The fundamental premise of this book has been around for millions of years among us. It takes a variety of forms and we have put it into words using familiar phrases such as “As you sow, you shall reap” or “cause and effect” as scientists refer to it, or us Buddhists simply call it, “Karma”. Or, in the words of the protagonist,
“ARTIFICIALLY-INDUCED INTELLIGENCE DETERIORATES AT A RATE OF TIME DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE QUANTITY OF THE INCREASE.”
page 255
Millions of readers have been drawn into this book on a deeper level because of the plot, which gives that premise a humane touch. After an experiment that had previously been tested only on mice called “Algernon”, Charlie Gordon, a mentally challenged person born with an unusually low IQ, increases his intelligence to unprecendented levels. And what follows is truly heartbreaking.
It is rare to find an exceptionally good book written in the first person perspective, since that is not an easy point of view for a writer to convey, especially when delivering a deeper message, while writing in plain language, sometimes even with broken language, to convey the mentality of the main character. For one thing, the author is “trapped” within the character of the protagonist. I believe that this book is an exception, competing with some of the most successful books in the same genre such as “Cather in the Rye”.
It invites the reader to participate in an emotional roller coaster of a unique protaganist. The story fluctuates so dramatically that I was convinced that the protagonist and antagonist are the same character at some point in the story.At the beginning of the story, Charley remains humane and kind despite all the hardships and difficulties he encounters.
“Prof Nemur says if it werks good and its perminent they will make other pepul like me smart also. Mabye pepul all over the werld. And he said that meens Im doing somthing grate for sience and Ill be famus and my name will go down in the books. I dont care so much about bee-ing famus. I just want to be smart like other pepul so I can have lots of frends who like me.”
page 13
Even after embarking on his new intelligent life, Charlie acknowledged that he was still the same Charlie, and he wanted to stand up for the “Old Charlies” of the world. It appears that all this humane quality comes to an end and he refers to the Old Charlie in the third person as if he desires to see the Old Charlie as a separate individual.
“It didn’t upset me, although I would have expected it to. Somehow, getting drunk had momentarily broken down the conscious barriers that kept the old Charlie Gordon hidden deep in my mind. As I suspected all along, he was not really gone. Nothing in our minds is ever really gone. The operation had covered him over with a veneer of education and culture, but emotionally he was there—watching and waiting.”
page 195
It is at the end of the book that the book delivers its most meaningful message, which is that intelligence alone isn’t worth much if it is not accompanied and balanced by humanity.
“That’s not completely true,” I said softly. “But I’ve learned that intelligence alone doesn’t mean a damned thing. Here in your university, intelligence, education, knowledge, have all become great idols. But I know now there’s one thing you’ve all overlooked: intelligence and education that hasn’t been tempered by human affection isn’t worth a damn.”
page 249
In the end, both Algernon and Charlie must confront the most fundamental and undeniable truth of the universe. At least, the state of his mind has been restored after going through that rollercoaster of a mental journey.
“Im glad I got a second chanse in life like you said to be smart because I lerned alot of things that I never even new were in this werld and Im grateful I saw it all even for a littel bit.”
“P.S. please if you get a chanse put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard.”
page 311
