Presentation Plus! Glencoe Literature: The Reader’s Choice, Course 3
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from All Thing Bright
and Beautiful
Flowers for Algernon
The Kid Nobody Could Handle
Thank You, M’am
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Before You Read
Reading the Selection
Responding to Literature
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corresponding content area.
• To read and analyze a story about
an unlucky day in the life of a
country veterinarian 
• To explore the impact of sensory
language on a story 
• To write a character analysis
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James Herriot was
born in 1916 and
died in 1995. All
Things Bright and
Beautiful was first
published in 1973.
Click the Speaker button to hear
more about James Herriot.
BACKGROUND
The Time and Place
It is the 1940s in Yorkshire, a rural area in
England. 
Did You Know?
A veterinarian is a doctor who treats animals.
James Herriot cared for pets as well as large
farm animals during his half century as a
country veterinarian. It was a job, he once said,
that was like “holidays with pay.”
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VOCABULARY PREVIEW
docile: (adj) easily managed, trained, or taught;
p. 103 
malice: (n) a desire to harm another; ill will; p. 104 
catastrophic: (adj) disastrous; p. 104 
inhibition: (n) a restraint on one’s urges; p. 105 
infinite: (adj) boundless; limitless; extremely great;
p. 105 
uncomprehendingly: (adv) without understanding;
p. 106 
alternative: (n) another choice; p. 106 
placid: (adj) calm or peaceful; p. 106 
frustration: (n) disappointment or irritation at being
kept from doing or achieving something; p. 107
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FOCUS ACTIVITY
What makes a visit to the doctor a pleasant or
unpleasant experience for you? 
List Ideas
Jot down some qualities you would want
your pet’s doctor to have. Share your
ideas and experiences with a partner. 
Setting a Purpose
Read to find out how one veterinarian gets
along with the animals he takes care of–and
their owners.
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A Active Reading
Predict
What do you think will happen to Herriot,
given the description of the bull and the
author’s position?
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B Active Reading
Question
What tone is the author trying to convey
when he describes himself as a “morsel
of puny humanity wriggling frantically”?
The author is conveying a humorous tone.
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C Literary Elements
Sensory Language
Click the Speaker button to listen to an excerpt
from the story. Note Herriot’s choice of words as
he describes what it feels like to be crushed. 
Which words or images particularly
appeal to your senses?
Possible answers:
• “pop-eyed”
• “life crushed out of me”
• “scarcely able to breathe”
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D Literary Elements
Sensory Language
Note that much of the humor of the moment
comes from Herriot’s image of himself lying
“like a stranded fish.”
What sort of picture do these words
suggest?
The image is particularly effective not only
because Herriot is flopping around on his
back but also because he has had the
wind knocked out of him. Thus, like the
stranded fish, he can’t breathe.
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E Author’s Craft
Oxymoron
An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which
two opposite terms are combined (“quiet roar,”
for example). A “light road roller” is an
oxymoron–a road roller is by definition heavy.
Herriot is saying something like “I was
knocked down by a petite linebacker.”
F Active Reading
Question
How does the incident with the bull
affect Herriot’s feelings about clipping
the budgie’s beak?
Herriot is glad that he can do something
to help the bird. This simple task is all he
feels up to after the fiasco with the bull.
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G Active Reading
Respond
Although Herriot expects a simple house call, the
visit becomes complicated when the bird dies.
How would you feel if you were in
Herriot’s situation?
H Critical Thinking
Evaluating
Is replacing the bird the right thing
to do? What motivates Herriot’s
decision to do so?
Possible answer: Herriot seems to care
about his patients and their owners. He is
probably motivated to replace the bird by
his desire to spare Mrs. Tompkin pain.
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I Literary Elements
Characterization
What kind of person is Jack Almond?
Almond is clearly proud of his birds and is
very knowledgeable.
How would you describe his attitude
toward his birds and toward Herriot?
Almond wants Herriot to slow down and
pay attention. He is probably reluctant to
sell one of his birds to someone as
indifferent as Herriot.
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J Active Reading
Predict
Predict Mrs. Tompkin’s reaction to the
new bird. Will she be fooled? Back up
your predictions with reasons.
K Active Reading
Question
Why is Herriot afraid to go back to Mrs.
Tomkin’s house?
Possible answer: He probably fears that
Mrs. Tompkin will figure out that he has
switched the birds.
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L Literary Elements
Suspense
How does Herriot heighten the suspense
in the final scene?
He shows the bird acting differently from
the original Peter but waits until the last
line to reveal Mrs. Tompkin’s reaction.
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Personal Response
Analyzing Literature
Literary Elements
Literature and Writing
Skill Minilessons
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corresponding content area.
PERSONAL RESPONSE
What do you think about Herriot’s
replacing the budgie? Would you
have done the same thing in his
position? Why or why not?
RECALL
What happens to the veterinarian when
he starts to leave the bull’s pen?
The bull leans on Herriot, crushing him
against the wall.
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INTERPRET
What does the account of the
narrator’s accident with the bull show
about the life of a veterinarian?
The encounter with the bull suggests that
the life of a veterinarian can be dangerous.
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RECALL
Why is the veterinarian relieved when
he realizes that his next visit is to clip
a budgie’s beak?
The veterinarian is relieved because he
thinks that visit will be easy.
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INTERPRET
What does the author reveal about the
veterinarian’s character through each
of his two visits?
The veterinarian is a kind-hearted man, but
he also strives to keep the respect of his
clients.
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RECALL
How is the outcome of the veterinarian’s
visit to Mrs. Tompkin’s home different from
what he has expected?
The veterinarian has expected his visit to
Mrs. Tompkin to be uneventful, but when
he takes the bird out of the cage, it dies of
fright.
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INTERPRET
How is the veterinarian’s visit with Mrs.
Tompkin similar to his earlier visit with
Mr. Dacre?
Something goes wrong during both visits to
clients.
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RECALL
Describe what happens when the
veterinarian returns to Mrs. Tompkin’s
home much later.
She has noticed that the bird is quite different
but doesn’t suspect that the budgie isn’t Peter.
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INTERPRET
The story has a “happily ever after”
ending. Or does it? What do you think?
Explain.
Possible answer: The story does end happily;
Mrs. Tompkin seems to realize that the bird is
different, but she is happy believing that her
Peter has suddenly become much more lively.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
This story is based on Mr. Herriot’s
actual experience as a country
veterinarian, but does the story seem
realistic to you? Why or why not?
EVALUATE AND CONNECT
What part does humor play in the
story? How would the story be
different without humor?
Humor plays an important part in the story.
Without humor, the first incident could be
sad, and the second incident might cause
readers to question the veterinarian’s ethics.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
• Imagery is the use of words and phrases
that appeal to our senses of sight, touch,
hearing, smell, and taste. 
• James Herriot uses imagery when he
describes how the narrator struggles to
push the bull away. 
• “… I might as well have tried to shift a
house,” he writes. 
• This image helps us feel the bull’s power.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
To what sense do these images appeal?
How does each image add humor to the
situation.
• “Lying there like a stranded fish on a
bed of shattered timbers …”
• “My ribs ached pretty uniformly as
though a light road roller had passed
over them.”
The fish image appeals to sight; it evokes a
ridiculous picture of the veterinarian. The
road roller image appeals to the sense of
touch; it combines antithetical elements
(lightness and road roller) into one image.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
To which sense does the following image
appeal? What does the image tell you
about Mr. Almond, who is described
here?
