Discussion

Discussion Session #1:

Setting

Q1: Do you think the scientists should have done their experiments somewhere more private?

A: No because the place where they were at was private enough. There was no one at their university when they were doing their experiments, so they had enough privacy. They also can’t go anywhere else because the scientists have to perform their experiment in their lab where they have their own materials.

Q2: Did the setting remind you of any place?

A: In the beginning the setting reminded me of a prison where they do psychological testing on prisoners because that’s exactly what they were doing in the very beginning at the University. They needed to some testing on Charlie before doing the operation. The difference between the two stings is that one is meant for prisoners while the other is meant for civilians.

Q3: What do you think the mood of the setting was in the first few progress reports?

A: I felt that the mood was very mysterious in the beginning because I didn’t know what was going on while they were doing their testing, but later on Charlie told us that they were trying to do an experiment where they were trying to increase his IQ.

Q4: What country did the story take place in?

A: It took place in the United States because at one point of the story Charlie talked about having an American accent.

Q5: What year do you think this story took place in?

A: I think that this story took place in our present time right now because I don’t think they had the technology to change someone’s IQ in the past. Now, we have enough technology to do almost anything.

Q6: Why do you think Charlie was abandoned by his family?

A: He was most likely abandoned by his family because he was mentally retarded. His parents didn’t want to have a son who was different so they probably tried to get rid of him somehow.

Q7: Now that Charlie is smart, do you think he will return to his family

A: Yes because the scientists located his sister and I think Charlie is eventually going to ask her to introduce him to his parents and his other siblings if he has any because he has become a lot smarter than he was before, so his parents should accept him now because he’s not different anymore.

Q8: Charlie gets bullied a lot. Do you think being mentally retarded is the reason why he never suffered psychological pain such as depression due to all the criticism?

A: Yes because Charlie never had an idea of what was going on around him. He gets made fun of a lot, especially by people at his workplace, but he just doesn’t know it and just laughs with them. Charlie never understood any of their jokes because they were too complex for him.

Q9: Do you think the scientists know that doing this experiment on Charlie will cause side effects?

A: Yes because this is their first time trying to do this experiment on someone, and usually when testing something for the first time something ends up going wrong. Something bad will happen to Charlie after this experiment.

Q10: Would you let the scientists do this experiment on you?

A: No because I personally think that doing this experiment has some serious side effects that would lead me to early death. Also, I wouldn’t want to go through so much trouble by having to get brain surgery just like Charlie did.

Nihal

 

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Discussion Session #2:

Character

Q1: Why do you think Gimpy, Frank, Joe, and others working in the bakery are feeling intimidated by the “new” Charlie?

A: Charlie seems to be getting progressively more and more intelligent by the day. He is talking about complicated subjects and learning new languages easily. At the bakery, he recently got promoted to working the dough mixer which was described as a difficult job. I think that the others are just having difficulty adapting to Charlie’s change in intelligence because he went so quickly from being dull-witted to sharp-witted. Now, they’re worried about looking stupid when they’re around him.

Q2: Do you think that it is possible for Alice Kinnian and Charlie to ever have a romantic relationship? Why or why not?

A: I can now see the story starting to lean towards a more romantic genre in the scenes where Miss Kinnian and Charlie are alone together. I would have to say that I don’t believe that they will ever truly be able to have those kinds of relations because of what was Charlie’s state (before the operation). I believe Miss Kinnian (being Charlie’s former teacher) would be very uncomfortable, and have a lot of difficulty being in this type of relationship with Charlie.

Q3: What kind of emotional impact do you think Charlie’s “flashback” memories are having on him?

A: Charlie is appearing to get gradually more interested in his family. It is obvious that he wishes to see them sometime soon and clear up things from his past. Sometimes his memories make him scared, angry, frustrated, or sad. I think that the overwhelming mixed emotions from the memories, might be having a negative mental impact on Charlie.

Q4: Do you think Mr.Donner made the right choice by deciding to fire Charlie from the bakery? If not, what do you think he should have done? (If yes, why?)

A: I think that Mr.Donner was in the wrong whilst making the decision of firing Charlie. After all, he did promise Charlie’s uncle that he would take care of him. During the discussion Charlie and Mr.Donner had, it seemed like Mr.Donner was referring to himself as a type of “fatherly” like figure. Therefore, I feel the decision Mr.Donner made caused him to completely fail as a “father” but, succeed as a business man. 

Q5: Why do you think Charlie was so bothered by Gimpy stealing (or “shorthanding”) from the bakery shop?

A: I believe that he is bothered because, he is now “waking up” and noticing what the good and bad things are in society around him. Also, Mr.Donner runs the bakery shop and Charlie feels particularly loyal to him.

Q6: How do the mother and father from Charlie’s memories treat Charlie?

A: The mother in Charlie’s memories seems to be a very strict and controlling woman. She is constantly demanding things of Charlie and punishing him for his mistakes. But, what I notice is that she is unwelcoming to Charlie’s mental retardation. It’s almost like she will never accept the his disability. As for the father, he seems to be more openhearted to Charlie’s mental state and is gentle with him. Most of the time, he is defending Charlie from his mother.

