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Topic: Progress Reports 1-4, “Flowers for Algernon,” by Daniel Keyes
Questions/Main Ideas/
Subtopics:
Progress Report 1
March 5, 1965
 1st P.O.V. – gives narrator’s feelings & thoughts (+)
 Leaves out other characters’ fs and ts (-)
 Charlie’s low IQ may prevent reader from getting all
facts w/ 1st POV
Main character
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Other characters
 Teacher, Miss Kinnian
 Drs.
Prog. Rep. 2
3/5/65
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Characterization
Charlie Gordon is 37, b-day is Feb. 19
Spells phonetically, but writes fairly well.
Wants to be smarter, so they’ll “use him.”
Keeps journal of all that happens b/c drs. want him
to (seems like a test case for drs.)
CG takes “Rawshok” (Rorschach) ink blot test
Thinks he failed; doesn’t know what to look for
Scared – carries rabbit’s ft. –superstitious
Memories of failing tests in school and spilling ink
His glasses don’t help; thinks needs new pair
Stud. In Miss Kinnian’s class for “slow adults”
Thinks examiner is sad, but he talks “nice and slow”
(like Miss K.)
 C. can’t pretend – very literal
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P.R. 3 – 3/7/65
New char.
 Dr. Strauss, Dr. Nemur
 Tell CG doesn’t matter about inkblot test
 Miss K. said CG is her best pupil, tries hard, wants
to lrn.
 CG took initiative to find night school; has wanted
2b “smart and not dumb” all his life – it’s hard.
 CG told change may be temporary. OK w/ him, even
if it hurts
More Tests
 Thematic Apperception Test: personality test where
subject makes up stories about a series of pictures
 CG is confused; wants to tell examiner what he sees
(like ink blots), she says no, tell a story about the
ppl in pic.
 CG has trouble, thinks making up a story is like
lying
 CG laughs when she explains that two tests reveal
personality traits.
 Thinks he failed T.A.T. test too
 Later men in lab coats took him to play a game w/ a
mouse, Algernon.
 Alg. was in a maze (C. doesn’t know the word,
describes box w/ twists, turns, and walls)
 Calls it “amazed”
 C. races Alg. using a paper maze. Alg. beats him 10
X in a row. C. mentions they’re not the same maze.
 C. feels worse than ever about losing.
 “I dint know mice were so smart…Maybe white
mice are smarter than other mice.”
PR 4
3/8/65
 C chosen!  !!
 Dr. N and S. argue. N. isn’t convinced, but S. says
Miss K. recommended him, best pupil she teaches.
 Miss K. tells C. he’ll have a 2nd chance. “You’ve
done so much with so little…you deserve it.”
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 C. scared while drs. are arguing
 Dr. S. says C. has good “motorvation”
 Alg.’s motivation is the cheese; C. not sure where
his came from – dint eat any cheese 
 “Eye Q” of 68, will be 204 after operation
(immeasurable genius from handout)
 1st human to have intel. tripled
 Has trouble w/ drs. vocab. when rewriting in journal
(p.185)
 Dr. S. says C. has good reading & writing for his
low mental age, is good natured, eager to please.
 Dr. N. concerned that his low mentality might make
him hard to reach (many are dull, apathetic, hostile,
uncooperative)
 Dr. N looking for “intellectual superman” ???
 C. infers that Dr. S. is on his side and Dr. N is not.
 Dr. N finally agrees, C. grateful for “second
chance.”
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© 2004 AVID Center. All rights reserved.
Summary, Reflection, Analysis
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© 2004 AVID Center. All rights reserved.