The Analysis of Charlie Gordon's Character

What defines a “hero” can vary immensely, depending on whom you ask: some heroes can be veterans who fight for their nation, while other people can just be typical citizens who assist and save other folks. But could a person who survives a risky operation have the qualities of a hero? In the quick story “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, the main protagonist Charlie Gordon, a thirty-seven year old adult with an I.Q. of sixty-eight, takes a life risking operation to triple his I.Q. Soon after the operation when Charlie realizes the soon after effects that he will quickly have, he grows regretful and suicidal feelings. As a outcome, he grows increasingly regretful and suicidal feelings. Despite the fact that Charlie Gordon feels hopeless and suicidal, Charlie Gordon possesses heroic qualities since he has observed his fate via Algernon and chooses to accept his fate. In addition, Charlie has the courage to abandon his past and start again in a new atmosphere just so his pals do not have to feel sorry for him. Even if Charlie Gordon did not directly assist anybody, he nevertheless possesses the qualities of a hero.

For instance, Charlie Gordon requires component in an operation he does not totally understand, but soon after, he begins to have suicidal thoughts but Charlie has the courage to persevere. “I want to be left to myself. I have turn out to be touchy and irritable. […] Its hard to throw of thoughts of suicide” (533). Charlie’s feelings are very adverse, but even then he nonetheless tries to fight them off and he states that it is quite hard. As an alternative of crying and giving up, Charlie Gordon is still mindful of how his participation in the operation will help other individuals like him in the future. After the effects of the operation totally put on off, Charlie does not really feel sad, alternatively he feels grateful of what he experiences throughout his moment of intelligence, even for a fleeting moment. “If you ever study this Miss Kinnian dont be sorry for me Im glad I got a second chanse to be smart becaus I lerned a lot of issues that I never even new had been in this planet and Im grateful that I saw it all for a littel bit.” Even though Charlie experiences all the pain and suffering, he nonetheless feels grateful for what he nevertheless has despite the quantity. Other than focusing on what he has lost, Charlie concentrates on how he will develop from his earlier experiences. Charlie Gordon is a very sort and incredibly thoughtful man, he does not have a single bit of negativity in him.

Charlie is heroic due to the fact he has the courage to commence anew in an unfamiliar atmosphere exactly where all sorts of folks can belittle and insult him, just so everyone he knows do not have to feel sympathy about his situation “I dont want Miss Kinnian to feel sorry for me. Evry body feels sorry at the factory and I dont want that eather…” (538). Charlie is really considerate of other people’s feelings he does not want them to feel sorry or guilty about himself. He loves and cares about all the people from his previous and is willing to sacrifice himself into a new globe just so they do not have to really feel bad about something. Charlie also knows how to defend himself against bullies when they insult him he does so without having harming them, as seen from his progress reports. “I told myself Charlie if they make entertaining of you dont get sore because you bear in mind their not so intelligent as you as soon as thot they were as soon as your buddies and if they laughed at you that doesnt mean anything since they liked you too” (536). Here, Charlie reassures himself that he does not need to have to fight back when his close friends insult him. Instead, he tells himself that those who laugh at him “[are] not so wise as [Charlie] as soon as thot they were” and so they have no reason to mock him. A mindset such as this shows how thoughtful Charlie is. Alternatively of openly criticizing his bullies, he raises his own self-assurance and self-esteem.

Some could argue that Charlie Gordon is an absent minded man that accidentally did one thing for science and could even contact Charlie a coward for running from his past life. He by no means knew what he was receiving himself into till right after his intelligence triples from the operation. “Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur have asked me not to come to the lab any more. I know what they’re thinking, but I can’t accept it” (531). If Charlie Gordon realizes the dangers and aftereffects of the operation before the physicians perform it,, he would never ever decide on to participate. Charlie Gordon finally understands what he has gotten himself into and cannot accept what is going to happen to him. In order to have heroic qualities you have to recognize what you are risking and sacrificing and for whom in order to really have the bravery and courage of a hero.

Despite the fact that this way of pondering has logic, it does not take in the entire picture. The identical evidence can help the fully opposite side if all points are taken into consideration.“Dr. Strauss and Dr. Nemur have asked me not to come to the lab any far more. I know what they’re considering, but I can’t accept it” (531). Even if Charlie does not totally recognize the operation, he adapts to the predicament he finds himself in following and bears the hardships. Charlie Gordon states that he cannot accept it, but in the end he ends up persevering and continuing his investigation to help other mentally disabled people like himself. Regardless of his situation, Charlie continues to care for every person about him, even these who ridicule him.Charlie Gordon carries heroic qualities simply because he has the will the adapt to and fix any predicament, no matter how difficult. He may possibly really feel suicidal and hopeless since of the operation, but he nevertheless persists in the research to help people who are mentally disabled. Charlie also has courage to abandon his previous just so his buddies do not have to really feel sympathetic about his mental and emotional state.

Charlie is not a typical hero. He might not have superhuman strength or supernatural abilities, but he cares immensely about individuals. He is thoughtful of people’s feelings, which is what makes Charlie a definite hero. Charlie Gordon was a hero in his quite own way just as we all are every time we do anything type for each other. Every person, from children to adults, even these with low cognitive skills can actually do something fantastic for numerous people’s person/individual view of the world, even if its anything tiny such as kindness it has the prospective to fully alter someone’s view of the planet.