THEMES IN MEDIA: BOOK
Sentence from Flowers for Algernon that Reflects this Theme: “This then is what I was like, I never knew. Even with my gift of intellectual awareness, I never really knew.This day was good for me. Seeing the past more clearly...”
Both of these stories base the plot off the character gaining some level of new knowledge that affects the character in an extreme. This knowledge leads them to gain insight on the world around them (Algernon- Charlie is tormented both by the memory of fleeting intelligence after experimental brain surgery and the hypocrisy of his inner struggles and Curious Incident- new level of self-identification and its potentially powerful effects). Charlie may have gained a new level of intelligence, but his happiness and his mental/emotional well-being suffered infintely. As he grew to realize the harsh reality that his mental retardness had shielded him from earlier, he began a new level of self knowledge. He almost unlocked parts of him, parts that he never knew were there, such as those parts that were able to feel a new level of emotion (e.g. love- seen through his newfound love for Miss Kinnian). He saw what he referred to as "the other side", the side where people were smart and could carry out life in a more "normal" (fitting and accepted) manner. But, at the same time, he saw the flaws with the "other side", allowing him to see his personal flaws. He wanted to live in this other side, yet he never realized how hypocritical this side was. The very side that he wanted to be ono was the same side that discriminated against those that were exactly like how Charlie was when he was "mentally-retarded". During his peak of intelligence, he lost even more of the already low social connection that he had. those around him viewed him as inferior. This taint of darkness was even visble after his mental deterioration. Despite his low intellectual capability, he could still remember parts of what happened, and this was ultimately, what tainted his happiness and his wellbeing heavily. Charlie would never be the same again. With his new understanding of the world, even though he lost most of it through his mental deterioration, he would forever know of the pain and the shame of being "stupid". Even with his bright nature and his strong motivation, he would never again grow to have that same child-like innocence that enabled him to live happily, accepting of himself. He had lived in a world filled with oblivion and ignorence, but it was a happy world. It's the same thing for Christopher. While he may of suffered less of a loss of emotional and mental well-being, his journey through the novel, him gaining a new insight of the world around him, how unaccepting it is of those mentally handicapped. His dreams (e.g. to becoming an astronaut) were compeltely shattered. The new knowledge of the affairs that his parents took part in forced him to almost lose that level of trust in the world around him. His previous ignorance, due to his low social awareness (a "side-effect" of autism) had enabled hiim to ignore the suffering and the pain of the burtal reality. The reality that cut loved ones apart. The reality that shattered dreams.
It the moving concept of bildungsroman, moral and psychological growth in the characters, disguised as other genres (mystery for The Curious Incident and sci-fi for Flowers for Alggernon) that interconnects these two stories so deeply. They show the price that these characters had to sustain with increased knowledge, the price being innocence and trust. They (Charlie and Christopher) both lost their childlike innocence in their perception of the world. And through this, they begin to realize their personal limitations and flaws. Then, they both go through extreme anguish, Charlie’s being more evident upon discovering that some of their original dreams would never come true. They both suffer an emotional toll through their intellectual discoveries. In fact, this emotional toll was so significant that both Charlie and Christopher went through identidy change. It's almost as if after their intellectual discoveries, they've become entirely new people.
