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Compare Charlie before the surgery to the new Charlie-- which is happier?

Before his surgery, Charlie Gordon was very happy with his life. He had a job and thought of his coworkers as his friends. He also attended evening classes and appreciated the kindness and interest of his teacher, Miss Kinnian. He hoped that if anything, the surgery would make him more intelligent so that he would be better in conversation and make more friends.


After his surgery, Charlie is initially disappointed that the effects of the operation are not immediate. However, he continues to work and attend classes and finds himself rapidly growing more competent. Though he is pleased that he is able to beat Algernon in some challenges, he has also become far more aware and self-reflective. He begins to realize that his "friends" at work have been making fun of him, and remembers the difficult childhood he had growing up. He is even fired from his job when he tries to point out that a coworker has been stealing. He struggles to socialize and soon begins to experience the decline that eventually killed Algernon.


Are you familiar with the expression, "Ignorance is bliss?" I think this holds true for Charlie. He was much happier before his surgery because he was not capable of the kind of awareness and reflection that caused him stress afterwards. He was happy and very lucky to be ignorant of the bad things in his life.

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