“His mouth opened as though he was
about to launch into a dissertation.”
The visual image of Mr. Almond suggests
that he hoped for a captive audience.
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Character
Write a paragraph or two explaining how the
author creates real, flesh-and-blood characters
in very few lines. Focus on one of the
characters other than the narrator. As you
write, think about these questions: What do
you learn about the character from what he or
she says? What do the character’s actions tell
you about him or her? What does the
character contribute to the story?
Practice: Revise the following sentences by substituting
a precise verb for each underlined word or phrase.
1. The bull pushed Mr. Herriot against the wood partition.
squashed, squeezed
2. The bird moved away as Mr. Herriot reached for it.
fluttered, edged
3. Mr. Herriot left the house to get another bird.
dashed from, rushed from
4. Mr. Almond was frustrated with Mr. Herriot.
annoyed, exasperated
5. After a day of close calls, Mr. Herriot’s head hurt.
throbbed, ached
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Practice: Write a paragraph that shows the
sequence of four important events in the story.
Use the author’s word clues to help you. Include
sequence words, such as first, next, and last, to
clarify the order of events.
Practice: Figure out the relationship between the first pair
of words. Then complete the analogy by choosing a
second pair that has the same relationship.
1. unfortunate :
catastrophic ::
2. vast : infinite ::
a. good : perfect
a. lucky : unlucky
b. spacious : roomy
b. cheerful : pleasant
c.
c.
d. necessary : sufficient
afraid : terrified
d. embarrassed : quiet
tiny : huge
e. old : wise
e. large : heavy
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gerund
participle
participle
gerund
“Being a docile beast … he was
tied by a chain.”
Appeals to senses of sight and
touch.
“I was certain my internal organs
were being steadily ground to
pulp.”
“And I soon cornered him and
enclosed him gently in my
fingers.”
Appeals to sight, touch, and
possibly hearing.
Appeals to touch.
Before You Read
Reading the Selection
Responding to Literature
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corresponding content area.
Part 1
Part 2
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corresponding content area.
• To read and analyze a short story
about a scientific experiment
involving human intelligence 
• To examine the functions of irony
and foreshadowing in a story 
• To write an essay about an
author’s style
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Daniel Keyes was
born in 1927.
“Flowers for
Algernon” was first
published in 1959 in
The Magazine of
Fantasy and
Science Fiction.
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more about Daniel Keyes.
BACKGROUND
The Time and Place
It is 1965 in New York City. 
Did You Know?
Several kinds of scientists study the brain and the mind:
• A neurosurgeon studies and operates on the brain.
• A psychiatrist studies the workings of the mind.
• A psychologist studies behavior, including thoughts,
feelings, and learning abilities. There are many tests to
measure human intelligence. The intelligence quotient,
or IQ, is one such measure. In recent years, scientists
have come to think that people have “multiple
intelligences”–special abilities in language, music,
physical coordination, and other areas.
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VOCABULARY PREVIEW
opportunist: (n) one who takes advantage of every
opportunity, regardless of consequences; p. 127 
tangible: (adj) able to be seen, touched, or felt; real;
p. 129 
intellectual: (adj) appealing to or involving
intelligence or mental ability; p. 130 
invariably: (adv) constantly; always; p. 131 
cower: (v) to shrink away, as in fear or shame;
p. 131 
obscure: (v) to hide; p. 134 
impaired: (adj) lessened in quality; damaged;
p. 134 
stimulus: (n) something that causes a response;
p. 135
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FOCUS ACTIVITY
Imagine that one day you begin changing.
You get smarter and more talented with each
passing day. 
QuickWrite
List three or four advantages of becoming
smarter and more talented. What
disadvantages do you see? 
Setting a Purpose
Read to discover what happens when a
simple person becomes a genius.
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A Active Reading
Evaluate
Evaluate Charlie from his first entry.
What kind of person is he?
Charlie is intellectually slow; he is
compliant; and he wants very much to
be smarter.
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B Active Reading
Question
What does Charlie’s carrying a rabbit’s
foot tell you about his personality?
Charlie is superstitious.
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C Active Reading
Review
Reread the first column on page 114.
What qualities, positive and
negative, do you see in Charlie at
this point in the story?
Charlie is mentally handicapped,
lacking in imagination, and
superstitious. Frequently he feels
frightened and works to please those
in authority. A concerned student,
Charlie tries hard and wants to learn.
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D Active Reading
Question
Does Charlie understand what
“tempirery” means? How do you know
what he thinks it means?
Charlie thinks “tempirery” means “painful”;
we know this because he says, “I don’t
care if it hurts.”
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E Active Reading
Respond
What do you think of Charlie’s
competing against a mouse in a race
through a maze? How would it feel to
lose the race over and over again?
F Literary Elements
Irony
Note the irony in the phrase “Their going to
use me.” Charlie is pleased, but the reader
can sense the other meaning of the phrase–
“to take advantage of.”
G Active Reading
Connect
Think about the importance of motivation in
your experience.
What impact does motivation have on a
person’s ability to achieve?
H Literary Elements
Irony
The fact that Charlie doesn’t understand the
doctors but the reader does is an example of
dramatic irony.
How does Charlie’s ignorance make you
feel toward him?
I Literary Elements
Irony
Will Charlie get his wish? With an IQ of
more than 200, will he be “like other
people”?
Possible answer: Charlie may be happier
if he understands more, but he may be
just as lonely because he will be more
intelligent than most other people.
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J Active Reading
Review
What changes in Charlie’s personality
become apparent immediately after
his surgery?
He becomes frustrated and impatient
with his progress and in his
relationships with people.
Did you expect those changes?
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K Author’s Craft
Author’s Purpose
Many authors would choose to give the details
of Dr. Nemur’s scientific discovery. It is
probably significant that Keyes chooses not to.
Why do you think the author has taken
this approach?
Possible answer: The author’s primary
focus is on the psychology of Charlie,
not on the science fiction elements of
the story.
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L Active Reading
Review
After reading the entry for March 23, you may
already see that Charlie’s writing is changing
substantially.
What specific differences do you notice
in the way Charlie writes and what he
writes about?
Charlie’s spelling and grammar are
improved. He notices more, interprets
more, and analyzes what happens
around him.
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M Literary Elements
Irony
There is clearly a difference between
Charlie’s perception of his friends and what
the reader sees.
What dramatic irony is apparent in the
factory scene?
Charlie sees the men as friends who are
merely joking with him–but, of course,
they are making fun of him.
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N Active Reading
Question
What is Dr. Strauss doing in giving
Charlie the “little television”? Consider
the concept of sleep learning, in which
people listen to tapes, using the
subconscious mind to learn.
O Active Reading
Question
How is Charlie changing, as shown in
his journal entry for March 29?
Possible answer: Charlie is beginning to
think for himself and to question authority.
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P Literary Elements
Irony
Again, dramatic irony is evident when Charlie
gives his version of his night out. Even though
the story is told from Charlie’s point of view,
readers realize what is happening.
How might the story differ if it were told
from an objective point of view?
Q Literary Elements
Foreshadowing
Since Algernon is the first of the animals to
“stay smart so long,” the implication is that all
the others maintained their new intelligence for
only a short period.
What does this suggest about Charlie?
Possible answer: What happens to
Algernon foreshadows what will happen
to Charlie.
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R Active Reading
Review
In writing about Robinson Crusoe, Charlie is
able to do what he could not do in the
psychological tests he took in the beginning of
the story. He can now project his feelings
(onto Crusoe), draw conclusions, and imagine
a person he doesn’t know.