Both of these stories base the plot off the character gaining some level of new knowledge that affects the character in an extreme. This knowledge leads them to gain insight on the world around them (Algernon- Charlie is tormented both by the memory of fleeting intelligence after experimental brain surgery and the hypocrisy of his inner struggles and Curious Incident- new level of self-identification and its potentially powerful effects). Charlie may have gained a new level of intelligence, but his happiness and his mental/emotional well-being suffered infintely. As he grew to realize the harsh reality that his mental retardness had shielded him from earlier, he began a new level of self knowledge. He almost unlocked parts of him, parts that he never knew were there, such as those parts that were able to feel a new level of emotion (e.g. love- seen through his newfound love for Miss Kinnian). He saw what he referred to as "the other side", the side where people were smart and could carry out life in a more "normal" (fitting and accepted) manner. But, at the same time, he saw the flaws with the "other side", allowing him to see his personal flaws. He wanted to live in this other side, yet he never realized how hypocritical this side was. The very side that he wanted to be ono was the same side that discriminated against those that were exactly like how Charlie was when he was "mentally-retarded". During his peak of intelligence, he lost even more of the already low social connection that he had. those around him viewed him as inferior. This taint of darkness was even visble after his mental deterioration. Despite his low intellectual capability, he could still remember parts of what happened, and this was ultimately, what tainted his happiness and his wellbeing heavily. Charlie would never be the same again. With his new understanding of the world, even though he lost most of it through his mental deterioration, he would forever know of the pain and the shame of being "stupid". Even with his bright nature and his strong motivation, he would never again grow to have that same child-like innocence that enabled him to live happily, accepting of himself. He had lived in a world filled with oblivion and ignorence, but it was a happy world. It's the same thing for Christopher. While he may of suffered less of a loss of emotional and mental well-being, his journey through the novel, him gaining a new insight of the world around him, how unaccepting it is of those mentally handicapped. His dreams (e.g. to becoming an astronaut) were compeltely shattered. The new knowledge of the affairs that his parents took part in forced him to almost lose that level of trust in the world around him. His previous ignorance, due to his low social awareness (a "side-effect" of autism) had enabled hiim to ignore the suffering and the pain of the burtal reality. The reality that cut loved ones apart. The reality that shattered dreams.
It the moving concept of bildungsroman, moral and psychological growth in the characters, disguised as other genres (mystery for The Curious Incident and sci-fi for Flowers for Alggernon) that interconnects these two stories so deeply. They show the price that these characters had to sustain with increased knowledge, the price being innocence and trust. They (Charlie and Christopher) both lost their childlike innocence in their perception of the world. And through this, they begin to realize their personal limitations and flaws. Then, they both go through extreme anguish, Charlie’s being more evident upon discovering that some of their original dreams would never come true. They both suffer an emotional toll through their intellectual discoveries. In fact, this emotional toll was so significant that both Charlie and Christopher went through identidy change. It's almost as if after their intellectual discoveries, they've become entirely new people.
THEMES IN MEDIA: SONG
Sentence from Flowers for Algernon that Reflects this Theme: “I have often reread my progress reports and seen the illiteracy, the childish naivete, the mind of low intelligence peering from a dark room, through the keyhole, at the dazzling light outside.”
The song speaks off someone with a childlike minded view of the world, having to bear a huge load of new knowledge. Charlie despite his intelligence, was still at a “child’s level” of emotional intelligence. Complex emotions like his love for Miss Kinnian were rather confusing for him.
The lyrics refer to “and I learned many things, little ones shouldn't know”. Someone with an emotional basis like Charlie’s shouldn’t have to bear the weight of such knowledge (his discovery of the eventual intellectual recline that would inevitably happen to him). The second and third verse are directly reflective of Charlie’s state after his mental deterioration. He’s learnt so much, yet he’s had to block it away. He doesn’t understand the past, but he stands tall, embracing what he has; something inside him knowing that, that’s the right thing to do.
The song speaks off someone with a childlike minded view of the world, having to bear a huge load of new knowledge. Charlie despite his intelligence, was still at a “child’s level” of emotional intelligence. Complex emotions like his love for Miss Kinnian were rather confusing for him.
The lyrics refer to “and I learned many things, little ones shouldn't know”. Someone with an emotional basis like Charlie’s shouldn’t have to bear the weight of such knowledge (his discovery of the eventual intellectual recline that would inevitably happen to him). The second and third verse are directly reflective of Charlie’s state after his mental deterioration. He’s learnt so much, yet he’s had to block it away. He doesn’t understand the past, but he stands tall, embracing what he has; something inside him knowing that, that’s the right thing to do.
