Flowers for Algernon: Pages 278-311

Charlie is quickly changing. He is losing the knowledge he knew. Charlie begins to get in fights with people and is very irritable. One day Charlie had a very strange therapy session with Dr. Strauss. Charlie starts to make fun of everything about Dr. Strauss. Charlie begins to become lightheaded. He describes to Dr. Strauss, “A feeling I’ve had once or twice before, just before I fainted. A lightheadedness…everything intense…but my body feels cold and numb…” 

Charlie continues to write the progress reports but it gradually gets harder. Charlie is losing lots of his vocabulary and forgetting how to spell basic words. Professor Nemur wants Charlie to come in and do some tests to find out how much knowledge he has lost. The first test was a maze, Charlie could not complete it. Charlie becomes very frustrated he is sick of doing these tests and he doesn't want people's sympathy. The rests of the tests did not go well. Charlie could not complete any of the tests successfully. 

The next day Dr. Strauss came to visit Charlie. Charlie refused to let him in. He just wanted to be left alone. Suddenly Charlie decided to try to read a book. He picked it up and couldn't understand anything. This caused him to remember a time when he was seven. He was sitting at the table with his mother. His mother told him to read a sentence. Charlie repeatedly read the sentence incorrectly. This frustrated his mother.

When Charlie came into his apartment in the morning after wandering around he found Alice. She had cleaned his apartment and fell asleep there. Alice told Charlie she was very worried about him and wanted to come and check on him. Charlie began to yell at her saying he doesn't need someone to check on him and he doesn't need her sympathy. Alice will not give in she refuses to leave. She wants to spend as much time as she can with Charlie before he goes to the Warren Home. Before Charlie replies Alice kisses him. 

Charlie is rapidly losing knowledge. Alice stays around to keep him company. One morning Charlie screamed at Alice for cleaning and then she cried. Charlie regretted yelling at her but was also partially angry.  Charlie stays in bed all day and watches T.V. Alice left Charlie’s apartment. She told Charlie she couldn’t live in such a mess. Alice was really sad about leaving. After Alice leaves Charlie gets an idea. If he keeps reading and learning new things the deterioration will go slower. Charlie goes to the library and begins to read. The next day Dr. Strauss came Charlie told him not to come back that he would send the progress reports and he wants to be left alone. Fay won’t talk to Charlie because she is afraid. The Landlady Mrs. Mooney begins to take care of Charlie. Since Charlie wouldn’t talk to Alice, she would give money to Mrs. Mooney for Charlie. Mrs. Mooney would bring food for Charlie to his room. Charlie knows that Alice and Dr. Strauss told her to check on him but he decides not to me mean to Mrs. Mooney.

Charlie tries to keep reading but it is very hard for him and he gives up. Mrs. Mooney, Dr. Strauss and Alice are all very worried about Charlie. He lies around all day doing nothing. When Mrs. Mooney came up and told Charlie that Alice had paid his rent. This upset Charlie he didn’t want their sympathy he wanted to do everything on his own. This prompted Charlie to go back to the bakery and ask for his job back. Mr. Donner told him he could have his old job back. Charlie started working. On his first day back a guy named Meyer Klaus came up to him. He had been hired when Charlie left. Meyer came up to Charlie and grabbed his arm and threatened to break it. Charlie got really nervous and had an accident in his pants. Meyer let go of him disgusted but then Joe came out and grabbed Meyer. When Charlie came back from getting changed Joe, Frank and Gimpy told Charlie that they would get rid of Meyer.

Charlie is losing knowledge quickly. He knows it is time to leave for the Warren Home. He packs his stuff and that is the end.

I think the ending was interesting. They didn’t directly tell you that Charlie died. According to his studies this was the end of his life. I guess the reader can decide. I think that he probably died but others may not. I wonder why Charlie wanted to be alone. Did he not want everyone to see him becoming dumb again? Overall I really liked the book I would definitely recommend it to a friend.