Have you read Flowers for Algernon?

[Clair de Lune]

It has to be my favorite HS reading of all time back in the days. If you haven't read it, I'd strongly recommend you so.



***SPOILER***
The story is told through journal entries of a mentally handicapped man who's put under a medical experiment to become a genius. His beginning entries are childish and full of grammar and spelling mistakes. Then it gradually gets to a PhD level writing.

While he's intelligent, he falls in love with this woman. But they find out the experiment has a consequence of reverting back to his original intelligence. You see his entries where he's becoming frustrated with himself becoming dumber. Inevitably, his entries finally revert back to his former child-like level.

The part that always gets me is where he writes about this woman coming to visit him, hugs him dearly weeping. Then she leaves. He wonders why she's so sad and feels bad.

She was his love during his intellectual peak.
***SPOILER ENDS***




The sci-fi aspect is just a plot device. It's a very well written and innovative drama... such a great book!

 

[Q]

I have but don't remember much about it besides the name.

 

[xanis]

I read it many years ago. Great book from what I remember.

 

[grrl]

I've used it in class a few times. It's okay, but the movie is atrocious!

 

[Ika]

I thought I read it, but I guess not. My friends who definitely did read it definitely recommended it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I remember reading it in high school.

BTW-There's also a movie.

 

[Ronstang]

I read it over 30 years ago.

 

[StevenYoo]

awesome and sad

 

[Clair de Lune]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I remember reading it in high school.

BTW-There's also a movie.

There are two versions - short story and the novel.

I like the short story much better as it's the original. The later-compiled novel has bunch of crap filler added to it. I refuse to watch the movie as it's probably based on the novel and would destroy my endearing imaginations of the story.

 

[Q]

The real question here, is do you guys remember Dear Mr. Henshaw? Now that's a book.

 

[BlackTigers]

algernon.

he was in a play i just saw. "the importance of being earnest"

 

[paulney]

Thanks for the tip - just read it. Great story.
The part where he goes back to the factory... so sad.

 

[Finalnight]

the movie is sad too.

 

[Passions]

You mean this scene?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkqCz73rLIg

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: Xanis
I read it many years ago. Great book from what I remember.

 

[Finalnight]

Originally posted by: Passions
You mean this scene?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkqCz73rLIg

No, was talking about the old 1960's/70'ish movie. never seent this one.

 

[Inferno0032]

Originally posted by: Quintox
I have but don't remember much about it besides the name.

Same

 

[acheron]

I read the short story years ago but don't think I've ever read the novel version.

 

[AmberClad]

I read back in high school, but for some reason, I remember there being a mouse called Algernon in the story...

 

[skace]

Amber I believe the mouse was also being used in the experiments and the mouse is what started having problems before he did. I thought the medicine caused the mouse to die and he had to choose between dying or becoming stupid again. I honestly don't remember well anymore.

What I do remember is that I was listening to a specific music CD when I was reading this book and now everytime I hear a song from it I remember the book. Now I'm trying to remember the name of the band I was listening to.

I was listening to "Collective Souls" self titled album. And everytime I'd hear the song "The world I know" I'd think of this book.

 

[Nerva]

dang, i think i am gonna have to read this book!!

 

[drinkmorejava]

Did lights for the play in high school. Was actually extremely good compared to most of the random crap we did.

 

[nonameo]

its actually part of a book, isn't it?

 

[aceO07]

I read the short story a long time ago. I read the novel recently. The novel fills in more details that the short story skips completely. A few extra bits are strange.

The short story only really contains the beginning, brief early middle and brief end of the novel.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I read it years ago. That's the kind of story I love. It really makes you FEEL something, even if that feeling is a mixture of fear, sadness, and pity. When you read a story like this you come out the other side changed.