A Comparison of the Motivations and Reactions of Charlie to Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur's in Flowers for Algernon, a Short Story by Daniel Keyes

fCharlie from “Flowers for Algernon,” is a 37 year old grown man, who has a very serious mental disability. Charlie’s goal is to get more intelligence and have freedom in his head. He goes to a laboratory to take tests to see if he is improving at all. Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss assign the tests to see his progress. Although, Charlie’s motivations and reactions compared to Dr. Strauss’ and Dr. Nemur’s motivations and reactions are widely different and closely alike.

Charlie’s motivations are very interesting and he is very hopeful. He is motivated by the thought of being smart and having a higher I.Q. Charlie said, “After the operation, I’m gonna try to be smart. I’m gonna try awful hard.” Charlie wants the operation on his head to work and cure his mental disability. Soon after the operation, Charlie started to become smarter. Before, Charlie took a test against a white mouse named Algernon.

The mouse beat Charlie many times. But as Charlie’s brain improves, “I beat Algernon 8 times!” Passing tests and beating Charlie is motivating Charlie to do better.

Dr.Strauss’ and Dr. Nemur’s motivations are quite the same and different in some ways. At first, the doctors were motivated by the idea of a big discovery for Charlie. The Doctors are assigning Charlie different ways to try to improve his intelligence. They are giving Charlie a small TV for him to learn tings while he is sleeping. As the weeks pass by, Charlie becomes even brighter.

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The doctors say that “you’re coming along fast, Charlie.” They are proud of him and they are becoming more into this operation. Later on in the story, Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur’s motivation towards this operation for Charlie changes expenationally. The Doctors are fighting on who gets the research and what time do they get to publish it.” This is my experiment and my research,” Dr. Nemur provoked. Nowboth Doctors are caring more on the project and research more than the actual test subject, Charlie. Charlie and the Doctors have different motivations at this point in the story.

On the other hand, Charlie’s reactions are very complex. His reaction toward getting more intelligent is very fortunate and he is joyful of him being that way. Soon after Charlie becomes brilliantly minded, Algernon dies of regression. “There are also strong indications of progressive amnesia. As will be seen by my report, these and other physical and mental deter ration syndrome can be predicted with statistically significant results by the application of my formula.” Charlie is scared that he is going to regress just like Algernon when he wouldn’t do the maze and stopped eating. Now the Doctors reactions are quite the same. They have asked me not to come to the lab anymore, but Charlie cannot rest on how he might die like Algernon. Both Charlie and the doctors are worrying on what is going to happen to him. The doctors’ reactions also differ on how they don’t want Charlie to come to the lab anymore. “But Charlie, as I mentioned before, disagrees and decides to study himself.” As long as I’m able to write, I will continue to record my thoughts in these progress reports.” Charlie wants to try harder and prays that he will not lose everything he has learned.

The doctors and Charlie have had many similarities and differences between motivations and reactions. The doctors have made anoperation on Charlie and at first, it was successful. That motivated them tokeep going. Soon after, Algernon died, which brought the regression of Charlie as well. Charlie does hope that nothing happens to him. Charlie has returned back to his normal self. His normal self, would you risk your life and your whole mental state like Charlie from “Flowers for Algernon?”