S Literary Elements
Irony
What is going on with Miss Kinnian when
she warns Charlie and then runs to the
restroom?
She clearly has read about what Charlie’s
friends did to him; she goes to the restroom
because she is crying.
How does Charlie’s description of this
event show dramatic irony?
Charlie thinks Miss Kinnian has gotten
something in her eye. He doesn’t understand
her warning or realize that she is upset.
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T Active Reading
Question
Why is Charlie suddenly self-conscious
about his writing?
He is getting smarter and understands
punctuation. Now he sees his old self
vividly and is embarrassed.
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U Active Reading
Question
Why doesn’t Charlie race Algernon
any more?
Charlie consistently beats him now, so
races are no longer necessary.
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V Active Reading
Question
How does Charlie’s revelation about
punctuation parallel his revelation about
his friends?
Just as he understands how to punctuate
and is ashamed of his previous writing, so
too he suddenly realizes what his friends
are doing and is sickened by his new
awareness.
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W Literary Elements
Allusion
Note that Charlie’s feeling naked alludes to the
story of Adam and Eve in the Bible. After
eating from the tree of knowledge, they
suddenly become self-conscious and want to
cover their nakedness.
A Active Reading
Question
Why does Mrs. Flynn appear to be
frightened of Charlie?
Mrs. Flynn is uncomfortable because she
doesn’t understand what has happened to
Charlie to change him so much.
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AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II
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B Critical Thinking
Evaluating
Think about Charlie’s conclusion.
Is it good that he now understands
why people laugh at him? Is he truly
better off?
C Active Reading
Question
Why doesn’t Dr. Strauss want Charlie to
read psychology textbooks?
Possible answer: He wants to study
Charlie’s reaction to his increasing
intelligence without outside influence. If
Charlie understands psychology, his
knowledge may cause him to worry about
or question the experiment.
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D Active Reading
Predict
Predict what will happen to Charlie when his
IQ climbs to above 200. Will he, in fact, have
more friends? Why or why not?
E Critical Thinking
Inferring
Note that as Charlie becomes increasingly
intelligent, he is much quicker to anger.
Why does this occur?
He is more self-aware and is thus more
defensive and self-protective.
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F Active Reading
Connect
Charlie is shocked at the gap between his
former self and his current self.
Can you relate to Charlie’s feelings?
Have you ever suddenly understood
something and felt different from the
person you used to be?
G Literary Elements
Irony
Note the irony in the fourth paragraph on
page 127. Charlie is just as ostracized with a
high IQ as he was with a low one.
Why does Charlie experience loneliness
in both situations?
Either way, Charlie is exceptional, not part
of the mainstream.
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H Literary Elements
Foreshadowing
What does the exchange at the top of the
second column on page 127 reveal about
the characters of the two doctors?
Neither doctor cares about what happens
to Charlie. Both are opportunists
concerned with their own reputations.
How does this scene hint at what is
to come?
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I Active Reading
Evaluate
Think about Miss Kinnian’s definition of
intelligence. She says that intelligence is not
only facts and figures but also experience and
the ability to make connections.
What do you think of this definition? Is it
adequate? Does it help to explain some
of Charlie’s frustrations?
J Literary Elements
Foreshadowing
What is Miss Kinnian’s concern as
expressed in the last paragraph of the
first column on page 128?
Miss Kinnian fears that Charlie will lose all
the intelligence he has gained.
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K Critical Thinking
Evaluating
Which do you think is worse: never to
have superior intelligence or, having
once had it, to lose it?
L Active Reading
Connect
Think about the meaning and significance of
Fanny’s comments. She is specifically
comparing what has happened to Charlie to
the consequences of Eve’s sin of seeking
forbidden knowledge. Eve’s sin brought death
into the world, just as Charlie’s desire for
knowledge brings him tragedy.
M Literary Elements
Irony
How is Charlie’s feeling that he is “more
alone than ever before” an example of
situational irony?
At first, people despised and ridiculed
Charlie for being intellectually challenged;
now that he is very intelligent, people
dislike him even more.
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N Literary Elements
Characterization
Look carefully at Charlie’s criticism of Drs.
Nemur and Strauss.
What does his criticism reveal about
how he has changed?
Initially, Charlie accepted whatever any
authority figure said without question.
Now he questions the doctors’ motives
and intelligence.
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O Active Reading
Question
What aspects of the “old” Charlie are
still evident, even though he is a
different person?
Charlie still has a sensitive side and
dislikes being mocked.
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P Literary Elements
Characterization
Click the Speaker button to listen to an excerpt
from the story. 
What do you think Charlie feels as he
watches the boy respond to the people
around him?
Q Critical Thinking
Inferring
What does Charlie come to understand
from his encounter with the dishwasher?
Charlie sees both sides; he knows the
bewilderment and desire to please felt by
the boy, and he also now understands the
reason people laughed at him. He sees
himself as others saw him.
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R Active Reading
Evaluate
What do you think of Charlie’s decision
to work to increase human intelligence?
Is this the right choice, given what
Charlie has experienced? Should he,
rather, teach scientists to leave well
enough alone?
S Active Reading
Question
What might it mean that Algernon
has suddenly become “disturbed
and vicious”?
Possible answer: Algernon’s frustration
and confusion may show that his
intelligence is starting to deteriorate.
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T Literary Elements
Foreshadowing
What does Algernon’s decline indicate
about Charlie?
Algernon’s decline foreshadows Charlie’s
decline, as they both took part in the
same experiment.
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U Literary Elements
Foreshadowing
Be on the lookout for signs that what
happened to Algernon is happening to Charlie.
V Active Reading
Question
What does Charlie mean when he says
that he is sorry his work “must rest upon
the ashes of the work of two men I
regard so highly”?
Charlie has proved that what Drs. Nemur
and Strauss did cannot be permanent.
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W Active Reading
Review
Pay particular attention to the tone of Charlie’s
journal entries as he loses intelligence.
What do you notice?
Possible answer: One obvious change is
the return of emotion to Charlie’s writing.
He has moved away from the objective
scientific stance and now feels emotion
for Algernon and himself.
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X Active Reading
Question
Why does Charlie keep reminding
himself of the importance of the journal?
Charlie believes that his journal will warn
people not to do to others what they have
done to him.
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Y Active Reading
Connect
Have you changed your thinking about
what is worse–never to have high
intelligence or, having had it, to lose
it? If so, what details from the story
have challenged your thinking?
Z Literary Elements
Author’s Purpose
Note the agony that Charlie suffers as he
loses what he once knew.
What is the author suggesting about the
experiment?
Keyes seems to leave little doubt that he
thinks Charlie would have been much
better off without interference.
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AA
Active Reading
Review
Review the journal entries for June 21–June 30.
Note that as Charlie’s writing style changes, he
seems to become several people.
Identify some of the style changes.
On June 21, Charlie is angry and
determined to fight. On June 22, he
seems to have lost his anger; he is
confused and passive. On June 30, he is
angry again, but he is angry with himself.
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BB
Active Reading
Question
Why is it important to Charlie that
someone know what is happening
to him?
He wants to record his experience to
help further medical knowledge.
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CC
Literary Elements
Flashback
Why do you think Keyes introduces
memories of Charlie’s parents?
Possible answer: This flashback shows
Charlie as no longer able to solve
problems or think things through.
How do these memories contribute to
the reader’s understanding of Charlie’s
character?
The reader sees that Charlie has just
given up.