THEMES IN MEDIA: MOVIE
Sentence from Flowers for Algernon that Reflects this Theme: "If I try reel hard maybe Ill be a littel bit smarter than I was before the operashun. I got my rabits foot and my luky penny and may'be they will help me."
The flim, "Still Alice" perfectly captures the essence of the theme. The movie depicts the jouney of a linguistic professor, one that is highly-accomplished go through the painful process of lossing everything due to Alzheimer's Disease. Everything that happens during the movie is so much like what Charlie has to endure during his mental deterioration.
On the surface level, it may be just depicting the struggle of lossing something due to a mental illness of some sort. It captures the pain and the grief, along with the little, joyful milestones of those that are mentally ill. On how much they struggle to "fit" in, to live in a society where things have to be done a certain way. Where one is considered "weird" if they don't live those standards and doesn't have a personality or a character that defines those norms. Alice, in the film "Still Alice" struggles deeply in finding who she truly is during her "mental decline", while struggling to accept the fact that soon enough, those memories that she holds so dear to her heart, those of her spouse, those of her children would all be ripped away from her sooner or later. And all of this would happen simply because she had Alzhemier's Disease. Something that she couldn't even have controled anyways. Charlie goes through something simaler. Those special moments, especially those with Miss Kinnian would all be eventually wiped clean by his mental deterioration. He would no longer see any romantic interest in her, nevermind see her as anything past his teacher. Those special memories with Algernon. Everything. It would all be stripped away eventually.
Regardless, what's demonstrated in both these stories go beyond the struggle of loss. They both demonstrate the role of love and friendship in the lives of those "mentally-handicapped". Love and friendship play a powerful role for both Alice and Charlie. They are what form the supportive network of caring individuals around them. These are the individuals that empower them to keep going and to keep struggling against their mental illness. It's within these two stories where the reader is truly able to see the power of love and friendship how much it can do keep a person struggling, to keep going in life and to not give up. Alice's family did this for her, while Miss Kinnian did this for Charlie. It came in different forms, but ultimately, these forms of support were what kept these characters emotionally intact and ensured that they knew they didn't have to struggle alone.
The flim, "Still Alice" perfectly captures the essence of the theme. The movie depicts the jouney of a linguistic professor, one that is highly-accomplished go through the painful process of lossing everything due to Alzheimer's Disease. Everything that happens during the movie is so much like what Charlie has to endure during his mental deterioration.
On the surface level, it may be just depicting the struggle of lossing something due to a mental illness of some sort. It captures the pain and the grief, along with the little, joyful milestones of those that are mentally ill. On how much they struggle to "fit" in, to live in a society where things have to be done a certain way. Where one is considered "weird" if they don't live those standards and doesn't have a personality or a character that defines those norms. Alice, in the film "Still Alice" struggles deeply in finding who she truly is during her "mental decline", while struggling to accept the fact that soon enough, those memories that she holds so dear to her heart, those of her spouse, those of her children would all be ripped away from her sooner or later. And all of this would happen simply because she had Alzhemier's Disease. Something that she couldn't even have controled anyways. Charlie goes through something simaler. Those special moments, especially those with Miss Kinnian would all be eventually wiped clean by his mental deterioration. He would no longer see any romantic interest in her, nevermind see her as anything past his teacher. Those special memories with Algernon. Everything. It would all be stripped away eventually.
Regardless, what's demonstrated in both these stories go beyond the struggle of loss. They both demonstrate the role of love and friendship in the lives of those "mentally-handicapped". Love and friendship play a powerful role for both Alice and Charlie. They are what form the supportive network of caring individuals around them. These are the individuals that empower them to keep going and to keep struggling against their mental illness. It's within these two stories where the reader is truly able to see the power of love and friendship how much it can do keep a person struggling, to keep going in life and to not give up. Alice's family did this for her, while Miss Kinnian did this for Charlie. It came in different forms, but ultimately, these forms of support were what kept these characters emotionally intact and ensured that they knew they didn't have to struggle alone.