Flowers for Algernon

"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes is included in the mandatory reading program in American schools. It is the only story in the science fiction genre by an author who has been awarded twice, first for a short story and then for a novel with the same title, hero, and plot. Thirty-three-year-old Charlie Gordon is mentally challenged. He has a job, friends, and an overwhelming desire to learn. He agrees to participate in a dangerous scientific experiment in the hope of becoming smart… This fantastic story possesses striking psychological power and prompts reflection on universal questions of morality: do we have the right to conduct experiments on each other, what outcomes might this lead to, and what price are we willing to pay to become 'the smartest.' And lonely? In response to questions raised by M. Bulgakov in "A Dog's Heart" and J. London in "Martin Eden," Daniel Keyes provides his unequivocal answer.