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DD
Active Reading
Review
What differences do you notice between
Charlie’s July 10 and July 14 entries?
Charlie isn’t reading anymore, and he is
forgetful. He and Mrs. Flynn are now sure
that he is sick. He has almost completely
reverted to his former self.
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EE
Literary Elements
Irony
Notice Charlie’s reaction to the doctor that
Mrs. Flynn brings to see him. Even though
Charlie’s intelligence is declining, he can no
longer tolerate treatment from others that he
used to accept as friendly.
FF
Critical Thinking
Evaluating
Charlie says that his coworkers “were once your
friends and if they laughed at you that doesnt
mean anything because they liked you too.”
Is Charlie correct, or is this idea just
more evidence of his becoming less and
less intelligent?
Possible answer: There is an ironic sense
in which Charlie is correct; he felt liked,
and he had a comfortable place in the
social circle at work. On the other hand, it
is only his lack of intelligence that allows
him to deceive himself.
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GG
Active Reading
Question
What do Joe’s and Frank’s actions reveal
about their characters?
Possible answer: They obviously were
threatened by Charlie as a genius, but
they actually do seem to have some
genuine affection for him now. They
probably realize how brave he has been.
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HH
Critical Thinking
Evaluate
Think about Charlie’s notion that he is actually
better off now than before the experiment.
Is Charlie better off, or has he been
permanently damaged?
II
Active Reading
Question
What is the significance of the title
“Flowers for Algernon”?
Possible answer: Charlie put flowers on
Algernon’s grave because the mouse “was
special.” Because everyone identified
Charlie with Algernon, the title is also a
tribute to Charlie and his struggle. Both
were victims of irresponsible science.
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Personal Response
Analyzing Literature
Literary Elements
Personal Response
Analyzing Literature
Literary Elements
Literature and Writing
Skill Minilessons
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corresponding content area.
PERSONAL RESPONSE
How did you react when Charlie
discovered the truth about his
friends?
If you had met Charlie before the
operation, would you have chosen
him as a friend? Why or why not?
RECALL AND INTERPRET
What does Charlie think is the
difference between himself and smart
people? What does Charlie fail to see
about the “smart” people around him?
Explain.
Charlie believes that smart people can read
and spell and learn easily. He does not
realize that many of the people whom he
identifies as smart lack his goodness and
kind nature.
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RECALL AND INTERPRET
Why is Charlie chosen for the project,
even though he fails all of the tests?
Reread the information about
intelligence on page 112. What types of
intelligence might Charlie have?
Explain.
Charlie is chosen for the project because of
his intense desire to learn and because of
his willingness to do what is expected of
him. His ability to get along with others
indicates that he possesses interpersonal
intelligence.
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RECALL AND INTERPRET
What incidents in the first part of the
story indicate that Charlie is
changing? When he realizes the
meaning of “to pull a Charlie Gordon,”
what new understanding does Charlie
have about himself and others?
Charlie becomes more self-conscious; he
no longer wants to race with Algernon. He
also begins to question authority and
realizes that his friends have been making
fun of him.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
The author presents “Flowers for
Algernon” as a series of progress
reports or journal entries. Is this
style an effective way to tell the
story? Why or why not? Support
your opinion with examples.
Possible answer: This is an especially
effective way to tell this story since
Charlie’s intellectual level is shown clearly
with each entry. One can see almost daily
changes.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
Internal conflict is a struggle within a
character. How does the writer show
Charlie’s internal conflict about the
operation?
In his journal entries, Charlie says that he
both wants and fears the operation.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
Suppose you wanted to change
something about yourself. Someone
offered you a risky operation to grant
your wish, but the change would last
only a few months. Describe the internal
conflict you might have when faced with
this decision.
LITERARY ELEMENTS
• Irony is the difference between the way things
seem to be and the way they really are. 
• In a story like “Flowers for Algernon,” the
writer uses irony in two ways: In dramatic
irony, readers have important knowledge
that the character does not (Charlie thinks
Frank and Joe like him a lot, but they are
cruel to him). 
• In situational irony, the outcome of a
situation is the opposite of what the
character expects (Charlie expects that
being smart will help him fit in, but instead
he sees how people laugh at him).
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
Reread the progress reports for March
6 to March 8. How does the writer use
irony to show Charlie’s personality and
intelligence?
Keyes presents information that the
reader can understand but that Charlie
cannot.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
How would the story be different if the
writer had simply reported Charlie’s
scores and not used irony?
The humor inherent in Charlie’s commonsense view of the tests would be lost if
the results were presented objectively.
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PERSONAL RESPONSE
If you could talk with Charlie before
he leaves New York City, what would
you want to say to him? Explain
your answer.
Think of a time when you felt like
avoiding people after a failure. What
helped you overcome your feelings?
RECALL
In the entry dated May 20, what does
Charlie realize about “smart” people
and himself?
People are often unkind to those with
impairments.
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INTERPRET
How does the author show Charlie’s
increasing intelligence? Provide
examples from the story.
The author shows Charlie’s increasing
intelligence in his improved spelling and
punctuation, vocabulary, increased
understanding and sensitivity to the people
around him, and eventual intellectual
superiority to the doctors who operated on
him. Most of these traits are demonstrated
on page 130 in the passage that begins,
“When I tried to explain …”
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RECALL
What are some of the first things Charlie
loses when the experiment starts to fail?
What does he fear losing the most?
Charlie loses his memory, coordination, and
good humor. He is afraid he will forget how to
read and write.
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INTERPRET
Do you think Charlie’s other types of
“intelligence” increase or decrease? Give
examples to support your answer.
Possible answer: Charlie shows increased
sensitivity and imagination. For example, after
his operation he does much better on the
inkblot tests.
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RECALL
List the people in Charlie’s life. Explain
briefly what each thinks about Charlie at
the beginning of the story and at the end.
Charlie’s coworkers make fun of him at first.
By the end of the story, they admire his
courage. Miss Kinnian admires Charlie’s
motivation at first but later comes to feel
sorry for his loss. The doctors don’t seem to
regard him as a human being.
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INTERPRET
Theme Connection Charlie feels very
cut off from other people. Consider
how other people feel about Charlie at
the end of the story. Do you think he
should feel as lonesome as he does?
Why or why not?
Possible answers:
• The people around him care about him.
• Pity isn’t a substitute for friendship.
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RECALL
Why does Charlie decide to leave New
York City?
Charlie leaves because he doesn’t want people
to feel sorry for him.
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INTERPRET
At the end, does Charlie have a better or
worse view of himself? Support your
opinion with examples.
Possible answer: Charlie’s view of himself is
worse because he wants to hide from the
people who once knew him. He sees only what
he lacks and can no longer see his own good
qualities.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
Look back at the Literary Elements
discussion on irony on page 124. How
does Keyes use irony in the last part of
the story? Find several examples.
Possible answer: It is ironic that Charlie
uses his genius to find out what his own
fate will be and that his former friends can
only be kind to him when he has lost his
abilities.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
Think of a time when someone you
admired let you down. How would you
talk about that person now? Explain.
LITERARY ELEMENTS
• Foreshadowing is the planting of clues
to prepare readers for events that will
take place later. 
• Daniel Keyes uses foreshadowing when he
has Miss Kinnian say to Charlie, “… I just
hope I wasn’t wrong to advise you to go into
this in the first place.” 
• Foreshadowing can add suspense. For
example, it can be used to warn readers
that the story may take an unexpected turn.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
Look over the story and list some of the
statements and actions that foreshadow
the failure of the experiment.
