Thursday, September 22, 2011
Week 3 Post
In the novel "Flowers For Algeron", voice is wanted by many. Charlie, I believe has the most voice of anyone in the book. Most of the scientist and researchers must listen to Charlie in order to get what they want out of the operation. Charlie's thoughts and opinions must be heard in order for them to document his progress correctly. Again Charlie is the one who has a lot of power, but also he wants more of it. The operation made Charlie more intelligent, but he still doesn't have control of his emotions or the digression of his IQ. Charlie has the power to basically control the doctors, but the only problem is he can't control is own emotional issues such as his sexual desires and the way he feels about his family. The issue of race really isn't present in this novel. If it we're to be a part of the novel I'm sure that in this time period a black man wouldn't be picked to get this operation because of the racism at this time. For Charlie in this book females are definitely the dominant gender. Since Charlie is sexually thinks like a child, any woman basically can twist his emotions with just a couple words. Women make him terrified, nervous, oddly excited, and unsure of what to do with himself. Both women in this book could control Charlie's emotions easily if they wanted to, and one of them does. Class is another thing that is not a major part in the book, the author hasn't made any obvious remarks about class issues.
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I agree. Charlie does have the most voice in the book. Everything depends on him, his decisions, and actions. Without Charlie the scientist would lose their experiment that they put so much hard work and time into. They need Charlie input and consistent updates on how he is doing and feeling. The new, intelligent Charlie may have more power over the other characters and their work, but the old, innocent, and mentally handicapped has a power over Charlie and his actions. The other characters in the book, like Doctor Nemur, Doctor Strauss, and Alice do not understand what Charlie is going through when he says there is another Charlie, the old Charlie, who is watching his every move. The old Charlie has a lot of power over the new Charlie, in his relationships with women (Alice and Fay). The more intelligent Charlie struggles with this barrier, and finds it hard to have an intimate relationship with both of the women.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying about the voice of this novel. Charlie clearly has the say in most topics and difficult discussions remembered by the audience. The audience being the reader makes it easy to see who has the voice in the story. You are right and Charlie shows the most meaning to the book and how it pans out. Without Charlie in the scientists life their experiment would no long exist and they would be researching something completely new. The story is basically the day in the life with Charlie and how his life reflects upon others. But you are right in saying he thinks like a child. Sexually speaking, he is too immature to ever have that type of relationship with someone. I like the way you said that women make him terrified to be himself and gives him false hope for when he goes back to his original state of mind.
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