Banned Books: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Flowers for Algernon
by Daniel Keyes
Charlie Gordon is going to be the first human being whose IQ
is increased by surgery. He is thirty two years old, works at a bakery, and has
an IQ of 70. Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur have been conducting experiments
to increase intelligence and have found success with one particular mouse,
Algernon. Now they want Charlie to undergo the same procedure as Algernon,
undergoing surgery and subsequent testing. Charlie who has always yearned to be
smart and have friends is highly motivated. The surgery is a success and
Charlie, like Algernon, is a phenomenon. Charlie’s mind is opening but his
maturity and emotions are also changing and it’s a struggle for him to become
this intelligent and respected man, when the memories of his past and the
understanding of his circumstances are constantly intruding and making their
presence known.
Flowers for Algernon is an ingeniously
crafted story. The novel was told through the eyes of Charlie in the form of
Progress Reports. He is supposed to write down all the things that are
happening to him throughout the course of this experiment. It is through these
progress reports that we experience the story of Charlie. It is such a simple
and honest form of storytelling. In the beginning Charlie’s reports are barely
legible, lacking any kind of punctuation or structure and filled with
misspelled words. Slowly but surely their structure begins to change and the
sentences have new meaning. His outlook on life is beginning to change. He is
very honest and upfront with his emotional struggles and the memories he is
dealing with. Charlie is very aware that everything he is writing will
eventually be shared with the world and his eagerness to make a difference for
people like him is obvious throughout.
I’m not
sure where to begin honestly. This novel was amazing. It beautifully captures
one mans journey into understanding life, love, languages and the world in
general. Keyes started with a simple man who wanted only friendship and to be
more than what he was. The history of his family is revealed throughout the
story and the effect that childhood traumas have had on his day to day
activities is essential to the man he has become. It is the reason behind his
motivations and his yearning. It is also a hindrance for him when he begins
learning and begins to outstrip those who have worked to increase his
intelligence. It is always lingering and threatening to, in many ways, destroy
him. There were moments while reading this novel where my heart was literally
breaking because of the cruelty he endured. The moments where he realized how
naïve he had been was almost worse than the moments where he relived his past.
I was rooting for Charlie the entire novel. I wanted him to be happy. I wanted
his fate to not follow the path of Algernon who was slowly starting to
deteriorate.
Now Flowers for Algernon has frequently been
challenged and banned. It is ranked in the top 100 books banned by the American
Library Association from 1990-1999. Sexually implicit passages and language
seem to be the main reason this book was banned in places like Emporium,
Pennsylvania and Glen Rose, Arkansas and challenged in cities in Wyoming, Ohio
and Florida. There were no complaints
about the way in which adults with mental disabilities were treated and
disrespected which was a much more prevalent issue throughout the novel. It
seems that sex will always be a sensitive issue with novels even when handled
delicately. Are people just prudes or are they scared of sexual revelations?
Keyes handled every aspect amazingly but when people are unsettled they find
reasons to prevent others from experiencing those same emotions even if it is
enlightening.
Challenged and Banned: Flowers for Algernon http://suvudu.com/2008/10/challenged-and-banned-flowers-for-algernon.html
Munley, Kyle October
3, 2008
100 Most Frequently challenged books 1990-1999
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