Chris: A reverse Charlie from Flowers For Algernon -

[LucridMockery]

I remember having to read this book in the 6th grade, maybe you guys did too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_for_Algernon

It's a famous work of fiction about a "slow" man who was institutionalized as a child who grows up to take part in an experiment where he becomes highly intelligent afterwards, but is no longer happy. After becoming more high-functioning, his life turns even worse. He decides to revert himself back to his original form to be happy again.

CWC is like the opposite of this, he is miserable being "slow-in-da-mind" except he is like Charlie (the protagonist) when " However, Charlie finally attains sufficient emotional maturity, (the thing Chris lacks), to have a brief but fulfilling relationship with Alice, who cohabits with him until the extent of his mental deterioration causes him to finally order her to leave."

I wonder if he had to read that in school and if he related to it at all. Being on the cusp of Autism and all, juxtaposed between normies and "gateways to hell" or whatever.

If they decide to make another TV movie they should cast CWC. Charlie even gets all full of himself and drives everyone away when he gets too smart for his own good.

Here's the plot summary:

Charlie Gordon, a man with an IQ of 68 who works a menial job as a janitor in a factory. He is selected to undergo an experimental surgical technique to increase his intelligence. The technique had already been successfully tested on Algernon, a laboratory mouse. The surgery on Charlie is also a success and his IQ triples.

Charlie falls in love with his former teacher, Miss Kinnian, but as his intelligence increases, he surpasses her intellectually and they become unable to relate to each other. He also realizes that his co-workers at the factory whom he thought were his friends, only liked him to be around so that they could make fun of him. His new intelligence scares his co-workers at his job; they start a petition to have him fired but when Charlie finds out about the petition, he quits. As Charlie's intelligence peaks, Algernon suddenly declines — losing his increased intelligence and dying shortly afterward, to be buried in a cheese box in Charlie's backyard.

Charlie discovers that his intelligence increase is also only temporary. He starts to experiment to find out the cause of the flaw in the experiment, which he calls the "Algernon-Gordon Effect". Just when he finishes his experiments, his intelligence begins to degenerate, to such an extent that he becomes equally as unintelligent as he was before the experiment. Charlie is aware of, and pained by, what is happening to him as he loses his knowledge and his ability to read and write. He tries to get his old job as a janitor back, and tries to revert to normal but he cannot stand the pity from his co-workers, landlady, and Ms. Kinnian. Charlie states he plans to "go away" from New York and move to a new place. His last wish is that someone put flowers on Algernon's grave.

 

[Holdek]

I remember having to read this book in the 6th grade, maybe you guys did too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_for_Algernon

It's a famous work of fiction about a "slow" man who was institutionalized as a child who grows up to take part in an experiment where he becomes highly intelligent afterwards, but is no longer happy. After becoming more high-functioning, his life turns even worse. He decides to revert himself back to his original form to be happy again.

CWC is like the opposite of this, he is miserable being "slow-in-da-mind" except he is like Charlie (the protagonist) when " However, Charlie finally attains sufficient emotional maturity, (the thing Chris lacks), to have a brief but fulfilling relationship with Alice, who cohabits with him until the extent of his mental deterioration causes him to finally order her to leave."

I wonder if he had to read that in school and if he related to it at all. Being on the cusp of Autism and all, juxtaposed between normies and "gateways to hell" or whatever.

If they decide to make another TV movie they should cast CWC. Charlie even gets all full of himself and drives everyone away when he gets too smart for his own good.

Here's the plot summary:

Charlie Gordon, a man with an IQ of 68 who works a menial job as a janitor in a factory. He is selected to undergo an experimental surgical technique to increase his intelligence. The technique had already been successfully tested on Algernon, a laboratory mouse. The surgery on Charlie is also a success and his IQ triples.

Charlie falls in love with his former teacher, Miss Kinnian, but as his intelligence increases, he surpasses her intellectually and they become unable to relate to each other. He also realizes that his co-workers at the factory whom he thought were his friends, only liked him to be around so that they could make fun of him. His new intelligence scares his co-workers at his job; they start a petition to have him fired but when Charlie finds out about the petition, he quits. As Charlie's intelligence peaks, Algernon suddenly declines — losing his increased intelligence and dying shortly afterward, to be buried in a cheese box in Charlie's backyard.

Charlie discovers that his intelligence increase is also only temporary. He starts to experiment to find out the cause of the flaw in the experiment, which he calls the "Algernon-Gordon Effect". Just when he finishes his experiments, his intelligence begins to degenerate, to such an extent that he becomes equally as unintelligent as he was before the experiment. Charlie is aware of, and pained by, what is happening to him as he loses his knowledge and his ability to read and write. He tries to get his old job as a janitor back, and tries to revert to normal but he cannot stand the pity from his co-workers, landlady, and Ms. Kinnian. Charlie states he plans to "go away" from New York and move to a new place. His last wish is that someone put flowers on Algernon's grave.

