Absurd- ridiculously falseCatcall- an insulting cry or whistleCower- to cringe in fearDissection- a cutting apart for studyHypothesis- a theory used for researchImpair- to weaken, make worseNaïveté- natural simplemindednessOpportunist- a person who takes advantage

Proportional- having a constant relation in degree or numberRegression- the return to a less developed conditionSensation- something that causes great interestShrew- a mean nagging womanSpecialization- focusing on a particular studyStatistically- involving numerical factsUndoubtedly- definitely

Vocabulary Webs• For each word,

create a four legged web. On one leg, put the synonyms, on one leg put the antonyms, on another put the definitions, and on the last use the word correctly in a sentence.

• Each word web will be graded for accuracy and completion.

Lucid

synonym antonym

sentence

Definition

Pre Reading Writing PromptWhat if you woke up tomorrow and realized you had become a genius overnight? In your journal respond to the following:1. What personal goals could you

achieve if you were a genius?2. What would be the drawbacks?3. How might your friends and

family react?

Part One:

1. What kind of experiment did the doctors want to perform on Charlie? An experimental operation to triple his intelligence.2. Why did the doctors ask Charlie to keep a diary?To collect evidence to determine if Charlie will be a good candidate for their experiment, perhaps as evidence to reflect his mental capabilities before the experiments.

3. What did Charlie’s reaction to the two psychological tests tell you about his mental abilities?He is totally lacking in imagination, he tries hard and wants to succeed, he sees things in a very literal way, and he is very honest.

4. Why did Charlie go to an adult evening school and why did this surprise the doctors?He went to the adult night school in order to better himself. He wants to “be smart and not dumb”The doctors are surprised he was able to do that on his own 5. What is special about Algernon?He is a white lab mouse that beats Charlie in the maze races.

6. Why was Charlie’s race against Algernon important?It proved that the mouse is currently smarter than Charlie.7. Dr. Strauss had to persuade Dr. Nemur that Charlie was the right subject for the experiment. What impressed Dr. Strauss about Charlie?His motivation to better himself and learn. He has a good nature, he’s interested and he’s eager to please.

Part Two:

8. How did Charlie feel immediately after the operation? Give two examples that show his feelings.

1. Confused- “I don’t know how to think, I don’t know what to think about”2. Angry and Frustrated- “Nothing is happening, I have a headache from trying to think, Dr. Nemur isn’t helping me, Miss Kinnian didn’t come to see me, Writing these progress reports is stupid too”

9. When did you first notice a change in Charlie?

10. Was it true, as Charlie said, that his co-workers liked him?I think they may like him and find him friendly, however their lack of respect for him is disheartening and not the way we treat people we care about.

11. What does it mean when someone says they “pulled a Charlie Gordon” (273)? What do these remarks imply about his co-workers?It means a worker did something stupid. It implies they are very insensitive, and making fun of Charlie makes them feel smart and superior to him.

12. After the operation, why do you think Charlie's co-workers begin to fear him?They find the sudden increase in his intelligence to be unnatural and eerie. Maybe they are afraid they he will retaliate against them for having made fun of him.13. What signs in Charlie’s progress reports suggest that changes are taking place in his intelligence?Writing conventions are improving, details, deeper reflections

14. “I can’t wait to be smart like my best friends Joe Carp and Frank Reilly” (274) is an example of what literary concept?

Irony is the opposite of what is expected. From their cruelty to Charlie, we see they are not his friends. From their stupid jokes, we see they are not smart.15. Page 275- Charlie is learning to spell enough and tough correctly, but identify 5 words he still misspells.

16. How did Charlie's feeling for Algernon begin to change? List other examples of changes in Charlie.Feelings for Algernon: Other Changes in Charlie:

Part Three:

17. Page 280 – Predict what Miss Kinnian would have said if she had finished her sentence at the bottom of the page. That the effects of the operation do not reverse themselves. That you do not become lonely because you are so far beyond people

Part Three:

18. Has Charlie become happier or unhappier since his operation? What makes you think that?He is happier because he is enjoying more of life because his abilities have increased. Also, he has found a real friend in Miss Kinnian.

