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First Progress Report
We are introduced Charlie Gordon. He is 32 years old, and he doesn't have the best memory. Especially when it comes to spell correctly. The first thing Charlie writes for his progress reports is "Dr Strauss says I shud rite down what I think and evrey thing that happins to me from now on. . . . I have nuthing more to rite now so I will close for today." (371). The importance of this is that he just signed up for the wildest change in his life. -
First Race Against Algernon
Charlie is being run through a numerous amount of tests. One being a race with a little white mouse, named Algernon. Charlie has to race against Algernon through a maze. The doctors repeat the experiment many times over, but Algernon wins more times than Charlie can count. Charlie writes, "I dint know that mice were so smart. Maybe thats because Algernon is a white mouse. Maybe white mice are smarter than other mice." (374). The importance of this is that the scientists can adjust their results. -
The Operation on Charlie
Dr. Strauss decides to perform an experimental operation on Charlie in order to speed up his learning process. Charlie is scared, so they perform the operation in his sleep so he doesn't remember anything. Before the operation Charlie "asked Dr Strauss if Ill beat Algernon in the race after the operashun and he said maybe. If the operashun works Ill show that mouse I can be as smart as he is. Maybe smarter." (375). The importance is that Charlie will now progressively get smarter as a result. -
Charlie Discovered the Fact that he is a Genius.
Charlie, now at the peak of his intelligence, has learned more in the past few months than both Doctors in their entire life. Charlie says he, "was shocked to learn that the only ancient languages (Dr. Strauss) could read were Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and that he knows almost nothing of mathematics beyond elementary levels of the calculus of variations. When he admitted this to me, I found myself almost annoyed." (390). The importance is that he knows that he is smarter than both of the doctors -
Dr. Strauss puts the machine in Charlie's room
Dr. Strauss brings in a type of television to help Charlie learn subconsciously while he sleeps. At first, Charlie complains that it prevents him from sleeping: "How can I sleep with something yelling crazy things all night in my ears. . . . Wow. I dont know what it says when Im up so how am I going to know when Im sleeping." (378) The importance is that the machine quickens the process of Charlie's increasing intelligence. -
Charlie Finally Beats Algernon in the Maze
Only a little while after the operation, Charlie has developed incredibly. He was able to surpass Algernon in a race. This was a great sign of improvement for Charlie. His intelligence only seems to improve from there. However, Charlie can't fathom how he has started beating Algernon. He says, "I must be getting smart to beat a smart mouse like Algernon. But I dont feel smarter." (380). The importance of this is that since Charlie has finished the race faster than Algernon, the test succeeded. -
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Miss Kinnian Teaches Grammar to Charlie
Throughout this period of time, Miss Kinnian teaches Charlie how to spell better and punctuate his sentences correctly. He quickly catches on, and becomes an excellent reader. For a while, Charlie puts commas and other punctuations in unnecessary places, but he soon masters the subject of English. Charlie is told that he is, "coming along fast." (382) -
Charlie Find Out the Truth About His Co Workers
Charlie stays home from work. After Joe and Frank (his "friends" from work) invited Charlie to a party the night before Charlie realized that they only liked to have him around to mock him: "It's a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the time to make fun of me. Now I know what it means when they say 'to pull a Charlie Gordon.' I'm ashamed." (383). The importance is that Charlie has learned enough to comprehend social changes and relationships. -
Charlie Quits His Job
Once Charlie became intelligent, his co-workers became intimidated by his productivity and work ethic. They all signed a petition demanding he leave the factory. While Charlie is a bit heartbroken to betrayed by his "friends," he soon reallizes they never really were his friends. "Eight hundered and forty names, everyone connected with the factory, except Fanny Girden. Scanning the list quickly, I saw at once that hers was the only missing name. All the rest demanded that I be fired." (388) -
Charlie Vows to Change the World
A new dish boy, who is mentally retarded, drops some plates in the hospital. Charlie is then infuriated that he was laughing at the boy: "It infuriated me to think that not too long ago I, like this boy, had foolishly played the clown. And I had almost forgotten." (392).Charlie vows that he will help boost the human intelligence levels. He has decided that after living in both world there is no one better for the job: "Who is better equipped for the job? Who else has lived in both worlds?" (393) -
Charlie Becomes Aware of his Fate
Charlie has completed his research on increasing intelligence. His results have shown that he will follow the same path as Algernon did, a peak and then a decline. Right now, Charlie is at his peak. Charlie tries to prepare himself for his inevitable downfall: "As I review the records and data on Algernon, I see that although he is still in physical infancy, he has regressed mentally." (395). The importance of this is that Charlie realizes the dip in intelligence that befalls him. -
Algernon Dies
Algernon had been deteriorating for some time before his death. While Algernon's death was anything but unexpected, Charlie took the death of his friend very seriously. Charlie knows that he is suffering just like Algernon was. Charlie takes time every day to pay his respects to his close friend Algernon. "I put Algernon's body in a match box and buried him in the back yard. I cried." (396). The importance is that this devastating event had defined the rest of Charlie's life. -
Charlie's Final Progress Report
Charlie is at an even lower point at the end of this story then when he started. He returns to the night school with Miss Kinnian, but she can't stand to see him unintelligent again after all of that work towards genius. She begins to cry and Charlie wants to leave New York because he, "dont want to do nothink like that agen. I dont want Miss Kinnian to feel sorry for me." (401) Charlie only requests one thing, that someone put flowers on Algernon's grave. This concludes Charlie Gordon' story.