Download 1-8 - Union High School

Flowers for Algernon Chapters 1-8

How is the novel written?  First person

Describe the main character?  Charlie Gordon  32 years old  Mentally challenged

 Works at a bakery  Has been selected to undergo an experiment to raise

intelligence

2a. List five possible struggles he may face as a retarded adult.  Discrimination  Pity  Lack of identity

 Being too trustworthy  Being taken advantage of

2b. Describe how you would feel if your sibling were in the same position as Charlie.  Sad

 Jealous  Angry

2c. Infer three reasons why Charlie’s family is visibly absent.  They are dead  They don’t want anything to do with Charlie  They don’t know where he is

What kind of test did Burt give Charlie? What was the result?  Rorschach Test  He only saw spilled ink

Describe Miss Kinnian.  Charlie’s teacher  Kind  Supportive of Charlie and his surgery

4a. What did Miss Kinnian tell the doctors about Charlie?  He is the best student to participate in the study

because he is the most motivated

4b. What does what Miss Kinnian tell the doctors reveal about her and Charlie’s relationship?  She believes in him

What happened when Charlie was given the Thematic Apperception Test?  He thinks that he is lying when he creates stories

Who is Algernon?  A mouse who has undergone the same operation

6a. Describe Charlie’s first meeting with Algernon.  Charlie and Algernon race  Charlie is surprised that mice are so smart  He isn’t mad that Algernon beats him because he

thinks he can learn from him

6b. Predict how Algernon and Charlie’s relationship will evolve? What might put a strain on their relationship?  They might become friends because they are in similar

situations  Charlie might be jealous of Algernon  Competitiveness might put a strain on their relationship

What was Professor Nemur worried about with regard to the operation?  The long term effects

Why did Charlie want to be smart?  He wanted to read and write for his mom

8a. What might be some of the downfalls of going from being mentally retarded to being genius?  Isolation – mental and emotional

Who is Mr. Donner?  Charlie’s boss

9a. What is Mr. Donner’s relationship with Charlie?  He was friends with Charlie’s uncle and promised to

take care of him

How long after the surgery was it when Charlie started to see results? What were they?  A few days and he corrects his own grammatical

mistakes

THE BIG QUESTION: How and why might Charlie’s truth change regarding Algernon as he gets smarter?  He might see him as competition as opposed to a

friend