Discussion of Flowers for Algernon

After the discussion about Flowers for Algernon in class, I felt like I was exposed to the different opinions and points of view my classmates had when they read the story. I realised that they were so different from mine and taught me to view things with a broader mind-scape. This fascinating discovery urged me to reflect on the important points of the discussion and share some of the new ideas that I learned. Firstly, I did not pick out the point that Flowers for Algernon was set in New York. Although it may seem ordinary, the author has a very specific purpose of setting the story there. New York is a place where many tourists frequent, so the people there are very different from each other, be it race, religion or family background. This shows us that Frank and Joe did not accept Charlie's differences despite them living in a city with various types of people. Another point that I did not take note was that Charlie and Algernon were actually the same person. They were actually one in soul and their life experiences were almost the same. For example, Charlie and Algernon were both despised as they were a janitor and a pest respectively. When Algernon bit Charlie, I thought that Algernon's mind was digressing and that he did not recognise or want Charlie anymore. However, after listening to my classmates, I am quite convinced that this action showed the connection between the two true friends as blood flowed out of the wound. I also did not know that the realistic setting in Flowers for Algernon played a very important role in the story. In brief, it helps to bring out the theme of the story, helps to make readers believe that the story is real and helps to make them understand how the characters feel. These are just some of the points that I learned from the discussion. I hope that next time when I read a story, I can take note of these minor but important details that can mean a different thing from what I first perceived it to be.

Loo Nathanael (18) 1I!