Q7: Can you note any differences in Charlie’s personality from before and after the surgery/operation? Why do you think Miss Kinnian is disturbed by Charlie’s personality change?

A: Before, Charlie was extremely innocent, slow, and open minded. Now, he is learning at a fast pace you notice that he is thinking more logically then before. Miss Kinnian is disturbed because like many of the others she can’t keep up with him anymore. All she does is listen to whatever Charlie has to say, and is never given the chance to speak her mind. 

Q8:  Miss Kinnian is deeply worried about a potential negative long-term effect that could be caused by the operation Charlie had. Why do you think this is?

A: As time goes on you can start to see Miss Kinnian’s uneasiness about whole operation in general. She is personally worried for Charlie because she feels that if anything were to happen to him she would be partially responsible. After all, she was the one who recommended they use Charlie as the testing subject for the operation.

Q9: Do you notice Charlie beginning to progressively feel more and more lonely and distant from the world then he was before? Explain.

A: At the beginning of the story, all Charlie ever wanted was to be smart and like everyone else. He knew he was different but he didn’t really understand why. Therefore, I say that he was “unconsciously” lonely. After the operation, when Charlie is rejected by the people at the bakery and later on Miss Kinnian because of his new developing intelligence. He is now fully aware/conscious that he is different, and this new awareness is what is making him feel distant.

Q10: Why is it that Charlie seems unable to handle his sexual awareness now that he is intelligent? Do you think that it was intelligent for Charlie’s mother to tell him to keep away from women when he was a child?

A: It is because for his entire life, he has not been able to completely understand those kinds of sentiments. But, now that he is intelligent the urges are overwhelming him and he is slightly confused. As Charlie was unable to clearly comprehend the differences between males and females, I think that his mother made the right decision in telling him to stay away from girls.

Kassya

 

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 Discussion Session #3:

Conflict

Q1: Why do you think Charlie did not confront his father at the Barbers?

A: I think Charlie did not confront his father in fear of disappointing him. Charlie’s father was always the one who supported him, and thought he was okay the way he was. He never wanted Charlie to change and now that he did Charlie may have thought he was disappointing him. Charlie tried to change himself to make him smarter, which was never what his father wanted for him.

Q2: Charlie’s been having a lot of flashbacks to his family. Do you think he will visit his mother and sister?

A: Yes I think Charlie will visit his mother and sister. He found their address, and before his intelligence is lost again I think he will want to see them. He may want to show them how he changed. He became the person they wanted, but still is not any happier or better off. Maybe his mom and sister will feel bad about all they put him through during his childhood.

Q3: Charlie’s mother gave him up because he was mentally retarded. Does his longing to be smart have anything to do with being accepted by his parents?

A: No I don’t think it has all been a plan to please his parents. Charlie never liked his mother, only his father who accepted him anyways. If he was trying to be accepted the first thing he would have done was try to find his parents. Charlie never sought out to find them, only when their names show up in the paper did he even consider to visit.

Q4: Charlie talks about the old ‘Charlie’ in his mind. Will this ever go away, or will it overpower his new self?

A:The Charlie in his mind is going to overpower the current one. Just like Algernon’s intelligence is diminishing I think Charlie’s will also. This means that Charlie will return to himself before the surgery. Slowly Charlie will begin to return to how he was before, with a smaller I.Q.

Q5: If Algernon is biting people now, will Charlie become easily agitated with others?

A:Slowly Charlie has been more annoyed with others. Starting with Alice whenever she questions him about what he is doing, or when she’s upset and feel s less smart than him. It also extends to everyone working at the lab. During the conference when Charlie realized they made a mistake, he quickly took off and ran away with Algernon not even sparing a glance at the others. I think that whatever has happened to Algernon will come to Charlie within a few weeks.

Q6:If you were in Charlie’s place and knew your intelligence will soon disappear, what would you do?

A: Personally, if I was in Charlie’s place I would do anything to prevent the change. Charlie has become very smart and may have the ability to research a cure or a preventative measure. If I knew there was nothing that I was capable of doing then I would try to accomplish anything I’d always wanted to do. If I didn’t do these things now I may not be able to do them later, not knowing if I’d lose my intelligence or maybe even die.

 Q7: Why do you think the experiment was continued, even though it wasn’t expected to work?

A: All of the scientists were making money off of the experiment and of Charlie. They got their name out in the press, and no matter the result, would receive recognition. To them Charlie wan’t a person, only a lab rat that they could dispose of later.

 Q8: Do you think they will stop Charlie’s intelligence from shrinking?

A:No, if they do it would ruin part of the book. The whole message is that artificial intelligence is not the same as what you learn on your own. If Charlie keeps his new intelligence the whole message of the book has gone.

Q9: What is the climax of the book?

A: When Charlie runs away from the scientists and lives alone with Algernon. It marks the changing in the book. Charlie realizes there is no way to escape his old self the “Charlie” in his mind. He starts conducting his own research, and we see the change in Algernon.

 Q10: Alice has been distancing herself from Charlie. If he returns to his old self will Alice come back to him?

A: Alice enjoyed Charlie’s company as long as she was smarter than him. She couldn’t deal with it once Charlie became the teacher and she was the student.  I think Alice will go back to Charlie if he goes into the Warren State Home or to Beekman College.