Name ______Hour ______

Flowers for Algernon

Study Guide

1.  Who is the author of Flowers for Algernon?

2.  Describe Charlie.

3.  What is the main conflict/problem of the story?

4.  Who asked Charlie to keep the Progress Report?

5.  What is unique about the writing style of this story?

6.  What is Charlie supposed to write about in his Progress Report?

7.  What conflict does Charlie face as the story opens?

8.  What is a Rorschach test?

9.  What was Charlie supposed to see on the Rorschach Test?

10.  What does his reaction to the test reveal about him?

11.  Why does Charlie believe he failed the Rorschach test?

12.  Who is Algernon?

13.  What can we infer about the doctors comparison of Charlie with Algernon?

14.  What literary device does the author use when he presents the bad luck omen (“a black cat crossed me when I was coming to the hospital”)? What could it be revealing?

15.  Why is Charlie chosen for the operation?

16.  Define "pull a Charlie Gordon".

17.  What can you tell about Charlie from his laughing at his own ridicule, and his certainty that Joe Carp and Frank Reilly are really his friends?

18.  Why is Charlie ashamed on April 20?

19.  What is the conflict between the doctors on April 27?

20. What does Charlie think of Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss on May 15?

21.  List the characters in the story.

22. What is the rising action of the story?

23. What is the climax (turning point) of the story?

24. What is the falling action of the story?

25. What is the resolution of the story?

26. What genre is Flowers for Algernon?

27. What theme(s) occur in Flowers for Algernon?

Parallel Episodes

·  Parallel Episode: Repeated elements of the plot.

First Episode Parallel Episode

Charlie wants to do well on the tests (Rorschach test and Picture test), so he can have the operation. – p. 34 / Charlie is angry, suspicious, and even resents the test. – p.45
Charlie doesn’t like to make up lies because he always got caught. – p. 35 / He realizes that is a potential for lying without getting caught. – p. 45
Charlie and Algernon have their first race, and Charlie loses to Algernon. – p. 36 / Charlie beats Algernon – indicating the procedure is working. – p. 41
Charlie has a party with his friends, Joe Carp and Frank Reilly, and Charlie has too much to drink. Joe and Frank take advantage of Charlie, but Charlie doesn’t realize it. – p. 40 / This time when he is with Joe and Frank he becomes aware of how gullible and trusting he was. He realizes that truth about those he considered his friends. – p. 43
Algernon’s behavior has changed – he doesn’t want contact with others. – p. 55 / Charlie begins to show similar signs as Algernon – not wanting contact with others. – p. 58
Charlie is ridiculed and made fun of without really understanding. – p. 39 / The dishwasher is the object of ridicule at his job. He is clumsy, confused, and fearful. – p. 53

Subplot

·  Subplot: A minor plot that relates in some way to the main story.

Algernon

1.  What do Charlie and Algernon have in common? What might their relationship be? – p. 36

a.  ______

______

2.  Describe Charlie’s feelings about Algernon. – p. 37

a.  ______

3.  Why doesn’t Charlie need to race Algernon anymore? – p. 42

a.  ______

______

Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur

4.  What do Dr. Strauss’s comments about Algernon indicate about Charlie’s own prospects for improvement? – p. 39

b.  ______

______

5.  Do the doctor’s seem to have Charlie’s best interests at heart? – p. 46

c.  ______

______

6.  What does Charlie’s reaction to his encounter with the doctors suggest about how he is changing? – p. 46

a.  ______

______

7.  What is Charlie’s relationship with the two doctors? – p. 53

a.  ______

______

______

Miss Kinnian, Charlie’s teacher

8.  What might Miss Kinnian have to be scared of when she sees Charlie? – p. 41

a.  ______

______

9.  What kinds of feelings does Charlie seem to be developing for Miss Kinnian? – p. 46

a.  ______

______

10.  How has Charlie’s increased intelligence created difficulties in his relationship with Miss Kinnian? – p. 53

a.  ______

______

11.  Why does Charlie send Miss Kinnian away? – p. 60

a.  ______

______

Co-workers at the Factory

12.  How does the episode with Fanny Girden differ from earlier episodes with Charlie’s co-workers? - p. 49

a.  ______

______

13.  What effect does this episode have on the conflict Charlie faces as a result of his operation? - p. 49

a.  ______

______

______

______

Complications/Conflicts and their Resolutions

Complications/Conflicts Resolutions

Page 33
Charlie wants to be chosen for the operation. / Page 36
Charlie gets chosen for the operation
Page 34
Charlie has to take some tests, one is the Rorschach test. He only sees inkblots on the Rorschach test. Literal thinking. / Page 45
Charlie takes the Rorschach test again, this time he sees the pictures in the inkblots.
Page 36
Charlie races Algernon, but Algernon always wins. / Page 41
Charlie beats Algernon
Page 49
Charlie’s intelligence makes his co-workers jealous and fearful. / Page 49
Charlie is forced to leave his job at the factory.
Page 53
The procedure has left Charlie isolated and without friends. / Page 61-62
Joe returns to work and begins to feel he has friends again.
Page 55
Algernon begins to regress (losing his intelligence), bringing to Charlie’s attention that the same thing could happen to him. / Page 58
Charlie is beginning to regress – becoming absentminded.