One hint occurs when Dr. Strauss wants
to delay publishing. Another is when Miss
Kinnian hopes it wasn’t wrong for her to
advise Charlie to participate. A third
instance of foreshadowing is the change
in Algernon.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
Would the story have been better if
the failure had come as a complete
surprise?
Possible answer: The story would be less
interesting without the sense of
impending doom.
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Style
In the story, Daniel Keyes uses a unique style
of punctuation, spelling, and grammar to show
the changes in Charlie’s personality and
mental development. Write a brief explanation
of how these style elements work in the story.
For example, did they help you understand the
main character and the story better, or did they
interfere with reading? Give examples from the
story to support your response.
Practice: Substitute the correct word for each
underlined word.
1. He took they’re tests and red the notes.
their, read
2. Dr. Nemur herd him come up the stares.
heard, stairs
3. He said he wood right in his journal.
would, write
4. They used plane paper in there book.
plain, their
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Practice: Copy and complete the following cause-andeffect chart.
he gains
intelligence.
Because Charlie
is smarter than
they are,
Charlie has no
income.
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Practice: Read the following etymologies. For each word,
briefly explain how its historical meaning is tied to its
current meaning.
obscure:
from the Latin word obscurus, which means
“covered over”
Something obscure is hard to see or understand, as if it
were covered over, hidden, or veiled.
motivation: from the French motif, which comes from the
Latin movere, meaning “to move”
Someone with motivation is moved to do something.
tangible:
from the Latin tangibilis, which means
“to touch”
Something tangible can be felt.
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Meet Daniel Keyes
Objective
• To interpret important events and ideas
gathered from video segments
Meet Daniel Keyes
Building Background
Literature and psychology are important
influences in Daniel Keyes’s life. Keyes received a
bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brooklyn
College and then worked as an editor and English
teacher. After returning to school for a master’s
degree, he became a professor of English and
creative writing at Ohio University. His novels,
among them Flowers for Algernon (which he also
wrote as a short story), all deal with the human
mind–its limitations and possibilities.
Meet Daniel Keyes
Critical Viewing
What do you know about the achievements
of people with special needs?
Meet Daniel Keyes
Click the Videodisc button
anytime throughout this
section to play the complete
video if you have a videodisc
player attached to your
computer.
Click the Forward button to
view the discussion
questions.
Click once in the above window to show a preview of the video.
Click once in the video window to see a preview of the video.
Click the Videodisc button to play the complete video from the videodisc.
Side A
Chapter 5
Meet Daniel Keyes
How does Daniel Keyes bring his characters to
life? In your opinion, is Keyes successful in
bringing the characters to life?
He weaves his memories, dreams,
and experiences into his characters,
giving them the breath of life.
Side A
Chapter 5
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Meet Daniel Keyes
Keyes says that he identifies with the
character of Charlie. How does he explain
this identification? Are you persuaded that
he truly identifies with Charlie? Explain,
using details from the video.
Keyes says he identifies with Charlie
because he has poured so much of
himself into Charlie’s character.
Side A
Chapter 5
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Making Inferences
After listening to the introduction, read the information
on page 144 of your textbook. Then complete the
activity on the following slide.
This feature is found on page 144 of your textbook.
Making Inferences
Read the excerpt below from “Flowers for
Algernon.” Then answer the questions on the
following slide.
We had a lot of fun at the factery today. Joe Carp
said hey look where Charlie had his operashun
what did they do Charlie put some brains in. I
was going to tell him but I remembered Dr
Strauss said no. Then Frank Reilly said what did
you do Charlie forget your key and open your
door the hard way. That made me laff. Their really
my friends and they like me.
This feature is found on page 144 of your textbook.
Making Inferences
What inferences can you make about
Charlie’s appearance? What clues helped
you to make those inferences?
Charlie’s head is probably bandaged. The men at
the factory make jokes about how his head looks.
What inferences can you make about how
Joe Carp and Frank Reilly feel about Charlie?
How does your own experience help you
make this inference?
Charlie’s coworkers probably look down on him.
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This feature is found on page 144 of your textbook.
At the end of the lesson, Miss Kinnian, the teacher, said that
Charlie had done a good job.
Charlie’s grammar book explains the correct use of commas,
periods, and quotation marks.
Miss Kinnian, Dr. Nemur, and Dr. Strauss are trying to help Charlie.
“Hey, Charlie, what did you learn today?” said Frank.
^
‘
^
‘
^
‘
^
‘
^
‘
^
‘
While taking an inkblot
test, Charlie can see
only the ink.
Ironic because Charlie
thinks he is taking a test
that he can fail, when
actually the activity is given
only to evaluate his
response.
Charlie and Algernon
compete in trying to get
through a maze.
Ironic because one
would not expect a
mouse to beat a person
out of a maze.
“He asked me to promise
… I wouldn’t read any
books on psychology.”
Hints of something
Charlie might learn about
himself.
“If they don’t know what it
[intelligence] is, or where
it is–I don’t see how they
know how much of it
you’ve got.”
Hints that the scientists
don’t know what they’re
doing, which may end in
unexpected results.
“They’re [Drs. Nemur and
Strauss] arguing all the
time.”
The discord might lead
to problems with the
experiment.
Before You Read
Reading the Selection
Responding to Literature
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corresponding content area.
• To read and analyze a short story 
• To analyze dialogue in stories 
• To write an essay
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Kurt Vonnegut was
born in 1922. This
story was
published in 1968
in Welcome to the
Monkey House.
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more about Kurt Vonnegut.
BACKGROUND
The Time and Place
This story is set in a small town and features a
character who has just moved from Chicago to
live with a relative. 
Did You Know?
John Philip Sousa is among the most famous
names in band music and is appropriately called
the “March King” for the 140 marches he
composed in the late 1800s. Sousa is best
known for his military music and for his years as
leader of the U.S. Marine Band.
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VOCABULARY PREVIEW
unnerving: (adj) causing nervousness or upset;
disturbing; p. 147 
arrogant: (adj) full of self-importance; excessively proud;
p. 147 
diversion: (n) something that draws the attention away;
distraction; p. 148 
appalled: (adj) shocked; horrified; p. 148 
quest: (n) a search made to achieve a goal; p. 151 
furtive: (adj) secret; shifty; sly; p. 152 
bravado: (n) a false show of bravery; pretended courage;
p. 152 
remorse: (n) a deep, painful feeling of guilt or sorrow for
wrongdoing; p. 153 
futility: (n) uselessness; hopelessness; p. 155
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FOCUS ACTIVITY
Why do some people give up on a task while
others never quit trying? 
QuickWrite
List activities, people, or things in your life that
take up your time but make you happy. Compare
your list with that of a partner. 
Setting a Purpose
Read to discover how one character works to
help another find happiness.
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A Active Reading
Visualize
Click the Speaker button to listen to an excerpt
from the story. As you listen, visualize the
setting and the character. 
What impresses you most about the
description?
Navigation Toolbar
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
B Active Reading
Question
What kind of person is Helmholtz?
Helmholtz seems to be a happy,
motivated man.
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C Literary Elements
Word Choice
What does the narrator mean
when he says Helmholtz is a
“child in the marketplace”?
Possible answer: Helmholtz is not a
practical man but a dreamer–gullible and
easily taken advantage of.
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D Literary Elements
Dialogue
How does Quinn’s dialogue emphasize
the description of his “arrogant and
boastful mood”?
