Why Is Charlie Better Off Without The Operation

Charlie’s life changing operation allows for him to begin to understand the world around him. His procedure allows for him to gain intelligence at an extremely rapidly, however this intellectual growth outpaces his emotional growth. As he starts to comprehend ideas, he also begins to uncover that the way his peers have treated him may not have been as kind as previously thought. Charlie is worse off than before his operation because he now understands how poorly he has been treated in the past. One reason Charlie’s operation was not to Charlie’s benefit is because his ignorance protected him from the cruelties of the world. First, Charlie’s coworkers took advantage of Charlie’s condition by picking on him. After the surgery, Charlie begins to understand that they are not as kind to him as he previously believed. Keyes displays how Charlie’s coworkers treat
As the surgery allows Charlie to recall his past, he can now understand how he was bullied and neglected as a child. One instance of this is when Keyes writes, “Bakery… baking… the urn… someone kicking me… fall down… bloody all over… big pencil on a red valentine… a gold little heart… a locket… a chain… all covered with blood… and he’s laughing at me” (April 17). This recollection reminds him of when he was physically bullied by older kids at his school. This memory is painful for Charlie because it includes feelings of rejection and physical pain. A second example of a memory Charlie uncovers when he was slapped by his mother after he held his baby sister in his arms. Keyes writes, “And she slapped me so hard I fell on the bed… I dint know it then but I guess I know it now that she thought I was going to hurt the baby” (April 4). This memory displays his corporal punishment imposed on Charlie when he was a child. These two examples show how Charlie was better off without the