Characters
This is the main character of the story.
Who is Charlie Gordon?
These are the journal entries Charlie writes during the story.
What are Progress Reports?
The purpose of the experiment is to increase this.
What is intelligence?
Algernon is this type of animal.
Charlie originally believes intelligence will bring him this.
What is happiness or friendship?
Charlie's teacher at the adult night school.
Who is Miss Kinnian?
At the beginning of the story, Charlie wants this.
What is to become smart?
Charlie becomes extremely good at learning this after surgery.
What are languages/reading/science?
Charlie and Algernon compete in these.
What are maze races?
Becoming smarter causes Charlie to feel this.
What is loneliness?
The two scientists who perform the experiment.
Who are Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur?
Charlie's writing improves because of this event.
What is the intelligence surgery/experiment?
Charlie makes a scientific discovery about the experiment called this.
What is the Algernon-Gordon Effect?
Algernon begins to show signs of this after the experiment.
What is illness or decline?
One theme of the story is people should treat others with this.
What is kindness/respect?
The place where Charlie works at the beginning of the story.
What is a plastic box company?
Charlie realizes this painful truth about his coworkers.
What is that they were making fun of him?
The Algernon-Gordon Effect means
What is intelligence will fade?
Algernon's fate shows Charlie this frightening truth.
What is the experiment will fail for him too?
Charlie realizes intelligence does not guarantee this.
What is happiness?
The two coworkers who pretend to be Charlie's friends but actually laugh at him.
Who are Joe Carp and Frank Reilly?
At the end of the story Charlie decides to do this.
What is leave New York?
Charlie realizes the scientists care more about this than about him.
What is the experiment/research success?
At the end of the story Charlie asks someone to do this for Algernon.
What is put flowers on his grave?
This theme explains why the story is both inspiring and tragic.
How intelligence alone cannot lead to a fulfilling life