Details And Big Ideas: Charlie's Operation For Algernon

(Details & Big Ideas) The operation for Charlie was intended to make him “smarter.” In the beginning of the story, Charlie was not as smart and he learned that the same operation that had been done on the mouse, Algernon, was the same operation that the doctors were planning to do for Charlie as well. Charlie agreed to this idea because he wanted to be smart, like Algernon.
(Details & Multiple Perspectives) Dr. Strauss thought that Charlie would be a good subject for the operation experiment because his IQ was not high and if Charlie became smarter, the doctors would know that the experiment was successful and will use it on other patients. Additionally, Charlie was very anxious and eager to be the subject for Dr. Strauss’s experiment.
(Details & Big Ideas) Algernon is a mouse that the doctors had experimented on in the past. When Charlie first races Algernon, Charlie loses and Algernon
Charlie becomes upset that Algernon had beat him.
(Details & Relationships Over Time) Over time, the reader can infer that Charlie was changing by noticing that Charlie’s spelling, reading, and vocabulary was improving throughout his diary. In the progress reports, he was not spelling as many words wrong than in his previous progress reports. Charlie begins to learn at a faster rate and beats Algernon in races. 7. (Details & Language of the Discipline) Charlie’s experiences are similar to those of Adam and Eve because all three desire to acquire more knowledge. Charlie works hard to achieve his goals, as Adam and Eve are blinded by the evils to betray God even though the had the opportunity to become the most fortunate creatures of the time. When Eve listened to the snake and eat the very tree of knowledge of good and evil that God had forbidden her to,