I don't see the parallel. Chris has always been a 'tard, and will probably always be one. He never went through the change that Charlie did.

 

[Hexbox]

God, what a wonderful book this was. However, Charlie at least put forth effort when he was a slow-in-the-mind to be better. Chris already thinks he is perfection (at least he did at his peak) and feels that he can do nothing to improve himself because there is simply no need.

 

[Marvin]

I never read this book, but I would imagine that the whole plot of Flowers For Algernon relies on a sudden and significant increase in intelligence. Chris, like anyone, has had big changes in his life, but not really anything related to his intelligence. I don't see the parallel.

 

[LucridMockery]

I never read this book, but I would imagine that the whole plot of Flowers For Algernon relies on a sudden and significant increase in intelligence. Chris, like anyone, has had big changes in his life, but not really anything related to his intelligence. I don't see the parallel.

I'm not saying they are parallel but reverse, they are opposites in how they handle their situations. A parallel runs right along side something.

They are both slow but handle it differently. Chris badly and Charlie better. Charlie gets to experience the "normal, smart life", becomes a scientist, and gets several women. Charlie has revelations about his situation and reflects on his life, upbringing, and the world around him. Even though Charlie goes thru non-coddling, he becomes a functioning member of society. He admits his problems. Instead of "main-streaming" himself, he goes to an "adult college for the retarded"where he tries to better himself with a teacher after high school, holds down a job, has friends, is nice and happy with his life, all before the operation. Chris never did any of this stuff despite being "higher functioning". Charlie is selected for the experiment because he is the slowest in his class of slow students.

It's also a slow progression into a high IQ and then a slow progression back down.

It's a good book you guys show check it or one of the movies of it out. And so should Chris.

Charlie has trouble comprehending his feelings for his teacher when he's still slow, that's the only way his like Chris is what I'm saying.

I think you guys missed where I said "reverse" Charlie as is Chris is miserable right now and in general.

 

[Marvin]

I never read this book, but I would imagine that the whole plot of Flowers For Algernon relies on a sudden and significant increase in intelligence. Chris, like anyone, has had big changes in his life, but not really anything related to his intelligence. I don't see the parallel.

I'm not saying they are parallel but reverse, they are opposites in how they handle their situations. A parallel runs right along side something.

No, I understood that much. But from what I can tell, you could compare Chris to anyone else with retardation who did well in life and get the same result.

 

[LucridMockery]

I never read this book, but I would imagine that the whole plot of Flowers For Algernon relies on a sudden and significant increase in intelligence. Chris, like anyone, has had big changes in his life, but not really anything related to his intelligence. I don't see the parallel.

I'm not saying they are parallel but reverse, they are opposites in how they handle their situations. A parallel runs right along side something.

No, I understood that much. But from what I can tell, you could compare Chris to anyone else with retardation who did well in life and get the same result.

Well yeah that's true lol.

But as the saying goes "ignorance is bliss" but not in CWC's case?

That's kind of the point of that book.

 

[Tubular Monkey]

Reverse Charlie sounds like one of Chris's invented sexual positions.

 

[Holdek]

I never read this book, but I would imagine that the whole plot of Flowers For Algernon relies on a sudden and significant increase in intelligence. Chris, like anyone, has had big changes in his life, but not really anything related to his intelligence. I don't see the parallel.

I'm not saying they are parallel but reverse, they are opposites in how they handle their situations. A parallel runs right along side something.

They are both slow but handle it differently. Chris badly and Charlie better. Charlie gets to experience the "normal, smart life", becomes a scientist, and gets several women. Charlie has revelations about his situation and reflects on his life, upbringing, and the world around him. Even though Charlie goes thru non-coddling, he becomes a functioning member of society. He admits his problems. Instead of "main-streaming" himself, he goes to an "adult college for the retarded"where he tries to better himself with a teacher after high school, holds down a job, has friends, is nice and happy with his life, all before the operation. Chris never did any of this stuff despite being "higher functioning". Charlie is selected for the experiment because he is the slowest in his class of slow students.

It's also a slow progression into a high IQ and then a slow progression back down.

It's a good book you guys show check it or one of the movies of it out. And so should Chris.

Charlie has trouble comprehending his feelings for his teacher when he's still slow, that's the only way his like Chris is what I'm saying.

I think you guys missed where I said "reverse" Charlie as is Chris is miserable right now and in general.

Well "parallel" can mean "mirror" as well. Anyways, the point is for the analogy to work, Chris would have had to start off smart, become retarded, then get smart again.

Or whatever. The book is about a major change to the main character's intelligence and the consequences of that. On the other hand, Chris has always been stupid.

 

[CatParty]

Reverse Charlie sounds like one of Chris's invented sexual positions.