Flowers for Algernon
Keyes wrote a devastating science fiction novel about a man whose intelligence is artificially boosted and then taken away.
“I dont know what's worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you've always wanted to be, and feel alone.”
Why It Matters
Keyes wrote a devastating science fiction novel about a man whose intelligence is artificially boosted and then taken away. Charlie Gordon's journey — from innocence to genius to heartbreaking decline — is one of the most emotionally powerful premises in all of fiction. The book proved that science fiction could make you cry harder than literary fiction.
Notable Quotes
“P.S. please if you get a chanse put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard.”
“Intelligence is one of the greatest human gifts. But all too often a search for knowledge drives out the search for love.”