Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
Questions for Understanding
Directions: As you read, write complete, meaningful answers to these questions.
1.
What can you tell about Charlie from his first Progress Report entry? What gives you this idea?
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2. Why does Charlie keep a journal (or Progress Report)? ___________________________________________________________
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3. Charlie was scared when he saw the ink blots. What are the reasons he was afraid?
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4. What does carrying a rabbit’s foot tell the reader about Charlie’s character?
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5. Why was Charlie attending night school with Miss Kinnian as his teacher?
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6. What warning(s) do the doctors give about the results of the surgery they want to perform? How does he feel about it?
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7. What experience from his past makes Charles not want to do the thematic apperception test?
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8. What made Charlie feel so bad about the first set of maze tests? What does Charlie assume based on the test results?
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9. Why didn’t Dr. Nemur want to use Charlie for the experiment?
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10. In your OWN words, tell what Dr. Strauss says in Charlie’s favor to convince Dr. Nemur to use Charlie. (Mar. 8th)
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Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
Questions for Understanding, PART TWO
1. What ethical problems are there in Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur using for their experiment a man who does not
understand the possible negative outcome?
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2. Are there any ethical problems with Miss Kinnian’s actions so far? Why or why not?
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3. Describe in your own words the pressure Charlie feels in the second paragraph of the March 10th entry—the same
pressure he feels in the second paragraph of the March 15th entry.
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4. Why does Charlie want to go back to work? (Mar. 23rd)
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5. What is the first sign(s) you notice of Charlie’s gradually increasing intelligence?
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6. What ethical problem is there in paying Charlie to participate in this experiment?
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7. Reread the March 25th and April 3rd reports. What is the real situation at work? (This is dramatic irony.)
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8. In the entries of March 28th and 29th , readers can see changes in Charlie’s personality from when he first met and
worked with the doctors. Describe the changes.
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9. In your opinion, why would Miss Kinnian NOT go to see Charlie for almost a month following the operation?
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Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
Questions for Understanding, PART THREE
Directions: As you read through to the end of April 30th , write complete, meaningful answers to these questions.
1. Re-read the journal entries from April 16th through April 20th. In two or three complete sentences of 10-15 words each,
explain how Charlie’s eye-opener about his punctuation parallels and his realization about his friends at work.
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2. In two or three complete sentences of 10-15 words each, explain the allusion to the Garden of Eden in the April 20 th journal.
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3. Predict how Charlie will feel and how he will interact later in the story when he is smarter than everyone he knows.
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4. What evidence do readers have that Charlie realizing his co-workers were laughing at him has dramatically affected him?
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5. What do you think of the bonus Mr. Donnegan gave Charlie? (Inflation adjustment: $57,000 savings per year; $150 bonus)
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6. What does the argument between Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur tell us about these characters and their goals for the experiment?
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7. In addition to what you said for number 6, above, predict how this may affect how they handle the results of the experiment.
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8. Explain what you think of the first paragraph and last sentence of April 28 th.
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9. How do you feel about Charlie quitting his job? Is it “better for all concerned”?
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10. What do you think of the author’s use of the Garden of Eden each time Charlie feels shame? Is this an effective writing
technique? Why or why not?
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12. Reflect on the emotional changes Charlie has undergone since the beginning of this story. Use the chart below to organize
your ideas. You must use all rows and fill them with meaningful items.
Date of
Emotion Charlie Feels
Explanation in your own words
Journal(s)
13. Pull out two passages (meaning, parts you quote specifically) that are examples of irony, then explain why it’s irony, in your
own words.
Irony
Explanation
Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
Questions for Understanding, PART FOUR
Directions: Write complete, meaningful answers to the following questions.
1. What discovery does Charlie make about other people’s intellectual abilities? How does he feel about
that?
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2. Charlie does not directly tell readers, but why were Algernon and he presented at the American
Psychological Association convention? (We can infer why.)
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3. Describe the social problems Charlie shows readers in the way he narrates the May 15 th and
May 18th progress reports.
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4. Why does Charlie shout at the people in the restaurant?
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5. When does Algernon die? How long was it from the beginning of his regression to his death?
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6. In the space provided, paraphrase what Charlie tells the doctors in the part of the letter given here.
(You will have to write small.)
“Under separate cover I am sending you a copy of my report… which I would like to have you read and have
published…
Because of the importance to both you and Dr. Nemur (and need I say to myself, too?) I have checked and
rechecked my results a dozen times in the hope of finding an error. I am sorry to say the results must stand.
Yet for the sake of science, I am grateful for the little bit that I here add to the knowledge of the function of the
human mind and … the articifial increase of human intelligence.
I recall you once saying to me that an experimental failure or the disproving of a theory was as important to
the advancement of learning as a success would be. I know now this is true. I am sorry, however, that my
own contribution to the field must rest upon the ashes of the work of two men I regard so highly.”
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7. Explain the Algernon Gordon effect in your own words.
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8. What is the first sign of Charlie’s regression? What other intellectual changes follow?
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9. Why does Charlie lie to Miss Kinnian about not wanting to see her?
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10. Why does Miss Kinnian run out of the room when Charlie returns to her class?
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11. How does Charlie try to make himself feel better about the possibility of being laughed at again?
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12. What two things does Charlie think may be responsible for his having become dumb again?
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13. How has this story affected you? Will it change the way you treat people with an impairment of any
kind—physical or mental? Why or why not?
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