict is defined as
the problem in the story. Reflect on the subplot
involving the Charlie and following characters:
(1) Charlie and his coworkers, (2) Charlie and Miss
Kinnian, and (3) Charlie and Algernon.
Choose one set of characters to answer the
following question: What conflict arises between
the Charlie and the set of characters you selected.
Has the relationship changed from the beginning of
the story to the end of part 1? Use information
from the reading to support your answer.
Sample Answer for Question #1
The conflict between Charlie and Algernon
arises before the surgery when Algernon beats
Charlie at the maze. At first, this doesn’t bother
Charlie; however, after the surgery, Charlie and
Algernon race, and Algernon beats him again.
Charlie becomes angry and says that he hates
Algernon. Later on in part one, Charlie races
Algernon once more, this time beating Algernon.
Charlie’s feelings for Algernon change yet again as
he states, “I think I’ll be friends with Algernon.”
Sample Answer 2 for Question #1
The conflict between Charlie and his
coworkers arises when Charlie’s intelligence
begins to increase. His coworkers don’t
understand what or why this change in Charlie
is happening; therefore, they begin to feel
uncomfortable around him and ask that he be
fired. Before the surgery, his coworkers would invite
Charlie to go out with them, so they could make fun of
him. After the surgery, they, again, feel uncomfortable
around him, which led to the petition to have him
fired.
Sample Answer 3 for Question #1
The conflict that arises between Charlie and
Miss Kinnian begins after his surgery. Before the
surgery, Charlie saw Miss Kinnian as “an unreachable
genius—and very, very old.” However, as his
intelligence begins to increase after the surgery, he
sees Miss Kinnian differently. He remarks how
beautiful she is and that she is only 34 years old. He
even states that he loves her. The conflict become
more complicated and developed when he finds it
very difficult to communicate simply with Miss
Kinnian. He fears he will leave her behind
intellectually.
2. An idiom is an expression peculiar to a particular
language that means something different from the
literal meaning of the word. How does “to pull a
Charlie Gordon” represent an idiom? What does it
mean? Use information from the text to support your
answer?
Sample Answer:
“To pull a Charlie Gordon” represents an idiom
because the phrase does not literally mean Charlie is
being pulled. The phrase means that someone has
done something “stupid.” For example, when Ernie
lost a package at Charlie’s worksite, Amos Borg, the
foreman, said, “Ernie,…what are you trying to be? A
Charlie Gordon?” This indicates that Ernie’s losing the
package was a “stupid” action.
3. An Inference is an educated guess based on clues.
Foreshadowing is defined as the use of clues or hints to
suggest events that will occur later in the plot. When
Charlie is on his way to the hospital to have the operation,
a black cat crosses his path. What might the black cat
crossing his path symbolize? What might this event
foreshadow about Charlie’s operation? Use information
from the text to support your answer.
Sample Answer:
The black cat’s crossing Charlie’s path on the way to
the hospital to have the operation may symbolize
back luck. This event could possibly foreshadow
something bad occurring with regard to the
surgery. For example, the results of the operation
may not last.
4. Dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows
something a character does not know. Identify an
example of dramatic irony from the story (pages 3349) and explain how this example represents
dramatic irony. What does the reader know that the
character does not know? Use information from the
text to support your answer.
Sample Answer:
An example of dramatic irony from the story
occurs during a conversation between Charlie and
Miss Kinnian. She recently read some of his progress
notes and realizes how Charlie’s coworkers have been
treating him. This upset her and she tells Charlie she
has something in her eye and runs to the bathroom.
We, the readers, are aware that she is crying while
Charlie truly believes she has something in her eye.