Comparing Flowers For Algernon And Holes

Similarities between Flowers for Algernon and Holes

In the books, Flowers for Algernon and Holes, the characters and events are similar. Flowers for Algernon, written by Daniel Keyes, had many events that are similar to Holes, written by Louis Sachar, like when Charlie ran away during the convention relates to Zero running away from Camp Green Lake. First, within the book Charlie did not have many friends or family members that were close to him. Stanley did not have many friends as well; he was bullied at school all the time. Secondly, fate leads both Stanley Yelnats and Charlie Gordon into the situations that they were at. Thirdly, the mothers of Charlie and Zero were unknown until later in the story where they soon met them face to face.
The Yelnats family had been interfered with bad luck for generations all because of a “curse” laid upon their great-great grandfather by a witch more than 100 years ago. Soon the life of Stanley Yelnats, the protagonist, is cursed all because of his “no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing” great grandfather. This curse is what caused Stanley to get hit by the famous shoes from Clyde Livingston, Sweet feet shoes which ended up Stanley to the camp green lake. Charlie had fate as well. He had fate to get chosen by the doctors even though he knew he did badly on the Rorschach inkblot test. Charlie says, “I dont think I passd the raw shok test” (3). This quote symbolizes how Charlie knew how he did not pass the Rorschach inkblot test. Without fate for these characters, both Charlie and Stanley would still have a normal un-pleasant life. They would not have any friends or social life; Charlie would not have had a chance to become smart. Therefore, Fate in Stanley and Charlie are similar to each other in fate and the course of actions during the
When Charlie was young Rose Gordon wanted him to become smart. She tried her hardest to get him smarter, but it did not work. She even forced him to see doctors and into normal schools. After getting fed-up with Charlie, Charlie was separated when she randomly had a knife in her hand demanding Matt Gordon, the father, to take him to the Warren State Home immediately. But instead, Matt sent him to his Uncle Herman, the uncle of Charlie who took care of him since he was young who unfortunately died. Zero’s mother was also missing by an unknown reason. These characters relate to each other because each of them ends up finding their mothers close to the end of the book. Charlie returned to his childhood home which was a pleasant surprise. At first Rose thought he was the bill holder, but soon realized that he was her son. She got startled by her son's appearance, and she tries to send him away. Charlie pushes against the door, breaking the glass and cutting his hand. Rose grabbed a knife and held it towards Charlie because she thought Charlie was having sexual emotions with Norma Gordon, the sister. Charlie ran out and never came back. As for Zero’s re-unite with his mother was a nice ending. Zero, out of the camp waits for his mother in a bus which is the opposite of what happened with Charlie. All in all, the books Flowers for Algernon