In Quinn’s speech, he rubs in that
Helmholtz lost money.
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E Active Reading
Question
How does Vonnegut characterize Jim?
Jim is clearly someone who cannot risk
showing much feeling at all.
What characteristics does he choose to
emphasize in describing the boy?
He is like a robot; he mops without
thinking, taking care only to protect his
boots from the water.
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F Active Reading
Question
How do the dreams of Helmholtz and
Quinn differ?
Quinn focuses on money, whereas
Helmholtz focuses on achievement.
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G Active Reading
Question
Why is Helmholtz “appalled” by Jim’s
expressionless eyes?
Helmholtz, being an idealist, is
devastated to see a young man so
completely destroyed so early in life.
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H Active Reading
Review
Quinn’s summary of Jim’s life offers a portrait
of what happened to empty Jim so completely
of human emotions. Imagine the life that Jim
has led until now.
I Active Reading
Question
Quinn boasts that Helmholtz looked at the hill
but didn’t see its potential.
Does Helmholtz see potential where
Quinn does not?
Quinn looks at Jim and doesn’t see his
potential, but Helmholtz does.
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J Literary Elements
Dialogue
How are the different personalities of
Quinn and Helmholtz reflected in
both their speech and their attitudes
toward Jim?
Quinn speaks in sentence fragments and
is not thoughtful about Jim’s problems;
Helmholtz speaks standard English and
considers Jim and the social problem as a
whole. Whereas Quinn sees strict
discipline as the solution to his problems
with Jim, Helmholtz hopes that music will
provide a cure.
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K Critical Thinking
Inferring
What can you infer from Helmholtz’s
driving an old car?
Helmholtz’s car is, perhaps, another
indication of his indifference to money
and possessions.
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L Active Reading
Connect
What examples of grandiose dreams do
you see in the story?
Quinn’s vision of building a shopping
center is one example. So is Helmholtz’s
dream of reaching Jim.
What are some of your dreams? What do
they have in common with the
characters’ dreams?
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M Author’s Craft
Word Choice
Note how Vonnegut compares the C band with
“a rusty switch engine, with valves stuck, pipes
clogged, unions leaking, bearings dry.”
Vonnegut hammers home how awful the band
sounds to underscore how completely unfazed
the optimistic Helmholtz is.
N Active Reading
Review
How do you know that Helmholtz’s
optimism is undiminished even
when he listens to the cacophony of
the C band students?
Helmholtz is still smiling at the end of
the class.
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O Literary Elements
Dialogue
Review Jim’s dialogue in the second column,
second paragraph.
How is his attitude revealed
by his words?
P Critical Thinking
Inferring
What can you infer about Helmholtz from
the sentence “There was nothing to do
but dress up and go to school”?
He loves the treasures of the band room
dearly and is willing to go there in the
middle of the night to protect them.
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Q Literary Elements
Dialogue
What does the dialogue in the middle of
the second column on page 152 say
about Helmholtz’s emotions?
He is angry but is more appalled and
amazed than anything else. Even though
he has watched the destruction, he
maintains control of his voice and
chooses his words carefully.
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R Literary Elements
Dialogue
How do Helmholtz’s dialogue and
Vonnegut’s description of Jim’s
character define the problem of the
story?
Helmholtz explains that what Jim is
wrecking “is the best thing” people can do,
but Jim is without fear, dreams, or love, so
he is not affected by Helmholtz’s words.
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S Critical Thinking
Inferring
Why does Helmholtz give Jim
his trumpet?
Possible answer: Helmholtz is desperate
to find something that Jim can care about.
Why doesn’t Jim smash it?
Possible answer: Perhaps Helmholtz’s
sacrifice for his sake has touched Jim in
some way.
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T Active Reading
Question
Why does Helmholtz take Jim’s boots
off, and what effect does the gesture
have on the boy?
Helmholtz realizes that the boots are the
only thing Jim cares about and that they
are his armor against the world. Jim is
childlike and vulnerable without them.
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U Critical Thinking
Evaluating
Read the body language of the two
participants to evaluate the action as Jim
reacts to having his boots removed. Has
Helmholtz touched something in Jim, or
is the boy devastated by his loss?
Possible answer: It seems that Helmholtz
has affected Jim, because Jim accepts
Helmholtz’s affection without fighting.
Perhaps the immensity of what it means
to lose something hits home.
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V Active Reading
Connect
Note that Vonnegut began the story with the
same imagery.
Why does he repeat the image of the
“waddling, clanking, muddy machines”?
Possible answer: This image seems to be
associated with Quinn and his destructive
approach to life.
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W Active Reading
Question
Why does Quinn fail to call Jim by
his name?
Possible answer: Quinn doesn’t seem to
see Jim as a person.
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X Critical Thinking
Evaluating
Review the disagreement between Quinn and
Helmholtz in the middle of the first column on
page 155.
From what you have read thus far,
with whom do you agree: Quinn or
Helmholtz? Is Jim hopeless, or
does he just need some time and
love? Support your views with
incidents from the story.
Y Active Reading
Review
Helmholtz’s optimism has been destroyed by his encounter
with Jim. Just as he hits bottom, Jim begins to feel again,
and Quinn sees the change. As Helmholtz loses his
optimism, the pessimistic Quinn begins to feel hope.
At what point in the story does this change
take place?
The following sentences indicate that a change
has taken place: “Jim Donnini’s eyes filled with
pity and alarm. They came alive.” “Quinn looked at
Jim, and something like hope flickered for the first
time in his bitterly lonely old face.”
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Z Literary Elements
Resolution
Note that the ending of the story is
somewhat ambiguous.
Is Jim better off? Has Helmholtz saved
him? Support your views by citing
specific parts of the story.
Personal Response
Analyzing Literature
Literary Elements
Literature and Writing
Skill Minilessons
Click a hyperlink to go to the
corresponding content area.
PERSONAL RESPONSE
How did you react to George M.
Helmholtz’s repeated efforts to get
through to Jim?
What, in your opinion, might
Helmholtz have done differently?
RECALL
What do Helmholtz and Quinn say about
their earlier business deal?
Quinn boasts about his ability to see the
potential in the land, and Helmholtz says that
the price he got for it was more than fair.
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INTERPRET
What does their discussion of a
business deal tell you about Helmholtz
and Quinn?
Quinn is clever in his financial dealings and
has a tendency to gloat. Helmholtz is not
clever about money and is focused on his
music and his students.
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RECALL
What is Helmholtz’s big dream? When
does it come true?
Helmholtz dreams of leading the finest
band on the face of the earth. His dream
comes true each year.
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INTERPRET
What makes Helmholtz a successful
teacher?
Helmholtz is a successful teacher because
he is optimistic; he can see the potential in
each child, and he is lavish in his praise.
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RECALL
Name two or three ways Helmholtz
tries to reach Jim.
Helmholtz tries to reach Jim by asking
about his interests, by suggesting clubs,
and finally by giving him his most prized
possession–John Philip Sousa’s trumpet.
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INTERPRET
What do you learn about Helmholtz
from the way he treats Jim?
Helmholtz’s treatment of Jim makes it clear
that he is a kind man who looks for the
good in everyone.
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RECALL
What makes Jim’s eyes fill “with pity
and alarm”?
Jim’s eyes fill with pity and alarm when
Helmholtz loses his idealism and smashes
his trumpet.
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INTERPRET
The author writes that Helmholtz “had
got a message through” to Jim. What
is the message?