He was happier before he realized his co-workers are narrow-minded and cruel. He is lonelier now more than ever because he has lost his job.

19. What are Charlie’s concerns about Dr. Strauss? Charlie is concerned that the doctors who are experimenting on his brain are not as aware of relevant scientific information as he is…20. How is Charlie’s relationship with Miss Kinnian changing? They’ve become good friends; he’s falling in love with her.

21. Charlie writes that when he reread his progress reports, he saw “the childish naïveté – the mind of low intelligence peering from a dark room, through the keyhole, at the dazzling light outside”

(284). Explain what he means. The glimmer of light that comes through a keyhole into a dark room is such a tiny sliver of light that we gain an understanding of the person’s difficulty in comprehension. The metaphor gives meaning to phrases such as “being in the dark” and “seeing the light”

22. Predict what Algernon’s change in behavior may mean. As feared, the effects of the operation are reversing themselves, the experiment has gone awry.

Part Four:23. Re-read the June 4th Letter to Dr. Strauss. What conclusion has Charlie reached from his research? His conclusion is that the increase of his intelligence is not permanent. What parts of the letter indicate this conclusion? *The title of the report (because it links Algernon and Gordon and we know Algernon has regressed), *Charlie’s hope of finding an error, * his use of the words failure and disproving of a theory, * his saying that he is sorry, * his mention of “the ashes of the work”

24.What is the Algernon-Gordon Effect and what does it prove? It is the research Charlie conducted, and it proves the result of the experiment, increased intelligence, is not permanent,

25.What happens to Algernon? He dies. His brain had physically changed to show deterioration.26. Why do you think Dr. Strauss feels guilty? His experiment was a failure. He put Charlie through a great deal of pain.

27. How have the changes in Charlie’s intelligence affected his co-workers views of him? Co-workers who scorned him, now support him. They now see him as a fellow human being rather than a figure of ridicule.28. Where is Charlie going at the end of the story and what does he take with him? He is leaving town. He decides to take a few good books with him in hopes of being able to read them if he tries really hard.

29. Analyze the last column of the story. What kinds of nonstandard language mistakes has Charlie gone back to using since he began to deteriorate mentally?Poor spelling, incorrect contractions, lack of punctuation, phrases- reel hard30. What is important about the last sentence? Why do you think the story is called Flowers for Algernon? To remember Charlie…

Now:1. Plot structure- review in ten

minutes

2. Changes in Charlie chart

3. Vocab review

Chronological order of plot events:

1. I 6. N 11. L2. O 7. D 12. E3. C 8. J 13. F4. M 9. K 14. B5. H 10. A 15. G

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

Comparison

Before Surgery

After Surgery

At the Endof the Story

Spelling

 ”Dr. Strauss says I shud rite down what I think and every thing that happins to me from now on.”Pg. 268

  “Maybe I’ll understand it when Dr. Strauss lets me read up on psychology”

 He is beginning to spell things wrong again. “I dont know why Im dumb agen or what I did wrong maybe its becaus I didt try hard enuff.”

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

ComparisonBefore

SurgeryAfter Surgery

At the Endof the Story

Intelligence

 pg.268, “I don’t know why but he says its important so they will use me.”In this quote, Charlie shows no comprehension of what is really going on.

 After the surgery Charlie wasn’t immediately brilliant. It took time but he slowly learned, took in information, and became a genius.

 Although Charlie cant do what he used to, he still is able to show state of depressed emotion, and he still see’s people for who they really are, he is also able to recognize his past self “I walked into mrs. Kinnian’s class and sat in the back where I used to, when mrs. Kinnian saw me, she ran out of the room cring… I had really puuled a CHARLIE GORDON this time.”

