Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Short summary

5 seconds

Charlie Gordon suffers from developmental delays. One day he has an operation to increase his intelligence, and the boy becomes a genius. But the effect of the operation does not last long and Charlie degenerates again.

1 minute

The main character is the mentally retarded Charlie Gordon, 32, who works as a janitor in a bakery. One day Professor Nemura and Dr. Strauss perform an experimental operation to increase intelligence, choosing Charlie as his test subject.

After the operation, Gordon’s IQ grows rapidly. He goes through mazes every day, competing with the mouse Algernon, who also underwent the same operation. After a while, his intelligence begins to surpass first his coworkers at work, later his teacher, and soon the scientists themselves. Charlie is promoted and becomes a genius. His colleagues, who used to make fun of him, now hate the guy.

But the scientists notice that the mouse’s intelligence level is declining, and the same thing awaits Charlie. Elgeron dies, an autopsy revealing that his brain has greatly shrunk. Soon Charlie, too, begins to degenerate and reverts back to his previous state, being reassigned to the janitorial staff. At the end of the book, Charlie leaves town and is asked to put flowers on the mouse’s grave.