Flowers for Algernon
By Daniel Keyes
Section 1- Progress Reports 1-5 (PP.189-194)
1. How old is Charlie Gordon? Is he your average, typical adult? Why or why not?
2. What do you think Dr. Strauss will “use” Charlie for?
3. What did Charlie think prevented him from seeing pictures in the inkblot?
4. Why did Charlie seem so afraid that the doctors would think he spilled the ink on the inkblots?
5. What was Charlie’s life long dream which he hoped night school would help?
6. By the way Charlie describes it, what do you think is the purpose of the Thematic Apperception Test?
7. Who won all 10 races (Charlie or Algernon) and why do you think this is possible?
8. Look up motivation in the dictionary. What does it mean? Do you have it? Give an example to explain why you have it or why you don’t.
9. Dr. Nemur says that Charlie will be a “new breed of intellectual supermen.” Use your dictionary and try to figure out what it means and explain it.
Section 2 Progress Reports 6-10 (pp.194-202)
1. Is there any improvement in Charlie’s grammar, spelling or punctuation in Progress Report 6? Give examples.
2. Explain how the new Charlie is different from the old Charlie in Progress Report 7. Give examples.
3. Why do you think the doctors want Charlie to keep his operation a secret?
4. Does Charlie like his job? Give evidence to support your answer.
5. Who does Charlie say are his two best friends? Do you think these friends really like Charlie? Why or why not?
6. Explain what it means to “pull a Charlie Gordon?”
7. What is the purpose of the television that Dr. Strauss brings for Charlie? (p. 197)
8. Why does Charlie come to like Algernon instead of hating him?
9. What does Miss Kinnian know about Joe and Frank that Charlie doesn’t?
10. Why is Charlie ashamed at the end of his April 20th entry? Should he be ashamed? Why or why not?
Section 3- Progress Reports 11 and 12 (pp.202-213):
1. What are the differences between Dr. Nemur’s and Dr. Strauss’ definitions of I. Q.?
2. Do you think that the man who gave Charlie the Rorshach Test deliberately tried to confuse Charlie? Why or why not?
3. Which doctor had the surgical expertise to perform the operation and recruited Charlie? Which doctor conceived the idea and method of increasing intelligence?
4. Which doctor do you think has Charlie’s best interest at heart and why?
5. Why does Miss. Kinnean wonder is she did the right thing in recommending Charlie for the operation?
6. How does Fanny Girden show courage at the beginning of Progress Report 12?
7. Reread Fanny’s last paragraph on p. 208 (in which she discusses Eve). What does this passage mean?
8. Why is it just as hard to read the entry for May 15th as it is to read Progress Report 1?
9. The May 18th entry reveals much about Charlie’s past and present. What is he discovering about himself?
10. What does Charlie decide to do with his incredible genius to benefit mankind?
By Daniel Keyes
Section 1- Progress Reports 1-5 (PP.189-194)
1. How old is Charlie Gordon? Is he your average, typical adult? Why or why not?
2. What do you think Dr. Strauss will “use” Charlie for?
3. What did Charlie think prevented him from seeing pictures in the inkblot?
4. Why did Charlie seem so afraid that the doctors would think he spilled the ink on the inkblots?
5. What was Charlie’s life long dream which he hoped night school would help?
6. By the way Charlie describes it, what do you think is the purpose of the Thematic Apperception Test?
7. Who won all 10 races (Charlie or Algernon) and why do you think this is possible?
8. Look up motivation in the dictionary. What does it mean? Do you have it? Give an example to explain why you have it or why you don’t.
9. Dr. Nemur says that Charlie will be a “new breed of intellectual supermen.” Use your dictionary and try to figure out what it means and explain it.
Section 2 Progress Reports 6-10 (pp.194-202)
1. Is there any improvement in Charlie’s grammar, spelling or punctuation in Progress Report 6? Give examples.
2. Explain how the new Charlie is different from the old Charlie in Progress Report 7. Give examples.
3. Why do you think the doctors want Charlie to keep his operation a secret?
4. Does Charlie like his job? Give evidence to support your answer.
5. Who does Charlie say are his two best friends? Do you think these friends really like Charlie? Why or why not?
6. Explain what it means to “pull a Charlie Gordon?”
7. What is the purpose of the television that Dr. Strauss brings for Charlie? (p. 197)
8. Why does Charlie come to like Algernon instead of hating him?
9. What does Miss Kinnian know about Joe and Frank that Charlie doesn’t?
10. Why is Charlie ashamed at the end of his April 20th entry? Should he be ashamed? Why or why not?
Section 3- Progress Reports 11 and 12 (pp.202-213):
1. What are the differences between Dr. Nemur’s and Dr. Strauss’ definitions of I. Q.?
2. Do you think that the man who gave Charlie the Rorshach Test deliberately tried to confuse Charlie? Why or why not?
3. Which doctor had the surgical expertise to perform the operation and recruited Charlie? Which doctor conceived the idea and method of increasing intelligence?
4. Which doctor do you think has Charlie’s best interest at heart and why?
5. Why does Miss. Kinnean wonder is she did the right thing in recommending Charlie for the operation?
6. How does Fanny Girden show courage at the beginning of Progress Report 12?
7. Reread Fanny’s last paragraph on p. 208 (in which she discusses Eve). What does this passage mean?
8. Why is it just as hard to read the entry for May 15th as it is to read Progress Report 1?
9. The May 18th entry reveals much about Charlie’s past and present. What is he discovering about himself?
10. What does Charlie decide to do with his incredible genius to benefit mankind?
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