Helmholtz’s message for Jim is that he
wants him to feel something, to experience
emotions, to dream and hope.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
Does Helmholtz live up to his idea that
“our aim is to make the world more
beautiful than it was when we came
into it”? Explain your answer.
Possible answer: Helmholtz does live up
to his ideal. He could just walk away from
Jim but does not. Also, his music makes
the world “more beautiful.”
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
Theme Connection Compare Quinn’s
and Helmholtz’s ways of responding to
Jim. Explain how each man is
important in Jim’s life.
Quinn is a disciplinarian, demanding that
Jim obey. Helmholtz focuses on help and
encouragement. Quinn provides a home
and stability, and Helmholtz arouses hope.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
• Dialogue is conversation between two or
more characters. 
• Dialogue reveals the personality of a character
through the spoken words and descriptions of
facial expressions and body language. 
• Good dialogue sounds natural, like an
overheard conversation. 
• It can contain slang, sentence fragments, and
contractions because that’s how people talk.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
What information about Quinn and
Helmholtz is presented in their
dialogue about the hill at the beginning
of the story?
Quinn tends to boast. Helmholtz
demonstrates his peace-loving nature and
disinclination to argue.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
Find an example of natural dialogue from
Helmholtz, from Quinn, and from Jim.
What does each character’s way of
speaking reveal about his personality?
Helmholtz’s “I’ve got at least one tiny
corner of the universe …” shows idealism.
Quinn’s “I’ll ride his tail …” shows a
tendency to discipline. Jim’s “Aren’t you
the lucky one?” shows sarcasm.
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Contrasting Characters
Write a paragraph or two in which you contrast
Helmholtz and Quinn. What was Quinn’s
approach to treating a troubled kid? What was
Helmholtz’s approach? What was the attitude
of each toward the hill behind the restaurant?
How does the author use Quinn to emphasize
the kind of person that Helmholtz is?
Practice: Complete each sentence by writing an antonym
for the word that is underlined.
1. Not all criminal behavior is furtive; some is
open
quite ______.
2. How can two sisters be so different? One is so
_______, the other so arrogant!
humble
3. Dad thought his chatter from the bleachers would
encouraging instead, it was unnerving.
be ____________;
pleased by your behavior,
4. You thought I’d be ________
but I was appalled.
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Getting to Know
Kurt Vonnegut
Objective
• To interpret events and ideas gathered
from video segments
Getting to Know
Kurt Vonnegut
Building Background
Attitudes and themes that mark Vonnegut’s work
may well be related to his experiences during
World War II. Vonnegut was a prisoner of war in
Dresden, Germany, and he was there to witness
the destruction of the city by Allied bombs in 1945.
Getting to Know
Kurt Vonnegut
Critical Viewing
As you watch the video listen to what Vonnegut
has to say about his own writing. Think about what
Kurt Vonnegut means when he says that we all see
our lives as stories. Do you agree?
Getting to Know
Kurt Vonnegut
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anytime throughout this
section to play the complete
video if you have a videodisc
player attached to your
computer.
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view the discussion
questions.
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Side A
Chapter 6
Getting to Know
Kurt Vonnegut
Why does Kurt Vonnegut believe he was
drawn to writing short stories?
His work as a newspaper writer
conditioned him to write short,
concise stories.
Side A
Chapter 6
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Getting to Know
Kurt Vonnegut
What is Vonnegut’s goal in life?
Vonnegut says that his goal in life is to
be a good citizen, to be a useful man to
the community, and to be civically
active.
Side A
Chapter 6
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Song Lyrics
After listening to the
introduction, read
the song lyrics on
page 159 of your
textbook and
respond to the
questions on the
following slide.
This feature is found on page 159 of your textbook.
Song Lyrics
What, according to the
writer, will help you be
everything named in
the song?
What “mother said” and
“father read” can help
people meet challenges.
Is everything listed in this
song important to you?
Explain your answer.
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This feature is found on page 159 of your textbook.
This song connects to “The Kid Nobody
Could Handle” (pages 146–156). In that
story, Jim’s tough stance is a facade; he is
not truly strong because he lacks love.
This feature is found on page 159 of your textbook.
no comma needed
,
,
,
no comma needed
“You inherit the hill from your old man,
and it’s nothing but a pain in the neck to
you,” said Quinn.
Informal, because it uses the expressions
“old man” and “pain in the neck” and the
contraction it’s.
Uses the expression “just for the heck of it”
and has broken off dialogue indicated by the
dash.
Dialogue is broken off at the end, interrupted.
Uses slang: What’re and gonna.
Contains two sentence fragments, which is
how people often speak.
Before You Read
Reading the Selection
Responding to Literature
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corresponding content area.
• To read and analyze a short story 
• To analyze the elements of
characterization in a short story 
• To write a paragraph about setting
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Langston Hughes
was born in 1902
and died in 1967.
This story was
published in 1958.
Click the Speaker button to hear
more about Langston Hughes.
BACKGROUND
The Time and Place
The setting of “Thank You, M’am” is a street
scene and a rooming house, probably in a large
city. The story, however, might take place in any
city in the United States and at almost any time. 
Did You Know?
A rooming house is a place where people rent
rooms to live in. Rooming houses are often
found in urban areas, providing homes for
people who cannot afford an apartment or a
house of their own.
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VOCABULARY PREVIEW
slung: (adj) hung or thrown loosely; p. 161 
frail: (adj) lacking in strength; weak; p. 162 
barren: (adj) bare; empty; dull or uninteresting;
p. 164
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FOCUS ACTIVITY
Think of someone you trust. Consider your
reasons for trusting that person. 
Chart It!
Copy the following chart, and list some
qualities that you find in people you trust. 
A trustworthy person is
Setting a Purpose
Read to find out how two characters come to
trust each other despite unlikely circumstances.
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A Active Reading
Predict
Use the title and the first paragraph to help
you predict what you think the story will be
about.
Navigation Toolbar
ABCDEFGHI
B Literary Elements
Characterization
Roger says he didn’t mean to steal the purse
and that he will run away if the woman lets go.
What do these responses say about
his character?
Roger is nervous and not truthful.
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C Active Reading
Question
What is the probable impact on Mrs.
Jones when she learns that the boy
has no one at home to tell him to
wash his face?
She is motivated to help the boy and to
show him that someone cares.
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D Author’s Craft
Word Choice
Hughes says a great deal with few words.
What image does he convey with the
words “frail” and “willow-wild”?
The boy is both thin and frenetic. Willow
branches wave in the wind.
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E Active Reading
Question
Why does Mrs. Jones leave her door
open? Is she showing the boy she trusts
him, or does she want to be able to
summon her neighbors easily?
Possible answer: Given what the reader
knows about Mrs. Jones, it is likely that she
wants to increase the boy’s trustworthiness
by acting as if he were trustworthy.
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F Literary Elements
Characterization
Why do you think Mrs. Jones tells the
boy he should simply have asked for the
shoes? What does that statement say
about her? What does it say about what
she wants to teach him?
Possible answer: Mrs. Jones doesn’t want
him to feel so uncared for that he grows
up believing he has to steal.
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G Critical Thinking
Evaluating
Click the Speaker button to listen to an excerpt
from the story. Evaluate the effectiveness of Mrs.
Jones’s approach to Roger. 
How important is it that she acknowledges
that she has “done things too”? Explain.
Possible answer: Mrs. Jones wants to
discourage Roger from turning to a life of crime.