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

ComparisonBefore

SurgeryAfter Surgery

At the Endof the Story

Personality

 ”Charlie has a good nature and he’s interested and eager to please.”Pg. 270

 ”April 6… I said can I feed him because I felt bad to beat him and I wanted to be nice and make friends…” 275

 he lost the emotions that he gained when he was smart like actual love, but regained simple-mindedness of never knowing when people are being mean to him.

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

Comparison

Before Surgery

After Surgery

At the Endof the Story

Social Skills

 ”Frank Reilly said what did you do Charlie forget your key and open the door the hard way. That made me laff.” (page 273)Charlie thinks that his co-workers are his friends, but they really just make fun of him.

 started to realize people were making fun of him

 Dr. Strauss came to see me again. I wouldn’t open the door and I told him to go away. Pg. 288

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

ComparisonBefore

SurgeryAfter Surgery

At the Endof the Story

Opinion of doctors

 Thought very highly of the doctors and their ability to increase his intelligence

Contrary to my earlier impressions of him, I realize that Dr. Nemur is not at all a genius-282Dr. Strauss, on the other hand might be called a genius, although I feel that his areas of knowledge are too limited-282

 

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

Comparison

Before Surgery

After Surgery

At the Endof the Story

Opinion of Miss Kinnian

 She thought he was his own kind of smart and she knew that he would get much smarter eventually.

 I don’t understand why I never noticed how beautiful miss Kinnian is. Pg 280

 He goes back to her class at the end of the story, and still likes her as a teacher and as a friend

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

Comparison

Before Surgery

After Surgery

At the Endof the Story

How others view him

 People thought he was nice but dumb and they tried to take advantage of him

 ”It’s a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and all the others likes to have me around all the time to make fun of me.” (p277)

 His co-workers seem to view him more as a human being and stand up for him. “I didn’t expect Joe to take my part so I guess he’s my friend”

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

Comparison

Before Surgery

After Surgery

At the Endof the Story

What he thinks about other people

He thought his co-workers were his friends

 He finally realizes that his “friends” are really not his friends and he doesn’t like them anymore

 He likes his co-workers because they stick up for him, but he doesn’t want that to happen

Changes In Charlie AnalysisArea of

Comparison

Before Surgery

After Surgery

At the Endof the Story

Self-impression

He knows that he isn’t that smart and he says, “I want to be smart.”

“Nothing is happening.”

When Charlie reads his old PR and can’t believe how simple minded he was.

“I’m glad I had a second chance in life… to be smart.”

WordIn each set of 4 words, circle the one that differs most

(ANTONYM)

Absurd Crazy Foolish Sensible Absurd

Catcall Boo Cheer Catcall Hiss

Cower Embrace Crouch Cringe Cower

Dissection Dissection Analysis Inspection Invention

Hypothesis Fact Actuality Truth Hypothesis

Impair Impair Damage Improve Hurt

Naiveté Naiveté Sophistication Poise Refinement

Opportunist Opportunist Humanitarian Scoundrel Double-dealer

Proportional Balanced Proportional Equal Uneven

Regression Relapse Regression Improvement Deterioration

Sensation Commotion Boredom Sensation Excitement

Shrew Lady Nag Shrew Witch

Specialization Concentration Specialization Expertise Generality

Statistically Statistically Factually Objectively Emotionally

Undoubtedly Certainly Possibly Undoubtedly Surely

Plot Diagram

1. Exposition

1. Charlie Gordon, slow adult, Candidate for experimental surgery

2. New York3. Will the surgery be a success

and for how long?

Plot Diagram2.

Ris

ing

Actio

n

1. Initial tests2. Has surgery3. Begins to show

increased levels of intelligence

4. Research= Algernon-Gordon Effect

Plot Diagram

3. Climax

Algernon dies, revealing Charlie’s possible future.

Plot Diagram

Charlie begins to show signs of regression

4. Falling Action

Plot Diagram

Charlie decides to leave NY.

5. Resolution