Book Review: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Would you rather be smart or happy?
If science could make you smarter, would you want it?
Like, proper high-IQ, intelligence beyond any average, able to learn things you couldn’t even begin to understand right now. What if it meant you wouldn’t be the same person anymore, would you still do it?
That’s the premise of Flowers for Algernon, a brilliant story by Daniel Keyes. Except, in the book, such an experiment isn’t available to you or me. The scientists in the book decide to try their thesis on a man with very low IQ.
From the rat’s mouth
The story is told in first person, through Charlie’s personal diary. Charlie is a grown-up man in his early-thirties who has what I would consider a fulfilling life, albeit having a very low IQ.
Of course, having an intellectual disability limits Charlie’s life in several ways. But at the beginning of the story, he’s an incredibly likeable character, and his determination to better himself is inspiring.
Like most humans, Charlie isn’t completely satisfied with his life, and there are things he would like to change. He’s aware of his intellectual disability, and his biggest wish is to become smarter. So, it’s not a surprise he’s really…