She understands that scolding him will probably
not have much effect. Admitting that she has felt
as he does, wanted nice things, and even made
mistakes leads the boy to trust her.
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H Literary Elements
Characterization
What does Mrs. Jones’s not asking
Roger personal questions tell the reader
about her character? Why does she call
him “son”?
She already understands what Roger
needs and tries to make him feel
accepted.
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I Active Reading
Predict
How will Roger behave in the future? Is
there any reason to conclude that Roger
will behave differently in the future?
Possible answer: The boy now has
someone who cares about him and
believes in him; it is likely that such trust
will inspire him to live differently.
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Personal Response
Analyzing Literature
Literary Elements
Literature and Writing
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corresponding content area.
PERSONAL RESPONSE
Were you surprised by the ending
of this story? Why or why not?
Which lines from the story will you
remember? Why?
RECALL AND INTERPRET
What does Mrs. Jones tell Roger he
should have done to get the blue
suede shoes he wants? Does Mrs.
Jones seem to be a wealthy woman?
Give details to support your answer.
She tells him that he should have asked.
She does not seem wealthy; people who
live in rooming houses usually don’t
have much money.
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RECALL AND INTERPRET
How does Roger behave when he is in
Mrs. Jones’s room? Why, in your opinion,
does Roger decide to stay there?
Roger is well behaved. He may stay in
the room because he is fascinated by
Mrs. Jones, or perhaps he is afraid to try
to leave.
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RECALL AND INTERPRET
What does Mrs. Jones tell Roger when
he leaves her building? How do you
know that she has made an impression
on Roger?
Mrs. Jones tells Roger to behave himself. It
is evident that she has made an impression
because he thanks her.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
Which of the following adjectives
describe Mrs. Jones: honest,
generous, gullible, mean? Defend
your choices.
Possible answer: Mrs. Jones seems
honest and generous; she has little but is
still willing to feed the boy and offer him
money for shoes.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
After reading the story, would you say
that Roger is trustworthy? Why or why
not? Support your answer with
examples and with information you
wrote for the Focus Activity.
Possible answer: Roger seems eager to
earn Mrs. Jones’s trust. People often live
up to the positive expectations of others.
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EVALUATE AND CONNECT
Do you find the characters in
“Thank You, M’am” realistic?
Explain your answer.
LITERARY ELEMENTS
• Characterization includes all the methods an
author uses to develop a character. 
• In “Thank You, M’am,” Langston Hughes
provides direct information about the
characters. 
• He also lets their words and actions reveal
their personalities.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
What traits does Mrs. Jones
demonstrate when she drags Roger up
the street?
She is strong, determined, and angry.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
Mrs. Jones says, “I were young once
and I wanted things I could not get.”
What do these words reveal?
They reveal her empathy for Roger.
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LITERARY ELEMENTS
Find a quotation and an action that
shows an important trait in Roger’s
personality.
Possible answer: When Mrs. Jones tells
Roger he could have asked her for shoes,
he replies, “M’am?” with “water dripping
off his face.” This shows surprise; he is
not accustomed to generosity. His use of
“M’am” shows courtesy.
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Setting
Write a paragraph or two explaining the
importance of setting to the story. Think about
these questions as you write: What does Mrs.
Jones’s home reveal about her life? How
would the story be different if the events had
all taken place on the street?
and
COMPARE SETTINGS
“The Kid Nobody Could Handle” and “Thank You, M’am”
take place in the mid-1900s.
How does the urban setting of “Thank You, M’am” help
determine the action of the story? In what ways does
the small-town setting of “The Kid Nobody Could
Handle” make Jim Donnini stand out to the other
characters?
The urban setting is essential to the action of “Thank You,
M’am.” Purse snatchings happen less frequently in small
towns where people know one another. In “The Kid Nobody
Could Handle,” Jim Donnini would have been one tough kid
among many if the story had been set in a city.
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and
COMPARE SETTINGS
“The Kid Nobody Could Handle” and “Thank You, M’am”
take place in the mid-1900s.
How might the settings of both stories be different if
they took place in the present?
How might the new settings affect the characters and
their actions?
In a contemporary setting, the adults might hesitate to help
the boys; troubled youths today might seem more menacing.
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and
COMPARE SYMBOLS
In “Thank You, M’am,” Roger was willing to steal so
that he could buy a pair of blue suede shoes. In “The
Kid Nobody Could Handle,” Jim’s prized possession
was a pair of big black boots. With a small group,
compare the importance of the shoes in each story.
Consider the following questions:
• What did the shoes mean to each boy?
• What did they mean to Mrs. Jones and George
Helmholtz?
• What does “walking in another person’s shoes”
mean for each story?
and
COMPARE CHARACTERS
In both stories the main character faces a similar challenge or
conflict–how to help a young person on the verge of serious
trouble.
Compare the approaches of Mrs. Jones and George
Helmholtz. How do you account for the success of each
approach? Would you favor one approach over the
other? Why? List the pros and cons for each approach.
Then write a paragraph explaining which approach you
think is most successful. 
Suppose that George Helmholtz met Mrs. Jones. What
might happen at their meeting? What advice or
experiences might they share? Write a journal entry by
one or the other, describing this encounter.
Langston Hughes:
Words and Works
Objective
• Analyze oral interpretations of literature
for effects on the literature
Langston Hughes:
Words and Works
Building Background
The Harlem Renaissance occurred during the 1920s,
when the work of African American writers and artists
gained popularity in the urban centers of the North. The
movement was fueled predominantly by the works of
such writers as Claude McKay and Jean Toomer, who
used traditional European techniques to develop African
American themes. However, the movement grew to
incorporate men and women from all walks of life
working in all forms of the arts. One of the Harlem
Renaissance’s most prolific writers, Langston Hughes,
created a body of work that included poetry, fiction,
history, and essays.
Langston Hughes:
Words and Works
Critical Viewing
Listen closely to the readings from Langston
Hughes’s work and think about what he is
trying to say.
Langston Hughes:
Words and Works
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questions.
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Click once in the video window to see a preview of the video.
Click the Videodisc button to play the complete video from the videodisc.
Side A
Chapter 4
Langston Hughes:
Words and Works
What is Hughes trying to say in the
following quotation from “Let America Be
America Again.”
“America never was America to me.”
Hughes suggests that all of the
hopes and dreams that America
represented were never available to
African Americans. He wants
America to return to what it once
was so that African Americans can
have the same chances as others to
build free lives.
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Side A
Chapter 4
Langston Hughes:
Words and Works
What is Hughes trying to say in the
following quotation from “Note on
Commercial Theater.”
“You taken my blues and gone.”
Hughes says that white America
appropriated African American music and
talent for its own uses. African American
music was “sanitized” so that it would
appeal to white audiences. African
American actors were cast in white
productions (such as Macbeth) that
Side A
Chapter 4
had nothing to do with their own
experiences.
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“Why would you steal from me to get blue suede shoes?”
asked Mrs. Jones.
“I didn’t have the money to buy them,” replied Roger.
“Have you ever thought of earning the money?” she asked.
“That is an excellent idea!” exclaimed Roger.
Mrs. Jones thought, “I know this boy can be helped.”
“It was about eleven o’clock at
night, and she was walking
alone.
This reveals that Mrs. Jones was
not afraid to be out alone at night.
“The large woman simply turned
around and kicked him right
square in his blue-jeaned sitter.”
This reveals that she was
determined to fight back.
“… the large woman starting up
the street, dragging the
frightened boy behind her.”
Shows readers that she is strong
and determined.
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